Mirissa Surf Camps & Surf Stays: 4 Great Picks for 2027

Surf & Yoga Mirissa

Safe hands from a tried and trusted surf camp brand

Surf & Yoga Mirissa are one of the best-known names currently operating dedicated surf camps in Mirissa.

If you really want to surf, surf, and surf some more, you can plump for thier surf-packed two-weeker, which includes a whopping 26 surf lessons with ISA-qualified coaches. That’s, like, LOADS! (Most camps on the island do something between five and 10 lessons during a single stay).

Basically, if you’re coming to Lanka to improve and aim to get on green waves or reefs for the first time, you can rest assured that you’ll achieve something pretty special throughout this camp.

And it’s not just the quantity of teaching you get. It’s also quality. There’s a strict 5:1 student-to-teacher ratio, so everyone gets loads of attention, you get post-lesson video analysis, and on-beach training in basic skills and surf etiquette.

The Surf & Yoga Mirissa camp is set back from the main road just on the outskirts of Mirissa itself. Turtle Point and the legendary Coconut Tree Hill are right across the way – one’s famous for its turtle spotting and the other for its Instagram shots.

Guests enjoy a lovely lodge that’s got its own pool in the jungles, a great on-site café, and an all-round really nice vibe. Everyone gets to know each other. You’ll eat together. You’ll chill together. It’s that sorta’ place.

Check prices and availability at Surf & Yoga Mirissa

Kelani Yoga & Active Retreat Sri Lanka

For doing lots of yoga

Now, one thing is worth knowing before we get stuck in: This one is actually situated in the quieter village of Madiha, just east of Mirissa. Over the last few years, the two have sort of merged, but they are still different entities. Shh – don’t tell people but Madiha is basically the chill, authentic bro of Mirissa and I go here to escape the crowds and relax to the max.

It’s the perfect setting for this sort of intimate retreat; one that welcomes a maximum of 16 guests to a tropical house with a swimming pool, ice bath and dedicated yoga shala.

The signature seven-night Kelani Week is packed with activities. There’s morning yoga, a beginner surf lesson, a sound meditation session and excursions that include turtle snorkeling, a safari and a Sri Lankan cooking class.

We particularly like that the latter is organized alongside the Sambol Foundation, which supports vulnerable women and children locally.

The surfing is relatively light-touch compared to full-on surf camps, with just one lesson included, although additional sessions can be arranged with local instructors. You’re also close to Madiha’s reef breaks, which can be great fun for more experienced riders.

Oh, annddd these guys kindly offer The Surf Atlas readers 5% off bookings with code: SURFATLAS5

Check prices and availability at the Kelani Yoga & Active Retreat Sri Lanka

Drivethru Surfcamps

Bigger variety of breaks and advanced surf add-ons for real improvement

Drivethru is a well-established surf camp operation with bases in Denmark (yes, Denmark has surf!) and Sri Lanka.

Their main Sri Lankan camp is tucked into a whopping 8,000-square-meter jungle property in Madiha (we discuss why Madiha is a great base for surfing in Mirissa below – it’s basically close enough but just chillax).

It comes with a swimming pool, yoga shala and a maximum of 28 guests – which is a good size IMO; not too small, not too big.

It’s a lovely-looking setup, but the real selling point is the coaching. Surfers are divided into five ability levels, from complete beginners to advanced riders, with ISA-certified instructors running sessions at breaks along the south coast.

The standard seven-night surf package includes five days of lessons, unlimited board use, spot transfers, breakfasts, lunches and five dinners.

We particularly like the sound of the dedicated Advanced Coaching Weeks, which cap groups at just three surfers and include two daily sessions, video analysis and personalized training. If you want to improve, hone those skills, and perhaps surf some of the south’s harder spots, it’s likely going to be a great choice.

Accommodation is spread between private jungle cabanas, balcony suites and shared rooms. It’s a little removed from the busier surf towns of Weligama and Ahangama, but that’s part of the appeal.

Check prices and availability at Drivethru Surfcamps

Salty Sand Hostel

The social option

Salty Sand Hostel is a relative newcomer to Mirissa’s backpacker scene (they only opened their doors for the first time back in December 2025), but it’s already earning some cracking reviews on Hostelworld.

The vibe? It’s very much a social hostel rather than a dedicated surf camp, with the emphasis on bringing travelers together through group dinners, sunset walks, nights out – the sort of thing that will turn a Mirissa trip into something you’ll remember forever.

The rooftop bar looks like the main gathering spot. It’s open and airy; just about the perfect place to meet for a homecooked meal and a few cold beers after a day of waves. Past visitors point out that the owners often come and hang with you, which is something that really gives that sorta’ inclusive, personalized feel in surf hostels like this I feel.

There’s a choice of modern dorms and private rooms, with air conditioning throughout and privacy curtains on the dorm beds.

The location isn’t bad either. You’re around eight minutes’ walk from Mirissa Beach, there’s a right reef break that’s veryyy nice for intermediates, and sometimes – though rarely in dry season – a small beach break. The good thing is that Weligama is just on the doorstep, offering all the easy starter waves you could want.

Check prices and availability at the Salty Sand Hostel