Pottuvil Point, Sri Lanka
Also within 20 km of Pottuvil
- Gaza Strip Surf spot · 2.1 km from Pottuvil
- Arugam Bay Surf spot · 2.3 km from Pottuvil
- Whiskey point Surf spot · 3.9 km from Pottuvil
- Elephant rock Surf spot · 7 km from Pottuvil
- Peanuts Farm Surf spot · 9.8 km from Pottuvil
Watch this spot We email you when Pottuvil Point is worth the trip.

About Pottuvil Point
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces E (96°), so it takes swell from the E. The wind blows offshore from the W (276°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 3–11 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 850 m out (1 in 84). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 28°C in January, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 30°C in April, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually June, July, October and November, with about 3 good days in 7; in January, February and March, about 1. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Pottuvil, 2 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 3 surf spots.
Water about 29°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 33 h 50 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to BTC, changing at Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport (CMB).
See flights ORD → BTC · Skyscanner from about £800 returnAdGetting there. 3 h 05 from the airport to Pottuvil Point.
Accommodation.
Stay in PottuvilAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Pottuvil (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Pottuvil 4 min by car · rooms from £25 a night · 27 places to stay · where Pottuvil Point stays
Places to stay in Pottuvil · Booking.com AdArugam Bay 8 min by car · rooms from £25 a night · 98 places to stay
Places to stay in Arugam Bay · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Pottuvil · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Pottuvil · GetYourGuideAd
Where it is
Pottuvil Point on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for intermediates | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 30, too small | 3 ft8 ssoft | 82kJ | offshorewind from the west, 4 knots, offshore | 31°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 38, fair | 3 ft8 ssoft | 96kJ | offshorewind from the west, 2 knots, offshore | 31°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 46, fair | 3 ft9 ssoft | 134kJ | offshorewind from the north-west, 1 knot, offshore | 30°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 49, good | 3 ft10 ssoft | 174kJ | wind from the south-west, 6 knots | 32°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 44, fair | 3 ft9 ssoft | 123kJ | offshorewind from the south-west, 2 knots, offshore | 29°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 36, fair | 3 ft7 smushy | 64kJ | offshorewind from the north-west, 4 knots, offshore | 31°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 38, fair | 2 ft13 ssoft | 172kJ | wind from the south-west, 3 knots | 31°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 40, fair | 3 ft12 ssoft | 169kJ | offshorewind from the west-north-west, 3 knots, offshore | 31°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 42, fair | 3 ft9 ssoft | 133kJ | offshorewind from the west-south-west, 1 knot, offshore | 31°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 36, fair | 3 ft8 smushy | 75kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 2 knots | 30°C |
| Wed 28Oct | 0, poor | – | – | – | – |
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
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly ORD to BTC, changing at DXB and CMB, then 3h 05 by road. About 33h 50 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Pottuvil Point
Best 08:30 to 11:30 local time: 3 ft at 9 s, offshore wind.
- Wed 21 OctSurf Pottuvil Point
Best 08:30 to 11:30 local time: 3 ft at 10 s, wind 6 kn (10 km/h).
- Thu 22 OctSurf Pottuvil Point
Best 08:30 to 11:30 local time: 3 ft at 9 s, offshore wind.
- Fri 23 OctSurf Whiskey point
Best 17:30 to 20:30 local time: 3 ft at 7 s, offshore wind.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to BTC, changing at DXB and CMB, then 3h 05 by road. About 33h 50 door to door
The plan picks the best of 3 spots near Pottuvil each day: Gaza Strip, Pottuvil Point, Whiskey point.
Rough cost
About £1,040–£2,075 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to BTC, estimated from distance and season, changing at DXB and CMB, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £800–£1,655 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £30–£55 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £75–£125 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £70–£125 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £30–£50 |
| Total | £1,040–£2,075 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Pottuvil
- Arugambay Paradise Sand0.8 km from the centre
- Grandgers Restaurant0.8 km from the centre
- Divine Hut0.5 km from the centre
- PONO Café0.8 km from the centre
- Family Delight1.4 km from the centre
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
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Where to stayAd
Places to stay · Booking.com (ad)Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.