A Must Visit

Sri Lanka is a must-visit Kite Boarding destination. Not only can you get smooth winds combined with calm waters in Kalpitiya lagoon (and surrounding islands), but the people, culture, and scenery put this destination in my top three ever visited. I traveled to Sri Lanka at the beginning of the windy season in June and stayed for two weeks of kiteboarding and two weeks of sightseeing.

Loads of Choices

The lagoon has about two dozen kiteboarding hotels and about six different kite schools. The small tourist area has been designated for kiteboarding as you won't find much else to do activity wise. If you want to hang for the day, the hotels are exceptional. I stayed at "the windy" resort, and it was a five-star experience at a two-star price.

Perfect Conditions

The lagoon is shallow and calm with very consistent winds that usually start around noon and continue until the sun goes down. I rented gear through Surf Point, Sri Lanka, and they gave me a great deal. I had an incredible experience.

The wind beach resort - Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka

sri+lanka+2.jpg — Kiteboarding behind the Kalpitiya Resort

Such an amazing experience.

Continue the Adventure

After the lagoon, be sure to take the train to Ella and see the wonders of Sigiryia (an absolute wonder of the world).

I took the bus or train everywhere - transits easy to navigate, prices are very cheap, and the best way to meet locals. I paid around $20-$30USD/night at most hotels. If you're lucky - hike up to a monastery in Ella, and maybe the monks will take you in for a lesson in meditation. What an experience!

Give a Sri Lankan a smile - it might be the warmest experience of your life...

The entrance to get to the top of the rock of Sigiriya.

Ella is a must-visit in Sri Lanka. Hike, swim in waterfalls, listen to live music at night. This town was a much-needed break from the hot sun of Kalpitiya and Arugam Bay.

Meditate with monks (this was my first time meditating) near Ella.

Take the train to Ella. Goofing around on the train is encouraged.

Embrace Your Inner Hippie

See elephants and catch some incredible surfing waves on the east side of the island in Arugam bay. It's a chill hippie town filled with yoga and late morning hangovers.

Chat with the locals every chance you get! I can't count the number of people who invited me into their homes for a meal or a place to stay.

Amazing Locals

Photos below of the two cutie little girls and me are the police chief's daughters. I became very close with his family, and he even offered to drive me through the country. The hospitality of Sri Lankan people is amongst the best I've ever experienced on this planet.