The Ultimate Guide to Surfing in Unawatuna

Rising right in front of the golden sands and azure seas by the Bonavista Reef and Dewata Beach (both top beginner surf spots), the Cocobay Unawatuna boasts fantastic ratings. It’s easy to see why! There’s a deluxe outdoor pool in a lovely garden topped with palms. You also get a gym for post-surf workouts. Meanwhile, the rooms are modern and sleek, luxuriously furnished and with amazing sea views with a private jacuzzi in each room.

Unawatuna is the first of the many beach towns that you’ll come to as you head south from Galle. Its openness joined with its wonderful little bays and sandy shores, have assisted it with becoming quite possibly the most well-known beach getaways on the southwest shores of Sri Lanka. 

Talking of surfing…there is actually plenty to go around. Beginner-friendly spots are tucked into the inside of Unawatuna Bay nearer to Galle. Beyond those are a few reefs (some artificial others natural) and some more exposed stretches of shore leading down to Weligama. As they unfold they offer nice rippable point breaks and some decent lefts.

The Dewata Beach and Bonavista are the two  surfing points located on the same Beach as COCO BAY. 

Dewata Beach/Closenburg Beach 

This spot is the beginner point of the Unawatuna surf. It’s tucked deep into Unawatuna Bay and is often called just that. The waves need enough force to come through the jutting headlands with the temples to the southeast and the reefs of Bonavista. That really cuts down the power and tempers the swell, so you’re generally looking at uber-mellow rides with lots of whitewashes. Most local Unawatuna surf schools will head here for their first sessions.

Bonavista

Wedged on the southern end of Dewata Beach and north along the temple headland is the reef break of Bonavista. It’s actually more of a beach break than a reef because the corals and rocks are all far out in the bay. You’ll only be surfing on top of the sand, and the quality of the wave is beginner through and through. Usually working at 3-4 feet and rarely anything too punchy. It’s basically an extension spot for the Galle surf schools when Dewata is a little too busy. Nice enough though, and great views of the whitewashed pagoda in the distance.

The surf season of southern Sri Lanka is super reliable, so just about every Unawatuna surf report will show the same thing, that the best time to visit the area for waves is from November (sometimes late October) until the end of March. The high tourism season is from December to April since the waves are consistent and the weather is dry. The rainiest months are in October and November. 

If you are planning a trip down south and are interested to know more information, please feel free to email the resort at info@cocobayunawatuna.com.