Go Here, Not There: Sri Lanka Is a Culturally Rich Alternative to Bali’s Tourist Crowds
It was a typically balmy day in Weligama, where the rhythm of everyday life is slowly changing. Stray dogs were still frolicking along endless stretches of golden sand and tourists lingered in the shade of towering palm trees, sipping water from the ubiquitous king coconut. Young surfers, or “beach boys” as they’re locally known, came and went from view as they became one with the waves of the vast Indian Ocean. In the distance, a choon paan mobile bakery touted the likes of jaggery cake and spiced potato buns.
The southern coast of Sri Lanka is still rural, but there’s a shift happening, perceptible only to those who remember the days when the region’s incredible, empty waves and sleepy fishing villages felt like a secret few were privy to.
Weligama, on Sri Lanka’s southern coast. Photo: Mikadun/Shutterstock
Today, cafes across Weligama, Unawatuna, Ahangama, and Arugam Bay awash with rattan furniture, jute accents, and neutral colors are slowly replacing authentic food stalls and family-run grocery stores, catering to backpackers with avocado toasts and smoothie bowls. It’s no wonder that this South Asian island nation is increasingly referred to as Bali 2.0. Influencers who post boho hotspots like Cac Tus, Kai, and Nomad as examples of places “giving Bali energy” may intend the analogy as praise, but Sri Lankans are far from flattered. Beyond the sameness of Bali’s tired aesthetic, it implies negative stereotypes that residents are disinclined to embrace.
Also taking a hit are locally owned businesses, priced out of tourist areas as a result of increased competition from unregistered ventures owned by foreigners who have overstayed their visas. Others are working illegally in roles like DJs, bartenders, yoga teachers, or surf instructors, evading taxes in the process. It comes at a time when tourism is seen by many as a lifeline for the country’s economy following years of political and economic upheaval, from the Easter attacks of 2019 to the sovereign default of 2022.
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Unprecedented discrimination against locals is another unwelcome consequence. Signs reading “foreigners only” have recently been spotted everywhere from beachside guesthouses to massage parlors and souvenir stores. Collectively, these changes are inevitably altering the area’s character and raising a major question: who is reaping the benefits of Sri Lanka’s growing tourism industry?
“As a country, we have not given enough consideration to the boom of location-independent work and the challenges that come with it,” reflects Sri Lankan travel creator Shenelle Rodrigo. She thinks it’s important that the island welcomes workers from abroad, but not at the expense of compromising its development or authenticity. “There definitely needs to be on-the-ground monitoring to ensure that policies [to protect] both the environment and livelihood of locals are followed.”
The relentless comparisons to Bali further stem from the Sri Lankan government’s push to attract four million tourists by 2029. In the face of limited resources, experts and locals have raised concerns around an abrupt increase in tourist arrivals, citing the Indonesian island as a cautionary tale about the steep costs of overtourism.
But it’s not all bleak. As the country stands at a crossroads and works towards ensuring that tourism uplifts rather than displaces Indigenous people, community-based tourism offerings are defying the narrative that Sri Lanka is the new Bali.
Photo: Soul & Surf Sri Lanka
Taking up residence on a secluded cove in Ahangama, Soul & Surf “quietly weaves mindfulness” into everything it does, according to co-founder Ed Templeton. The boutique retreat has been a mainstay in Sri Lanka’s surf scene since 2014. The tropical island has more than 800 miles of coastline, warm water, year-round swells, and a range of breaks suitable for beginners and experienced surfers alike.
Most of Soul & Surf’s lodging packages are focused on surfing and yoga, with the idea of bringing like-minded people together, both on and off the waves. Guests spend their days surfing, participating in beach cleanups, and joining relaxed yoga sessions, while its Sunday “sunset sessions” draw locals, expats, and tourists as a DJ spins a set as relaxed as the surroundings. Most employees and instructors are Sri Lankan. It’s hip and beachy, yes — but it’s an intentionally different vibe from what you’d find at a Bali beach club.
“Having been to Bali and observing foreigners exploit the tourism boom, [wife] Sofie and I took a vow to leave behind at least a slightly positive legacy,” recalls Templeton. It’s one reason that Soul & Surf works with How We Grow, a foundation dedicated to nurturing rural communities through vocational training, social programs, and sustainable support systems.
The surf retreat also hosts a monthly event during which the area’s residents are invited to play games, share a communal meal, and hop aboard a boogie board. “Locals can sometimes feel reluctant to walk into a foreign-owned space, but it’s their community and their area, so it’s one of those things that just makes sense,” he adds. “We take a grassroots approach and try to support existing initiatives in a way that feels natural to us.”
Photo: Amanda Prifti/SeaSisters
A mere five miles east, a different kind of surf revolution is taking shape in Weligama. There, it’s a common sight to see fishermen balancing on narrow wooden stilts planted into the ocean floor, fishing in the shallows for hours as they have for nearly a century. It’s also the base for SeaSisters, a non-profit organization founded on a core belief yet to permeate the rest of Sri Lanka: that the ocean is for everyone.
Driven by the idea that swimming and surfing can be tools for creating social change, SeaSisters offers free lessons to Sri Lankan girls and women from coastal villages in an all-female environment. Traditional gender norms in Sri Lanka dictate that a young woman’s place is in the home. That makes not only the ocean, but also the economic opportunities of a thriving surf tourism industry out of reach, particularly in rural areas. But every mother, daughter, or student who joins the Swim and Surf program is one step closer to a more inclusive surf culture throughout the country.
SeaSisters also fosters connections between visitors and locals through ongoing tourism offerings. “Tourism often occurs in a ‘bubble,’ but we believe in building bridges between travelers and locals through shared perspectives and experiences,” explains co-founder Martina Burtscher. “Our workshops offer tourists the chance to dive deep into Sri Lankan culture, hearing the inspiring stories of coastal women who have reclaimed the ocean and surf tourism as a space for themselves. Participants also receive tips on how to be a more conscious traveler.”
Photo: Siriwan Champorn/SeaSisters
Attend the signature Cultural Waves workshop, and you’ll engage in an ocean meditation circle, gain insights into why the 2004 tsunami continues to incite aquaphobia, and learn how the organization’s work has changed the lives of local facilitators. The shorter “Intercultural Women’s Circle” workshop teaches expression through movement, with guided meditation and a sharing circle. Both are offered a few times per month and available to book through area hotels and surf retreat operators. SeaSisters is currently working on its plans for the upcoming season, but plans to continue its free sunset picnics, designed as a chance for visitors and locals to meet the SeaSisters themselves and learn more about what they’re trying to achieve.
All activities are a chance to support SeaSisters and help create meaningful change for generations to come. “If I know how to swim, I’ll make sure that my daughters do, too,” says Himaya Hewamadduma, one of the area’s first local women to qualify as a swim instructor. “Being in the water means freedom, so I’ve always wanted to teach kids how to swim and surf.”
Photo: Amba Yaalu Kandalama
Further afield, Amba Yaalu in central Sri Lanka is making waves in a different way: the resort on a mango plantation is the country’s first hotel fully managed and staffed by women.
“Amba Yaalu is more than a hotel: it is a movement,” says Subhashini Paul, director of administration at Thema Collection, which operates 13 other resorts throughout the country. She notes that the recent economic crisis made it hard for women to secure reliable sources of income, leading many to move abroad. “That’s when Amba Yaalu was envisioned as a sustainable solution, allowing them to stay close to their families while contributing to their communities.”
The property directly and indirectly provides employment for women, embedding each stay in responsible tourism practices. By day, you could be dining at Bioscope on sautéed mushrooms — a dish made possible thanks to a group of local women hired by the hotel to grow them nearby. By night, you could be refueling with a tangy tamarind mojito whipped up by a female bartender at Yaka Bar.
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Sitting inland, close to UNESCO World Heritage sites like Rangiri Dambulla Cave Temple and the imposing Sigiriya rock fortress, Amba Yaalu is every bit as appealing as resorts across Bali, but with much quieter surroundings. “Sri Lanka’s soul lives beyond the shoreline,” adds Paul, who sees the hotel’s remote location as a selling point. “Journeying inland is not a detour — it places you at the heart of our cultural and ecological richness.”
While Bali certainly has culture-centric experiences in place, Sri Lanka’s increasing focus on ensuring local communities are involved in developing the tourism sector sets it apart from the Indonesian hot spot. Rodrigo notes that while there are some similarities between the two, the island shouldn’t fall into the trap of just attracting tourists looking for surfing, sand, and beach parties. “It would be terrible for our tourism industry if we followed suit in developing Sri Lanka to attract just one kind of tourist,” she says. “The island’s magic, it’s in the small things. So come with no expectations — just curiosity.” 
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