Kalpitiya is a sandy peninsula on the north-west coast of Sri Lanka, with a shallow lagoon on one side and the Indian Ocean on the other. The main lagoon is roughly two kilometres long and about one kilometre wide, mostly flat water with large shallow sections. Across the sandbank the ocean side has waves and a reef.
The schools and kite resorts sit along the lagoon shore.
The reef on the ocean side lies about 700 metres offshore, and in the summer monsoon waves of 3 to 5 feet break on it.
Not yet checked against a weather station or an independent model, so treat these figures as a guide.
At a glance
Is it for you?
Skill levelGetting there
WaterMillpond
Wind · MayUsually turns up
Crowds · MayHeavy in season
Local vibeFriendly enough
Water qualityUsually clean
NightlifeA bar or two
CostMid
Geek analysis
May in the record
82% of days clear 12 kt for three daylight hours or more.
In May the wind most often sits at 12 to 15 kt (28% of daylight hours) and is over 12 kt from 8am to 6pm on at least half the days. See both charts in the full report
No weather station near enough to check these figures against.
May on the record
The month's own figures, not the year's average.
Rideable days25 of 31Ten Mays in the record
DirectionSSW 212°
Wind, rideable hours17 ktMean over daylight hours at 12 kt+
Air31.8°CMaximum
Waves1.2 m37% of days run big
Take it with you
The full Kalpitiya report
Seven sections over six pages, built from the same record as this page. A PDF you can read on the plane.
01Hour-by-hour & month-by-month wind02The month's own records03Full stays, schools & kit04Per-launch tide notes05Mussels, the reef & the ocean side06Getting there, packing & best months07Sources, and their limits
WindChaser spot reportKalpitiyaNorth Western Province, Sri Lanka · May82% of days clear 12 kt for three daylight hours or more.
When it gets busy
Crowds
Jun · High
Compiled research puts the busy months with the two wind seasons, May to September and December to February, and the quiet ones in April and November. It is not a head count.
On the water
What May usually does
Wind directionSW, then NEThe south-west monsoon from May to September, the north-east monsoon from December to March.
Wind strength14 to 18 ktThe mean over rideable daylight hours in the record: 17 to 18 kt May to September, 14 kt in January and February.
When it blowsAll day, or afternoonsAll day in the summer monsoon. In January and February it builds from late morning to a mid-afternoon peak.
Your playground
Launches & safety
Conditions change. Check local rules and conditions before you ride.
Launch
Hazard
Parking
School
Stay
Webcam
Approximate
Local intel
Getting there & on the ground
Nearest airportColombo (CMB)Bandaranaike International. The drive takes around 3 to 3.5 hours.
On the groundMay to SeptemberThe strongest months in the record. January and February are the lighter second season.
Getting aroundCar with a driverThe easiest way to reach the peninsula and move between the lagoons.
