Back to results

Kitesurfing Area, Sri Lanka

Stay in Kalpitiya: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of Kalpitiya

Watch this spot We email you when Kitesurfing Area is worth the trip.

About Kitesurfing Area

Known for kitesurfing, by the OpenStreetMap map of the area. The shore faces NW, so wind from the SE blows out to sea (our estimate from the coastline). Facts: verified.

Water about 29°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

A spot for kitesurfing, as OpenStreetMap maps it, on a shore facing NW. Wind from the NW blows onshore, wind from the SE blows out to sea, and wind from the NE or SW runs along the shore. It is sheltered to the open sea. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 500 m out (1 in 49). The sea is about 28°C in January, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 30°C in April, its warmest (no wetsuit). For kitesurfing at expert level the best month is usually June, with about 6 good days in 7; in March, about 0. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Kalpitiya. Within 5 km we also list 3 wind sports spots.

Save this trip A link to come back to, or to send to the group.

Book the trip

From Chicago: about 31 h 15 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport (CMB), changing at İstanbul Airport (IST). About 7 flights a week that month.

    See flights ORD → CMB · Skyscanner from about £800 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 3 h 50 from the airport to Kitesurfing Area.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in KalpitiyaAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Kitesurfing lessons in Kalpitiya · GetYourGuideAdKite and board hire in Kalpitiya · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Kitesurfing Area on Google Maps · Directions

The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.

One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

Best on Sun 25: 15 kn gusting 20, side-shore. Water: chop.

The score for kite, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor

DayScoreWindGustsShoreWater
Sun 18Oct4716knsidechop
Mon 19Oct2315knsidechop
Tue 20Oct010knside-onchop
Wed 21Oct09knoffnot safechop
Thu 22Oct010knoffnot safechop
Fri 23Oct014knoffnot safechop
Sat 24Oct3816knsidechop
Sun 25Oct6820knsidechop
Mon 26Oct3917knsidechop
Tue 27Oct015knsidechop
Wed 28Oct0––––

Day scores are the conditions out of 80. Wind is the day's best reading: the mean and the gusts in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); the arrow points where it blows to. Shore: "side" is side-shore, blowing along the beach, the safe way; "side-on" and "on" blow in towards it; "cross-off" and "off" blow out to sea, and offshore scores nothing for kite and windsurf. Water is the open sea's waves near the spot: flat under 0.3 m, chop to 0.8 m.

The season

Good kite days in a typical week, each month, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).

  1. Jan2of 7
  2. Feb1of 7
  3. Mar0of 7
  4. Apr1of 7
  5. May4of 7
  6. Jun6of 7
  7. Jul5of 7
  8. Aug5of 7
  9. Sep5of 7
  10. Oct2of 7
  11. Nov1of 7
  12. Dec2of 7

Typical, not a forecast. Reanalysis wind misses some local thermal winds, so a spot known for an afternoon breeze may do better than this.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for kite. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Fly ORD to CMB, changing at IST, then 3h 50 by road. About 31h 15 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 4 kn gusting 10, side-shore. Water: chop.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 12 kn gusting 15, side-shore. Water: waves 1.1 m.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Kite Kitesurfing Area

    10 kn gusting 18, side-onshore. Water: waves 1.1 m.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 9 kn gusting 14, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: chop.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Kite Kitesurfing Area

    13 kn gusting 17, side-onshore. Water: waves 1.3 m.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Fly ORD to CMB, changing at IST, then 3h 50 by road. About 31h 15 door to door

Rough cost

About £1,010–£2,030 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. Kit hire is not in it yet: we have no sourced price for it.

  • Flights £800–£1,660
  • To the UK airport £35–£65
  • Hire car £30–£55
  • Stay £75–£125
  • Food £70–£125

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Kitesurfing lessons · GetYourGuide Kite and board hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.