Back to results

Madiha, Sri Lanka

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

Also within 20 km of Matara

All 10 on Matara's map

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

About Madiha

Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.

The spot faces S (187°), so it takes swell from the S. The wind blows offshore from the N (7°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–8 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves moderately: 10 m deep about 350 m out (1 in 37). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would crumble. The sea is about 27°C in August, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 30°C in April, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually January, February and December, with about 6 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Matara, 3.7 km away (about 10 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots.

Water about 28°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

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

Book the trip

From Chicago: about 31 h 35 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to KCT, changing at Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport (CMB).

    See flights ORD → KCT · Skyscanner from about £805 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 1 h from the airport to Madiha.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in MataraAd

    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.

    Surf lessons in Matara · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Matara · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Madiha 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

The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small

DayScoreSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct594 ft8 smushy175kJ30°C
Mon 19Oct505 ft10 scrumbling362kJ28°C
Tue 20Oct544 ft11 scrumbling432kJ29°C
Wed 21Oct445 ft10 scrumbling438kJ28°C
Thu 22Oct434 ft9 smushy248kJ28°C
Fri 23Oct393 ft7 smushy121kJ29°C
Sat 24Oct524 ft13 scrumbling494kJ29°C
Sun 25Oct394 ft11 smushy317kJ28°C
Mon 26Oct513 ft11 scrumbling220kJ28°C
Tue 27Oct514 ft8 smushy146kJ28°C
Wed 28Oct0––––

Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.

Your trip, day by day

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

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Fly ORD to KCT, changing at DXB and CMB, then 1h by road. About 31h 35 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Surf Madiha

    Best 17:30 to 20:30 local time: 4 ft at 11 s, offshore wind.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Surf Turtle eco beach

    Best 08:30 to 11:30 local time: 5 ft at 10 s, wind 2 kn (4 km/h).

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Surf Turtle eco beach

    Best 17:30 to 20:30 local time: 4 ft at 8 s, wind 10 kn (18 km/h).

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Surf Turtle eco beach

    Best 08:30 to 11:30 local time: 3 ft at 7 s, wind 4 kn (8 km/h).

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Surf Turtle eco beach

    Best 08:30 to 11:30 local time: 4 ft at 13 s, wind 5 kn (10 km/h).

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Fly ORD to KCT, changing at DXB and CMB, then 1h by road. About 31h 35 door to door

The plan picks the best of 3 spots near Matara each day: Madiha, Matara, Turtle eco beach.

The trip from Matara, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £1,045–£2,095 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.

WhatHow we worked it outEach
Flightsreturn ORD to KCT, estimated from distance and season, changing at DXB and CMB, full-service airlines, with a hold bag£805–£1,675
To the UK airportparking or the train, there and back£35–£65
Hire car6 days, shared£30–£55
Stay6 nights, a mid-range double, shared£75–£125
Food7 days eating out£70–£125
Board and wetsuit5 days, or about £85 to fly your own£30–£50
Total£1,045–£2,095

Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.

Places to eat near Matara

Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Surf lessons · GetYourGuide Board and wetsuit 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.