Adventure and Water Sports

Motorised water sports

Bentota on the south-west coast is the main centre, with jet skis, speedboats, water skiing, boogie boards and banana boat rides. The sea is calmest from about November to April. See water sports in Bentota. Jet skis are also available at Unawatuna, Negombo, Kalpitiya, Pasikuda and Lake Gregory in Nuwara Eliya, and at centres around Bolgoda Lake near Colombo, which also offer wakeboarding and tube rides.

Rafting and canyoning in Kitulgala

The Kelani River at Kitulgala has a stretch of about five kilometres with several rapids. Trips run with professional guides and safety gear, and the minimum age is usually around ten. See white water rafting in Kitulgala. Canyoning here includes natural slides and supervised jumps into rock pools, and there is also waterfall abseiling, flat water rafting and forest walks.

Kayaking and boat trips

The Kalu Ganga, and the lagoons at Negombo and Tangalle, are good for kayaking among mangroves and birdlife. Boat trips run on Kandy Lake, the Parakrama Samudraya in Polonnaruwa, the Madu Ganga near Balapitiya and Habarana Lake. Longer river expeditions with riverside camping are possible on the Mahaweli, Kelani and Kalu rivers.

More ideas

See also surfing, diving and snorkelling and hiking and trekking.

Safety

Use operators that supply life jackets and helmets and brief you before you start. Rafting and canyoning depend on the river level, and trips may be cancelled after heavy rain or in very dry spells, so allow some flexibility. On the coast, check where it is safe to swim, as currents can be strong outside the main season.

When to go

On the west and south coasts the sea is calmest from about November to April. In Kitulgala, rafting runs for most of the year, depending on rainfall.