Our Story
Scroll to Explore
Our Story
The story of Kitesurfing Lanka begins with a calling, a calling to follow a dream
We, Dil and Leo, both love Kitesurfing and it was as if all forces of the universe teamed up to bring us together – through a blog, an email, a kite trip and then a friendship which ultimately got us started on this incredible journey and led us to establish an epic kiting company in Sri Lanka.
The Start
Our story commences with a calling, a calling to follow a dream. Dil and Leo both loved Kitesurfing and it was as if all forces and God of the Universe brought us together; through a blog, an email and then a kite trip. Our friendship which ultimate led to them teaming up to start the most Epic Kiting Company in the World.
We would like to take this space to also honour and show gratitude to our parents and those around us who supported and encourage us to do the daring and planted the initial seeds for adventure in our lives. We also like to honour the pioneer kiters of the world and Sri Lanka – you know who you are.
Dil discovered kitesurfing in his student years and started a blog to document his passion and he’s also the first Sri Lankan IKO certified instructor and possibly the first Sri Lankan to start documenting the sport in Sri Lanka. Leo was researching kitesurfing in Sri Lanka and found Dil’s blog so decided to email him. Not long after that, they did a kite trip together, back when Kalpitiya was just starting to develop.
On this trip, we became good friends and shortly after, decided to start a kite company together.
Business of Kite?
Our idea was to earn some money while having fun. We remember the time when we borrowed a friend’s trailer and bought a Series 1 Landrover and loaded some furniture from Dil’s Colombo house and drove up to Kalpitiya to start the season. We had little money. Dil’s mother even pawned her Gold Jewelry to help us buy the first stock of rations. We picked some friends who Dil knew from his adventures, people we could trust and knew who would help us – Clywd, Thilak, Rajitha all joined.
In the first season of business, we planned for 15 persons but soon it became 20. We remember the landlady getting upset that we are packing the place with tents and huts. It was in the year 2 that she put more stricter clauses in the contract AND increased the rent. It was only then that we stumbled upon our present property which we own.
Our own Kitesurfing Lanka
Sustainability
Regenerative Tourism
When establishing Kitesurfing Lanka, we wanted to make a difference and we have been able to positively change a sleepy little fishing village and create a new industry in Sri Lanka. An industry which gives hope and jobs to those who had none. From the very beginning, we did our best to work with the community and involve the locals from the area in our business. Even if they had no formal education in hospitality (neither did us); we gave a chance to learn on the job. We also prided that they all were unique and had their own personalities – just like Dil and Leo; who are very different but compliment each other.
Being quite integrated in the village, we started working with schools on the biggest issues we face in the area – Pollution. Soon other project emerged like the restoring the mangroves. Fast forward to present day; we have even been able to form inter municipality partnership projects; sending local students to Berlin to participate in conferences!
Always involving
Our business is always evolving; listening to people and reacting to how the world evolves. We survived 4 years of zero tourism – the April 2019 bombings, 2020/21 Covid and then 2022/23 Economic and Political Crisis in Sri Lanka. Yet we retained all staff and somehow managed. I think this speak volumes that we are doing something right.
We now see ourselves in a new phase of life and evolution. As a business we are upgrading some of the older units we built and adding a few more luxuries to the camp. AC’s were included though a pool is debatable – we think it not right to use the internal water for a pool when there is water shortages in the District. We also see KSL as a sort of safe space and haven or shall I say heaven for all those that visit and stay with us. Most end up being friends for life.
Leo is enjoying fatherhood while Dil is on a creative tangent – enjoying art and making the Kitesurfing Lanka property a living art gallery and garden.
We do have a wish list like going into Solar Power, seeing our staff all having their own housing and being debt free, continuing to provide opportunity to the local youth to have quality education and experiences as well as see Kalpitiya become a truly Sustainable Tourism Destination.
We thank you
We thank our guest from far and wide who continue to patronize Kitesurfing Lanka. Our biggest marketing efforts are done by our own guest who continue to promote us to their friends.
Do take time to talk to our staff and us too.
