Layback Surf Camp in Weligama Review: The Best Surf Camp in Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka is one of the best places in the world to learn how to surf. With the consistent breaks along the south coast for all different levels, it offers ideal conditions for learning and improving your surfing skills. Weligama is known as the best spot for beginner surfers, so I headed to Layback Surf Camp to perfect my pop-up and transition to a hard board.

There’s plenty of incredible surf camps and surf schools in Sri Lanka and deciding which is the best one can be a difficult task. After doing plenty of research, I decided to opt for Layback in Weligama. I’ve since returned for a second week there, and can say I highly recommend it.

This review explains everything you can expect from staying at Layback, including all the details, prices, and what’s included in their surf camp packages. Read on to find out more about my experience at a surf camp in Sri Lanka!

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Where is Layback Surf Camp?

Layback Surf Camp is located on Matara Road in Weligama, right in the middle of town. It’s just 5 minutes walk from Weligama Beach and is within walking distance to Cargills Supermarket, cafes, restaurants, ATMs and the bus and train station.

It’s actually in an ideal location for exploring Weligama and the surrounding area of Mirissa, Ahangama and Midigama, and yet it’s not too loud or busy being on the main road in town.

How to Get to Weligama

If you’re flying into Colombo International Airport and heading straight for Weligama, Layback Surf Camp can arrange an airport transfer for you in a private taxi.

Otherwise, most people will either be coming from Galle to the west or Hiriketiya/Dickwella in the east.

From Galle: Either take the train with several departures per day and taking around an hour, or take any bus heading for Matara from Galle Bus Station and the journey should also take about an hour by bus. Read the best things to do in Galle Fort.

From Hiriketiya/Dikwella: Take any bus from Dickwella Bus Station heading to Galle or Colombo and get off in Weligama which will take about an hour, however you’ll find more frequent buses heading to Matara from Dikwella where you’ll have to change to another bus heading towards Galle or Colombo. Read the best things to do in Hiriketiya.

Alternatively, a tuk tuk from Hiriketiya to Weligama will cost about 6000LKR (AU$27) and take about 45 minutes. This is what we did and split it amongst three of us!

How to Book Layback Surf Camp

The easiest way to book your spot at Layback is directly through their website. They have a booking form to fill out online, which you can do after checking their availability calendar first. The camp operates on a 7 day rotation basis, so minimum stay is 7 days, and the camp packages run from Sunday to Sunday, with the same schedule each week.

If you have questions or want to discuss your booking, you can message them through WhatsApp or email and they generally, get back to you pretty quickly. When I was booking, I sent them an inquiry through WhatsApp and they replied almost instantly.

If you’re booking ahead of time, then they’ll ask you to pay a deposit, otherwise, you can also opt to pay in full before arriving too.

Read more: Learning to Surf in Sri Lanka: A Beginner Surfer’s Guide

How Much Does Layback Surf Camp Cost and What’s Included

It’s pretty straight forward at Layback. They offer three packages for their camps, Basic, Standard, and Premium.

The Basic Package is 349 Euros for 7 days in a dorm room. This is the minimum offering which means all packages include the same as the Basic Package to start:

• 7 nights accommodation
• 5 morning surf lessons
• Surf theory lessons
• 3:1 surf students to teachers ratio
• Transport to and from the surf spots
• Video analysis and insightful feedback
• Free access to surf videos
• Locally made Ayurvedic bath and shower products
• Unlimited drinking water
• 2 breakfasts and 2 dinners
• Free use of surfboards and rash tops
• Unlimited Wi-Fi

The Standard Package is 399 Euros for 7 days in a dorm room or 799 Euros in a private single room for 1 person (999 Euros if there’s two people in a double room). This basically includes everything from the Basic Package, just with the addition of 5 yoga classes and 10% discount at the Layback Cafe.

The Premium Package is 699 Euros for 7 days in a dorm room or 1,099 Euros in a private single room for 1 person (1,499 Euros if there’s two people in a double room). This includes everything from the Basic and Standard Packages, plus the following:

• Add 5 sunset surf lessons or 5 additional yoga classes (or a combination of these)
• Daily breakfast and lunch throughout your stay from Layback Cafe
• Free unlimited King Coconuts
• Complimentary Layback rash vest, t-shirt or a tank top
• Local Sri Lankan cooking class
• Traditional batik workshop

Daily Schedule

The daily schedule is not overwhelming, and you’ll have plenty of downtime for relaxing (unless you picked the premium package with the additional surf lessons and extra activities!).

Everyone is added to a WhatsApp group on the first day and this is how the daily schedule and information is shared. Generally, everyone does a morning surf class which differs depending on skill level, but it can be as early as 6am for beginners!

The time of the yoga classes also differs each day, but this is generally posted in the WhatsApp group the day before for people to choose their preferred time.

There’s also surf theory, pool training, surf skate lesson, and video analysis classes on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. These are all optional, but obviously it’s heavily encouraged to attend them. Classes are usually only an hour and in the early to mid-afternoon.

The Premium Package also includes extra activities, that can also be paid for by those in the other packages. These activities include, Cooking Class, Batik Class, and Folk Museum Class. Everything is organised around all the other classes, so nothing clashes.

Thursday is a day off for everyone. So you’re free to do whatever you please on Thursday, with the reception staff happy to arrange tuk tuks for sightseeing or you can simply jump on a bus or just relax.

Why I Chose Layback

My stay at Layback Surf Camp was not sponsored or gifted, I paid for the whole package out of my own pocket. I’d researched some surf camps in Sri Lanka after initially learning to surf in Hiriketiya Beach. I found Layback and really liked that it was the only locally owned and run surf camp in Weligama.

Many of the big, international surf camps like Kima Surf don’t have the best reputation amongst locals in Sri Lanka, so I really wanted to go to a smaller-scale and locally owned operation which fairly pays their workers, and Layback does that.

I also can’t help but mention that Layback’s social media and website were very attractive, and their photography was beautiful, which obviously caught my eye. But when I started to look into what they offered, I also found it to be one of the more budget surf camps in Sri Lanka. Yet, despite the price, the accommodation and quality of the surf instructors (they have Sri Lanka’s first female surf instructor and a previous national champion instructor too) looked really good.

I first stayed for a week at Layback with two travel friends in 2023. I’ve since returned again for another week more recently and it was once again such an incredible experience. I definitely wouldn’t hesitate to return again.

What to Expect at Layback Surf Camp: My Experience

Both times I’ve been to Layback Surf Camp I was on the Basic Package. Here’s what you can expect at Layback based on my personal experience.

Accommodation

The accommodation at Layback was really impressive. I opted for the 8 bed female dormitory and it was very large with plenty of space to spread out. The beds are assigned to each person and they had a lamp and shelf on each bed. The dorm is air conditioned which was really nice to come back to after walking outside on hot days.

The dorm also has access to a little balcony where you can easily dry your swimsuit and rash tops after surfing. The ensuite bathroom was nice, with hot water (which is quite rare in Sri Lanka), and locally made toiletries included.

I had a sneaky look at the private rooms, and they were also very nice, with plenty of space and beautiful beach-themed decor. Plus, the new poolside rooms across the road they have built recently are even nicer and for those looking to splurge on their stay a bit more (although the pool is open to all guests).

Food/Layback Café

With the basic package, I only had a few meals included and these were “family meals” with the whole camp group at the start and end of the week. I have to say these meals were delicious and mostly consisted of local Sri Lankan cuisine, with plenty of variety for different dietary requirements.

The rooftop Layback Cafe (which is also open to the general public) is a beautiful spot for a meal with views over to the ocean from the top floor. The cafe is the ideal place to relax and get some work done too, with strong Wi-Fi connection.

The food is delicious at the cafe and I had breakfast there basically every day after surfing. The smoothie bowls were great, although the overnight oats were a highlight for me on the breakfast menu. It’s a bit pricey but pretty similar to other nice cafes in Weligama.

Otherwise, you’re free to eat anywhere in Weligama. We organised our own group dinners often in the Whatsapp group chat, which was a lot of fun and a good way to make friends.

Surf Lessons

The real reason you do a surf camp in Weligama is for the consistent and high quality surf lessons and I have to say Layback had great instructors who made the lessons fun, informative, and constructive.

I had five morning lessons included in my package. For beginners, they were all conducted at Weligama Beach. Once I moved to the intermediate group, we travelled to Ahangama to surf at different reef breaks depending on conditions. Starting times varied, sometimes as early as 6am. This might seem rough, but it was actually worth it as we were often the first people down at the beach, because it gets very busy by 7am onwards.

We’d start with a stretch on the sand and some instructions and pop-up practice before getting in the water. When I was a beginner, on the first day, we spent around 30 minutes actually doing a theory class and pop-up practice in the yoga space at Layback before going to the beach.

The lessons generally ran for a bit over an hour in the water, with the ratio being around three students for every instructor which was perfect really, with minimal wait time.

They generally divide everyone up on the first day into beginners (never surfed before or still learning the basics), intermediate (up to surfing green waves with/without help), and upper intermediate (competent at surfing alone at reef breaks). Each group goes to different spots and at different times. Beginners head to Weligama Beach, while intermediate groups tend to head to other spots around Ahangama like Sticks or Gas Station depending on conditions.

I often had Thilina (the owner of Layback) and Lahiru when I was there as a beginner, who were both really great. Thilina is full of knowledge and gave me lots of insightful tips that I hadn’t received from my instructors in Hiriketiya. When I returned as an intermediate surfer, I had the incredible Anju, who is regarded as one of the best instructors in all of Weligama. He can be a bit tough on you, but I improved so much under his instructions.

Theory Lessons and Video Analysis

During the week there are five theory lessons and/or video analysis for each group. You look at everything from surf etiquette to how to turn on a board, and how to identify different breaks and where to position yourself in the line up. Plus, the addition of the outdoor pool now means that you also get to practice paddling and turns in the water.

The video analysis is especially helpful, in my opinion! While you’re not filmed every day, we had around three analysis sessions each week. We sat down to look at our pop-up technique and how we were standing on the board. It’s really useful being able to look at yourself (maybe also a little embarrassing), and the tips were handy to head back out the next day to correct mistakes.

The videos from the analysis are also free for you to send to yourself or copy to a USB stick or hard drive. It was very funny to look back at how much I’d improved from the first day to the last day!

Yoga Classes

As I did the basic package, I didn’t have the yoga included in my surf camp, but I had the option to add yoga classes if I wanted by just paying extra per class. While I didn’t end up doing this because I had too much remote work, my two friends attended some of the classes and really enjoyed the soothing and slow yin yoga.

There’s generally a couple of class times to choose from per day and you can select whichever one suits you. The space is quite open and airy, looking out towards the palm trees. However, you can hear the cafe upstairs a bit and the traffic, so it’s not the quietest place to practice yoga.

Optional Activities

There are some optional activities available for everyone. Those on the Premium Package get all of them included, otherwise anyone from the camp can join them if they like for additional cost. The cooking class and batik are both highly recommended if you have the time. It’s a fun way to experience a bit more of Sri Lankan culture during your time in Weligama.

On Wednesday night, there’s also an excursion to The Doctors House. Located between Mirissa and Matara, this restaurant and bar puts on one of the best party’s of the south coast every Wednesday. The old Dutch Hospital turns into a club later in the evening with a DJ until midnight, and then the party moves next door until the early hours of the morning. This is optional but Layback organise transport to and from for anyone who wants to go.

Things to Know When Attending a Surf Camp

• You don’t have to bring any of your own surfing equipment, as the surf boards and rash guards are supplied for you by the surf camp. Just bring swim wear and a towel to go with the rash top.
• For girls, a one piece swim suit or bikini is okay, although you might find you get a rash when using the soft boards as beginners. Some girls decided to wear leggings in the water to stop the rash from getting worse or bike shorts can also work.
• Professional photos are also taken throughout the surf camp and available to purchase at the end. Usually the photographer works independently and you can talk to them about purchasing photos or getting a photoshoot done separately. We had @charles.netzler and he was incredible!
• High quality sunscreen preferably with zinc is good to bring, as it’s hard to find good stuff in Sri Lanka unless you head to a boutique surf store in Weligama like Ceylon Sliders or Hangtime Hostel.
• You have to be flexible at a surf camp as obviously lessons heavily depend on conditions. For beginners, we had a very consistent start time because we only needed small waves, but sometimes the intermediate groups had to reschedule their lessons for later in the morning or drive around to multiple spots to find ideal conditions.

Final Thoughts – Was Layback Worth It?

I think for the price, Layback Surf Camp is good value! Compared to the other larger camps in Weligama and Ahangama, Layback offers more of a smaller-scale and intimate surf camp with top notch instructors and really comfortable accommodation.

The staff were all really helpful and approachable, and I learnt so much more from my time there than I’d learnt surfing in Hiriketiya. For beginners, I think it’s the best way to learn how to surf because they really talk you through everything you need to know in order to catch your own waves and everyone progresses pretty quickly.

One of the only criticisms I would have of Layback is that it can be a little impersonal sometimes. The staff and volunteers weren’t really introduced to everyone on the first day, so you kind of have to work out who each person is and what they do. But everyone was so lovely, and I felt that the staff genuinely enjoyed their jobs and and were happy to answer any questions and help you out.

If you’re thinking of doing a surf camp in Sri Lanka, then I can highly recommend Layback in Weligama!

Travelling Around Sri Lanka? More Travel Guides:

• Sigiriya: Ultimate Guide to Sigiriya: Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle
• Ella: 10 Best Things to Do in Ella: An Essential Guide
• Kandy: 10 Best Things to Do in Kandy: An Essential Guide
• Trincomalee: Trincomalee Travel Guide: Underrated Beach Destination in Sri Lanka
• Colombo: Best Things to Do in Colombo in 24 Hours
• Galle: 2 Days in Galle Fort: Best Things to Do in Galle
• Hiriketiya: Hiriketiya Beach: A Guide to Sri Lanka’s Little Coastal Paradise
• Weligama: Layback Surf Camp Review in Weligama
• Jaffna: 10 Best Things to Do in Jaffna, North Sri Lanka
• Digital Nomad Travel: Digital Nomad in Sri Lanka: A Guide for Remote Workers

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