Crowd-free and captivating: Why now’s the time to visit Sri Lanka

This south Asian nation has had a tough year but it remains magical for tourists, writes Jennifer Lutz

Experience Sri Lanka without the crowds (Jennifer Lutz)

In Arugam Bay, surfers ride to shore with the last glints of sun. I’m a bit less graceful, balancing on a wobbling beginner’s board while my instructor chokes back a laugh. The mood is lighter than you’d imagine. Just days after countries lifted their advice against travelling here, Sri Lanka’s east coast keeps the party going. Usually crowded bars host local musicians, playing bluesy notes to the handful of travellers who come for the waves, vibes and smoothie bowls. Bare-legged women sit next to shaggy-haired men drinking cucumber mojitos. Waves crash to shore and scents of coconut hang in the sea-salt air.

Signs of the recent unrest and economic crisis are surprisingly few and far between. Uncrowded beaches are many, a quiet respite from my previous visit in January. You get the sense of a country that’s working to move forward and reignite its tourism sector.

By the time I arrived in Arugam Bay, I’d been in the country nearly a month, travelling between the west and east coasts, with brief stays in the capital, Colombo. I won’t say I wasn’t nervous, unsure what to expect amid reports of petrol shortages and civil unrest – but where I’d anticipated chaos and hostility, I found order and hospitality.