Swimming with turtles in Sri Lanka. Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka - detailed overview of the beach and city

Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka is a beach resort located about 100 kilometers from the city of Colombo to the south of the island. Hikkaduwa is one of the best beach resorts in Sri Lanka. Here you can swim to your heart's content, because the bottom is sandy, the water is clean, and huge turtles swim very close to the shore, yes, yes, huge ones! There is also a reef not far from the shore, which makes for great snorkeling! You can rent a mask here on the beach; we rented it for 300 rupees for an hour and a half. And when the waves come one after another, surfers appear here :) Hikkaduwa beach is so diverse - it will please everyone! Perhaps only those traveling with children will find it not very comfortable to swim here due to the choppy ocean. But even for them there is a small place with virtually no waves - on the left side of the beach there is a small reef that blocks Hikkaduwa beach from the waves, and this is where you can comfortably swim with small children.

1. By bus

If you are traveling to Hikkaduwa Beach from the airport, you will first need to get to the bus station in Colombo. The bus you need should go to Galle, Matara or Tangalle. These points are located even further south of Hikkaduwa beach and all buses in this direction go through Hikkaduwa. There are air-conditioned buses and they travel along the highway; they reach Hikkaduwa in about an hour and a half. If you take a regular bus, you will spend about 3 hours on the road, since the bus goes along the coast and stops often.

2. By train

One interesting way to get to Hikkaduwa is by train. Tell me, how often do you travel by train in other countries, especially on the islands? That's what I'm talking about. Of all the methods, I like this one the most. It was by train that we got to Unawatuna, which is located a little further south of Hikkaduwa. You need to buy a ticket from the Colombo railway station to Hikkaduwa. They sell only 2nd and 3rd class carriages and be prepared to travel while standing. Since the train arrives in Colombo already full. We weren’t really prepared for this, but we had to actually ride while standing, although I sat on my suitcase most of the way. The air flows well, the doors are all open, the windows too, and most importantly, the whole road goes along the ocean! This is why you can be patient :) The journey by train from Colombo to Hikkaduwa takes only 2 hours. The train schedule can be viewed.

3. By taxi

Taxi is the simplest and most convenient solution. A taxi from Colombo-Hikkaduwa airport costs approximately $80-90 per car. You can also order a taxi in advance.

Flights to Sri Lanka

We arrived at Hikkaduwa Beach on our own by bike from Unawatuna from our hotel Kumara Guest House. The very first time we arrived here in the evening, around 4 pm, first we swam in approximately the place that you see in the photo above, I really liked the choppy ocean, I really love waves! The water is clean, the waves are not big, although 2 locals taught two girls how to surf! In my opinion, on that day it was absolutely pointless, since the waves were ragged and not at all suitable for surfing. But I saw in photos on the Internet that this Hikkaduwa beach has excellent waves for surfing. Perhaps this is because we vacationed here in April, and as you know, on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, the surfing season is from November-April.

Hikkaduwa and swimming with big turtles

But we purposefully went to this beach for something completely different - there is snorkeling not far from the shore, and even, as it turned out, there are a lot of colored fish swimming right off the shore! And one more thing - in Hikkaduwa you can swim with large turtles absolutely free. Often, turtles swim to the shore themselves; you can stand knee-deep in the water and feed them algae and, of course, take photos. In our case, the turtles did not want to swim to the shore, we swam around and near the shore with a mask for 2 hours in the hope of seeing them, but they were not there. But there is a small reef near the shore and a lot of colorful fish swim there, mostly with yellow stripes, but sometimes you can see more interesting fish in the rocks. I swam there for about an hour, saw enough fish, but didn’t see a turtle. Then a local Sri Lankan swam up to me and said that there are turtles further ahead, we need to swim deeper! I, with an action camera in one hand, with a mask and snorkel, into which water was constantly flowing, since there were small waves in the ocean, decided to swim after him. It was necessary to swim 20-30 meters in total and then the reef began. Everything would be fine, but I was not able to quickly swim after the Sri Lankan, as the wave was constantly carrying me back to the shore, I began to run out of steam, put away the snorkel and simply swam in the mask after him, I still had an action camera in one hand. I have already regretted many times that I took her with me, since it was inconvenient to swim, but I didn’t want to go back to the shore and then swim here again.

My husband was waiting for me in the water near the shore, since we only had 1 mask. As a result, the Sri Lankan took my hand and dragged me deeper, he also had fins, so we swam faster. I periodically, wearing a mask, looked at what was under the water - it was already quite deep, about 4 meters, along the way sometimes there were such large stones under the water, you could stand on tiptoe on them for a few seconds to catch your breath a little. To be honest, I was a little scared; I don’t really like snorkeling at such a depth, and even with waves. And then the Sri Lankan shows me under the water and says - turtle, turtle! I dive after him and see a very large turtle! It was the first time in my life that I had seen such a big turtle; it was as tall as me! I wasn’t at all scared, although I read reviews from other guys that the first time they saw a turtle under water, they were scared, after all, it’s not small. But I purposefully swam to see them and was prepared for the fact that it would turn out to be really big! I surface, take in more air and dive back in! My tube was just hanging loose, I didn’t have time to reattach it to the mask, and water often got into it. I felt more comfortable holding my breath on my own. I emerge again, breathe again, at this time the Sri Lankan dives and lifts another, equally large turtle from the bottom by its shell and shows me under the water so that I can hug it by the shell too! Of course, I do just that, my delight knows no bounds, the turtles are so cute, big and move so slowly in the water. At the same time, I tried to photograph them with my underwater camera, it turns out that it was not in vain that I dragged it in my hand here, to the depths.

I’m happy, I also saw a third turtle, it was a little smaller than those two. A couple more times I hugged the turtle by the shell and decided to swim to the shore, a lot of energy was spent, I swallowed a little salt water and I just wanted to breathe normally and calmly. Just so you understand, here we were rocked by the waves all the time, not weakly. But we had to spend energy on them. I shouted a big thank you to the Sri Lankan and swam to the shore. He tried to persuade me to stay here for another 10 minutes, saying that now large turtles would swim here. But I decided to swim to the shore myself because I was tired. It’s much easier to swim to the shore, the waves help :) I went ashore and painted to my husband what big turtles I saw! After that, we rested for half an hour on the shore, met the Belarusian guys and they lent us a second mask, and my husband and I swam to the depths again to look at the turtles. I remember perfectly the place where I saw them. Of course, we found them, but the waves became stronger and the water became muddier. We saw turtles several times, and then swam to the reef, climbed out onto it and rested. You need to be very careful there, as the reef is very sharp, I hurt my leg a little while I was climbing on it and my butt while I was sitting on it :) Dear readers, if you are in Sri Lanka, be sure to go to Hikkaduwa beach and swim with turtles ! These are simply indescribable emotions of childhood happiness!

There are even entire turtle farms in Hikkaduwa, but you already have to pay an entrance fee. Here, on Hikkaduwa beach, you can see and swim with turtles absolutely free.

There are many different cafes near the shore where you can eat delicious seafood. And in the evening, watch a wonderful sunset. Hikkaduwa is great for a beach holiday!

Helpful information

1. On the shore of Hikkaduwa beach there is a rental of snorkeling masks. The cost is 300 rupees for an hour and a half.
2. You can see turtles if you swim deep into the water so that in front of you there is a booth where you can rent swimming masks. There is also a rock there, on which many people climb out and stand looking at other people swimming.

Hikkaduwa has been popular as a resort for 40 years, ever since this coast was discovered by hippies in the 70s. And from year to year the popularity of this place is only growing, and the resort itself is constantly developing.

Once known as a cheap and democratic place, Hikkaduwa is gradually becoming more respectable, while maintaining all the previous opportunities. She is not perfect in everything, but she is deservedly loved by many.

Narigama Beach in Hikkaduwa

7 reasons to go to Hikkaduwa

1. Hikkaduwa is one of the most developed tourist areas in Sri Lanka, with the maximum number of recreational opportunities (choice of cafes, restaurants, travel agencies, entertainment).
2. Two beaches nearby: a surfer's beach with waves, and a lagoon without waves for safe swimming.
3. Opportunity to see sea turtles in their natural environment.
4. Convenient location to see attractions and beaches nearby (Bentota, Unnawatuna, Galle).
5. Fun beach parties (not found on other Sri Lankan beaches), overall quite a lively resort, especially by Sri Lankan standards.
6. Here you can find reasonable prices for everything (hotel or guesthouse, inexpensive cafes, rent a motorbike, etc.), especially when compared with the more expensive and serious Bentota, as well as the ever-increasing price of Unawatuna.
7. Surfers come here (you can also learn), there are opportunities for diving and snorkeling.

Helpful information

Capital of Sri Lanka: Colombo.

Distance Moscow - Colombo: 6573 km; the average duration of a direct flight is 8 hours 30 minutes; Bandaranaike international airport code is CMB.

Where is Hikkaduwa: on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, approximately 98 km from the capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo and 127 km. from Bandaranaike International Airport.

Visa to Sri Lanka: for Russians for up to 30 days you can get a visa on arrival (35$) or a little cheaper by filling out an online application in advance ( 30$) — a copy must be presented at the airport; through the embassy in Moscow you can obtain a single or double entry visa for up to 90 days (25$).

There are no accredited consular missions in Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan: if necessary, visas are issued in Moscow, personal presence is required.

Season in Hikkaduwa: from November to April; surfing: from November to March.

Currency of Sri Lanka: Sri Lankan Rupee (Sri Lankan rupee), symbol: ₨, currency converter.

Banks in Sri Lanka: Bank of Ceylon, People's Bank, Commercial Bank of Ceylon, Hatton National Bank, Nations Trust Bank. There are ATMs in every resort area.

Prices in Hikkaduwa:

exchange rate for November 2015: 1$ = 140 Rs.

transfer from the airport (official price of an airport taxi) - 8500 Rs ($60);

budget hotels - from $20-50 (depending on the season and conditions), comfortable hotels from $50-70;

meals in tourist restaurants: breakfasts on average $5, lunches and dinners from $10 (beer 200 Rs (375 ml)/400 Rs (625 ml); rice and curry - 600 Rs, soup - from 300 Rs, sandwiches from 300 Rs , pancakes from 150 Rs, fish from 700 Rs, barbecue from 2000 Rs, grilled lobster from 600 Rs per 100 gr.);

prices in the cafe for locals: rotti 100-120 Rs, fried rice 110-150 Rs; rice and curry 200 Rs.

surfing lesson with a Sri Lankan instructor 2000-4000 Rs (price includes board rental), with a Russian from 8000 Rs (board rental included); surfboard rental: from 1000 Rs ($7-10 per day).

scooter rental - from 1000 Rs ($7-10 per day).

Distance from Hikkaduwa to other cities and beaches of Sri Lanka :

Distance from Bandaranaike Airport to Hikkaduwa: 141 km (toll road).

Distance from Colombo to Hikkaduwa: 119 km (toll road).

Distance from Bentota to Hikkaduwa: 37 km.

Distance from Unnawatuna to Hikkaduwa: 25 km.

Distance from Galle to Hikkaduwa: 21 km.

Distance from Kandy to Hikkaduwa: 209 km.

Distance from Sigiriya to Hikkaduwa: 268 km.

About the resort Hikkaduwa

During our travels, we visited all the resorts in Sri Lanka, but if we happen to visit this country again, we will definitely stop by Hikkaduwa again.

To be honest, Hikkaduwa evokes conflicting feelings. No, it is not perfect, it has its pros and cons, like any resort. But it is in Hikkaduwa that the holiday is lively, varied and cozy.

In terms of relaxation atmosphere, this is one of the most comfortable places in Sri Lanka. The beaches here are wide and long, with enough space for everyone.

At Narigama Beach, the ocean appears in all its glory - noisy, with powerful waves. On the Hikkaduwa beach (or in the lagoon, as it is more often called), on the contrary, there are no waves, you can swim, and sea turtles and colored fish swim there. In this sense, the place is uncompromising: a kilometer and a half, and you are on a completely different beach.

Here you can feel in the thick of things - you can choose from many beach cafes, some of which host noisy night parties on the shore, surf schools, etc. Or you can be a little hermit, choosing a secluded place 10 minutes walk from the ocean and enjoy silence, birdsong and tropical laziness.

Hikkaduwa is conveniently located so that you can diversify your holiday with trips. From here you can easily go to other Sri Lankan beaches (to Bentota, to Unawatuna), by local bus or rented motorbike, in one day you can go to Galle and even to Colombo.

There is a coral reef here. True, it was very badly damaged during the 2004 tsunami, and do not believe those who write about its incredible beauty - this, unfortunately, is in the past. But there are remnants of the reef, and colorful fish in the lagoon and sea turtles swimming to the shore.

Another big plus about Hikkaduwa is that at this resort there is always a choice for everything. Hotels - from the most affordable to the fantastically expensive. Cafes range from local dollar eateries to cozy beach cafes. There are many options here and you can always find your own.

This diverse range of opportunities in the unevenly developed and increasingly expensive Sri Lanka is of some value. For example, if you are used to walking in the evening in search of a cafe where to have dinner, and do not like to be tied to a hotel restaurant, then you do not have many options for resorts in Sri Lanka. And Hikkaduwa is one of them.

In Sri Lanka, it happens that the resort consists of a couple of large hotels on the shore. This is why Hikkaduwa is so loved by those who travel to Sri Lanka on their own, without a trip.

If we compare Hikkaduwa with neighboring Bentota, it compares favorably with the presence of a larger number of affordable hotels. And if you compare it with neighboring Unawatuna, then Hikkaduwa is simply more spacious.

True, Hikkaduwa also has its disadvantages. The beach here was built up spontaneously. On Narigama Beach, guesthouses are located quite densely, close to each other.

Not everywhere the beach is convenient for swimming: in the western part, Narigama Beach is quite narrow and, due to erosion, the shore is reinforced in some places with sandbags. But this is local, and you can hardly encounter this, especially if you choose a hotel in the right part of the beach.

There is also a rather noisy road to Galle along the beach, which also needs to be taken into account when planning a vacation here (more on that below).

Season in Hikkaduwa: when is the best time to go?

Sri Lanka has a rather unique microclimate due to the fact that the island is located almost on the equator (650 km to the equator), while the island is very small and a significant part of it is covered with mountains and forest.

Therefore, it is always humid here, and even in the driest months it rains on some of the days, days can be cloudy and cloudy even in the high tourist season, the temperature is even throughout the year: during the day 30-33, almost regardless of the season, the water temperature is ocean 28-29 degrees.

Tourist season continues in Hikkaduwa from November to April. In the off-season, theoretically, you can also relax, but on the ocean at this time there are guaranteed to be high waves, and there are significantly more cloudy, cloudy and rainy days than in the season.

The rainiest month in Hikkaduwa is September. A detailed description of the weather in Hikkaduwa by month is at the end of the guide.

How does Hikkaduwa work?

The resort area of ​​Hikkaduwa stretches for about 7 kilometers. There are two separate beaches nearby in Hikkaduwa - Hikkaduwa Beach and Narigama Beach.

Near Hikkaduwa beach, which is also called the lagoon, and whose length is only 1.5 km, there are several large hotels, including (for example Coral Sands, Hikkaduwa Beach Hotel, Hikka Tranz, which used to be called “Chaya Trans”, Bansei by Hotel J(pay attention to it, it is inexpensive and the conditions are very good).

This is how beautiful the lagoon in Hikkaduwa can be during the season

The good thing about the beach next to the lagoon is that there is a coral reef nearby that protects the shore from the waves, so you can almost always swim here. But the downside is that many people come here to swim, including Sri Lankans.

From the cape on which the hotel stands Hikka Tranz The second, longer Narigama beach begins - its length is 4 km.

Beach life in Narigama

Most of the hotels and guesthouses in this resort area are concentrated on Narigama, for example, Universal Beach Guest House, Surfing Beach Guest House or much more comfortable Avenra Beach Hikkaduwa, Roman Beach, Hotel Suite Lanka.

It is important to note that Narigama Beach is not equally good along its entire length. At the beginning (behind the cape on which the Hikka Tranz hotel is located, the section of the beach is very narrow and not very suitable for swimming, in some places the buildings on the shore are too close to the water, and sand erosion has to be compensated for with sandbags.

This part of the area is very densely populated with budget hotels and guesthouses, some have swimming pools, and there is also a decent number of restaurants, cafes, tourist souvenir shops, motorbike rentals, etc.

The location for hotels here is not very good; the hotel sites are very small, sandwiched on one side by the approaching ocean and on the other side by a noisy road. Noisy cafes hosting beach parties are also located closer to this section of the beach.

Closer to the central part of Narigama beach, the beach is very wide and comfortable, it’s not so crowded here anymore, this is a very good place to settle on the shore. It is usually lively here, there are many cafes on the shore and in general it is very beautiful. Swimming here is also better than in the western part of Narigama beach (where it is very deep near the shore) - a little shallower, beautifully rolling waves, etc.

Towards the southern end of the beach it becomes quieter, since this is no longer the epicenter of resort life.

Behind the first line of hotels, guesthouses and cafes in Hikkaduwa there is a fairly busy and rather noisy road to Galle Rd.

Road in Hikkaduwa along the beach

Behind the road there is also tourist infrastructure - cafes, small souvenir shops, inexpensive hotels and guesthouses (the price/quality ratio in these hotels is sometimes better than on the shore, since they somehow need to compensate for the disadvantages of their location): the best are here Tandem Guesthouse, The Oasis Villa.

Railway in Hikkaduwa (runs parallel to the beach and the road to Galle)

Trains do not go very often (about a couple of dozen per day), but the road is old and the trains are noisy.

Not far from Narigama beach, behind the road and railway, there are several comfortable small hotels that are located away from the hustle and bustle, usually the price/quality ratio of these hotels is higher than on the shore, and the location is better than those located next to the road, but this comes at the expense of being close to the beach.

So the best ones are here Asian Jewel Boutique Hotel(they have a very good restaurant) Villa Acres Green(villa with three bedrooms and a private pool, a very profitable option for a group), Vesma Villas, Villa Dineha. All of the listed hotels except the last one have swimming pools.

Beaches of Hikkaduwa. Is it possible to swim here?

Narigama Beach

As for swimming in Hikkaduwa, Narigama Beach near the shore is quite deep. During the season (from November to April) the ocean is relatively calm, the rest of the time the waves are very strong.

Surfer on Narigama in Hikkaduwa

The section of the beach next to the Chaya Tranz hotel is very remarkable - it is still protected from the waves by the reef, but at the same time there is no longer such crazy activity (boats, Sri Lankans, tourists) as in the lagoon.

Starting approximately from the Time-n-Tide Hotel, the strip of sand gradually widens. In the central part of Narigama beach, the width of the beach reaches 100 meters. This is the most beautiful and well-groomed area.

Towards the end of the beach, the strip of sand gradually narrows again and ends with a rocky cape.

Waves at Narigama in October:

Hikkaduwa Beach (lagoon in Hikkaduwa, beach opposite the coral reef)

In the lagoon, which is located just west of Narigama, there are usually no waves: there is a coral reef nearby, the waves break against it and almost never reach the shore, so the water in the lagoon is almost always calm and you can swim. In addition, sea turtles live in the lagoon; they swim to the shore and this always causes a storm of emotions.

One of the disadvantages is that the lagoon is very small; both Sri Lankans and tourists come here to swim. In addition, there are always a lot of tourist boats in the lagoon that take you on boat trips and for diving, which adds to the bustle, but does not add purity to the water.

Due to the fact that there are almost no waves in the lagoon, it is comfortable to swim here, but due to the characteristics of the bottom and corals, there are rip currents here (be careful).

Best guesthouses and hotels in Hikkaduwa

In our guide, we have collected information about the best hotels in Hikkaduwa - from guesthouses with basic conditions to very comfortable hotels.

It is important to remember that any stars as an indicator of the class of a hotel in Sri Lanka is a big convention. There are still very few hotels of international chains on the island, so all the standards on the island are Sri Lankan.

The average standard of hotels in Sri Lanka is quite low. But if you choose a hotel carefully, you can always find a suitable option.

If we talk about inexpensive hotels with basic conditions, it is important to remember that hot water in the shower is rather an exception (usually cool, which warms up a little in the sun), the same applies to air conditioning.

Budget hotels and guesthouses

Tandem Guesthouse

This guesthouse has been operating conscientiously for almost 10 years. The best guesthouse on this coast for the price. Both the rooms and their owner actually make a very favorable impression.

The rooms are very comfortable: there is air conditioning and hot water in the shower. The guesthouse is located behind the road, but very close to the beach. You can go swimming at Narigama, or you can go to the lagoon - the guesthouse is located between them.

The area is quite small, but each room has its own small terrace overlooking the garden. Really very clean, neat and cozy.

Please note that there are only 9 rooms. Over the years of operation, this mini-hotel has earned many thanks and high ratings in booking systems, so it is worth booking in advance, especially considering its low cost.

The Oasis Villa

Small hotel (12 rooms) with a swimming pool. The hotel is located behind the road, 50 meters from the beach. Located in the middle of the road between the lagoon, where there are no waves and you can swim safely, and Narigama beach, where the epicenter of resort life.

A good option in terms of price and quality ratio.

Doors guest house & cafe

Budget guesthouse run by Russians (a plus for those who are afraid of the language barrier).

The nearby section of the beach for swimming is not very good, but you can go for a swim towards the Chaya Tranz Hotel, to the lagoon (walk about a kilometer), or to Narigama.

Near the guesthouse there are Vibration and Fanky de Bar, which host noisy parties (at the same time this is a warning for those who like to sleep peacefully at night).

Universal Beach Guest House

Acceptable, inexpensive guesthouse on the beach.

3 star hotels in Hikkaduwa

Villa Dineha

Clean, new, small hotel 5 minutes walk from the beach. Located in a quiet location.

Bansei by Hotel J

The hotel is located next to the lagoon, on the shore. Spacious rooms with panoramic windows, swimming pool. Normal hotel for reasonable money.

Vesma Villas

Located "off the road". There is only greenery and rice fields around. Very quiet. Walking distance to the ocean is 15-20 minutes, you can use a motorbike or tuk-tuk. You can go to the town and to the beach once a day, spending the rest of the time in complete silence.

Small complex (10 villas), there is a swimming pool. Comfortable and relatively inexpensive for these conditions.

Villa Acres Green

Spacious private villa with private pool, surrounded by coconut trees. The villa has three bedrooms, so it is suitable for a large group. Relatively inexpensive for such accommodation (140$ for double occupancy and only 20$ more for 6 people).

It is located in a very quiet place, there are guaranteed to be no neighbors here, far from the noise of the highway and from the railway. You can enjoy your own pool, greenery and silence all day long. And at the same time, no one except inconspicuous personnel. If you wish, you can use the services of a cook and order groceries.

Located 8 km. from the ocean, but here you can also rent a bicycle or car. But it’s so great here that many people forget about the ocean.

4 star hotels in Hikkaduwa

Asian Jewel Boutique Hotel

The hotel is located 10 minutes' drive from the beach, on the shores of a lake also called Hikkaduwa.

The hotel has one very serious advantage: the hotel has one of the best restaurants on this coast (according to TripAdvisor - No. 1 in Hikkaduwa). That is why many people come here many times during their holidays to eat well.

In fact, you can just live here and ride a tuk-tuk to the ocean. Especially in the off-season when the waves are strong. The hotel has a swimming pool.

The hotel is very small, only 5 rooms. Surrounded by tropical greenery, complete silence and relaxation, in contrast to the rather noisy beach area.

Roman Beach

One of the best hotels on the beach. Small - only 6 rooms. Located in a nice, wide part of the beach, in the central part. Stands on the shore. There is a swimming pool, which is very important in Hikkaduwa, since you can’t always swim in the ocean and it’s already deep off the coast.

Spacious, stylish, clean, very tidy rooms. All of the above are truly valuable in Sri Lanka. Very helpful service.

This hotel is worth booking in advance, the price/quality ratio is very high and the rooms are limited.

Hotel Suite Lanka

Stylish hotel in a quiet part of the beach, but close to the tourist epicenter. It stands on the shore (the location is indicated with an error on the Booking map). There is a small pool, the rooms are cozy and spacious.

Avenra Beach Hikkaduwa

The hotel is located in the center of Narigama Beach. There is a swimming pool and sun loungers on the shore.

5 star hotels in Hikkaduwa

Aditya Resort

There are 12 suites in total. 55 helpful hotel staff. Antique furniture. Magnificent SPA. And a fantastic price per room.

Mostly very wealthy tourists from the UK vacation here. The option with this hotel can theoretically be considered only if there is some very good special offer, when the price drops by half or even more.

Cafes and restaurants in Hikkaduwa

Beach life in Hikkaduwa at Narigama Beach

Rotti Shop

In Hikkaduwa, on the main street along which the beach runs - Galle Rd. — there are several local small cafes called Rotti Shop or Rotti Stop.

Feel free to go to these small, nondescript-looking local cafes - the rottis in Hikkaduwa are very good.

Rotti is a fried Sri Lankan flatbread (or pancake) that is filled with a variety of fillings. Very democratic and incredibly tasty.

Burger Shag

Here you can find giant delicious burgers if you get tired of Sri Lankan food.

Located next to the Blu Not Hotel, also close to the Time N Tide.

Cool Spot

An excellent restaurant where you can eat delicious fish and seafood (crabs, lobsters, giant shrimp, etc.). An atmospheric, cozy place, the restaurant has been around for a very long time and has an excellent reputation. At the same time, prices are low, there is no extra charge for service, as is often the case in tourist restaurants. The only negative is that it is often crowded.

It is located opposite the Chaya Tranz hotel (that is, across the road, on the second line).

The Den

Located on the shore. A good place to sit and eat. Prices are moderate. The portions are large, delicious, the ocean is nearby... what more do you need. There are seafood, fish, Sri Lankan and European dishes.

Where it is: located next to the Time - N - Tide hotel (if you face the ocean - a little to the right).

Top Secret

It's not so much a place to eat as just a pleasant place to sit. Especially in the evening. It has been around for a very long time and is popular. Chill out bar, you can lie on pillows, there are hookahs.

Where is it located: in the central part of Narigama beach.

Nightlife in Hikkaduwa

Hikkaduwa has a little better fun than other resorts. But in reality, this is still a village resort, where all the nightlife is concentrated in a few local bars: Fanky de Bar, Vibration, Mambo’s.

Vibration

Since 2000, it has been organizing its famous Friday parties (you can follow their current events on their Facebook). Photo gallery of Vibration parties on their official website.

Fanky de Bar

It is not located on the shore, but on a hill and is good for watching sunsets. In the evening there is usually cheerful music playing, there are a lot of people, you can have dinner. They have parties on Thursdays (photo gallery of them). They also have a cafe on the beach.

Video from their party:

Read more: Fanky de Bar official website, Facebook group(there are videos of their night parties).

Mambo's Surfers Paradise Restaurant & Bar

Surfer's place. Fun beach parties on Saturdays, fireworks, lively, fun. During the day it operates like a regular beach bar.

Top Secret

Also, one of the most pleasant places in Hikkaduwa where you can sit, even in the evening, is the chill-out bar on the shore of Top Secret.

The food there is relatively expensive and not exceptionally tasty, but it’s definitely worth coming here in the evening for the atmosphere.

There are hookahs, but not very many of them (those around the bar are props).

Hikkaduwa: tours and attractions

Apart from the beach, the coral reef and the sea turtles swimming into the lagoon, there are no important attractions (at the level of World Heritage sites) in the immediate vicinity of Hikkaduwa.

There are several temples, the most interesting of which is Shinigama Vihara, a museum and temple dedicated to victims of the 2004 tsunami.

If you want to complement your beach holiday with a visit to interesting sights, then it is better to immediately focus on trips around the island. For example, you can visit Bentota, Ambalangoda and Galle Fort (protected by UNESCO). These are optimal trips that are easy to complete in one day and do not require large expenses.

It is also theoretically possible to go to Colombo, but you need to plan your time carefully, leaving early, since you need time both to explore the city and on the road.

You can plan an excursion for several days (through a travel agency or by renting a car with a driver, or on your own using public transport) and explore the most significant sites of the island (Yala National Park, Kandy, Sigiriya, etc.).

If you don’t want to spend energy planning a cultural program and trip, but just want to brighten up your beach holiday a little by exploring the surroundings of Hikkaduwa, then you can drive along local roads, visiting local temples, stopping on the shore, taking photographs, and walking.

coral reef

Before the 2004 tsunami there was a very beautiful coral reef here. Now many sites often accompany the description of this place with spectacular photographs taken... in the Red Sea (that is, in Egypt). The former beauty is no longer there, the corals have mostly died.

You can snorkel near the reef, there are quite a lot of colorful fish, there are moray eels, and several turtles live in the lagoon and swim right to the shore.

Coral reef in Hikkaduwa

Glass-bottom boat trips to the reef are offered, but the glass on the bottom of the boats is thick and cloudy, so you can’t see much through it.

Turtle watching

There are several small turtle nurseries near Hikkaduwa. But it’s much more interesting to see them at sea or offshore.

You can often see turtles in the lagoon; they are fed with sea grass and swim straight to the shore.

Sea turtle in Hikkaduwa

Also, Narigama Beach in Hikkaduwa is one of the places where sea turtles lay their eggs. They do this on the same shore on which they themselves were born. The best chances of seeing egg-laying turtles and baby turtles are from February to April.

The hatched turtle is small and weightless

Turtles crawl ashore at night to lay eggs. Hatched turtles run towards the ocean during the day. The turtles are very small, the clutches are invisible, they can be seen by chance, sometimes noticed by locals or tourists.

There is a turtle nursery in Kosgod. There is also a nursery near Hikkaduwa Sea Turtle Hatchery and Rescue Center in Dodanduwa (just south of Narigama Beach).

Sinigama Muhudu Viharaya Temple (Seenigama Vihara Temple; Seenigama Muhudu Viharaya)

A large temple, which is located 2 km from the center of Hikkaduwa along Galle Rd towards Colombo.

It consists of two parts - the main building of the temple is located on the mainland, and there is also another building related to the temple on the island 100 meters from the shore. It is also notable for the fact that it is the only building near the coast that survived the 2004 tsunami.

You can get to the island by boat; the cost of a boat is in the range of 500-1200 rupees, and mainly depends on your bargaining ability. About 10 monks live in the temple on the island. There is nothing particularly interesting there.

Entrance to the temple is free.

Shri Shylathararamaya Temple

A small local temple, which can be reached in a maximum of 10 minutes walk from the beach.

Visiting is free, but the ministers noticeably hope for donations.

Photo museum in memory of the victims of the 2004 tsunami

Located 6-8 km. from Hikkaduwa towards Colombo (mark 94 km). Here is a village destroyed during the 2004 tsunami, only partially restored.

A small private museum has been organized here, where evidence of what happened (drawings, photographs, things) is collected. The museum is organized by a witness to those events.

A little closer to Hikkaduwa there is a large standing Buddha - the statue was erected in memory of those killed during the tsunami, installed by the Japanese. It is believed that the height of the statue is approximately equal to the height of the wave during a tsunami.

The statue stands on a small island among a small artificial island, with a bridge leading to the statue. At the foot of the Buddha there are plaques with the names of those killed during the tsunami. There were many fatalities in this place, since during the second wave a train was traveling through the railway here to Halle, carrying 1,270 people.

Admission is free, but usually visitors leave small donations, which is how the museum operates.

Address: 95th km of Galle Road.

Excursion to Galle

Galle Fort is a World Heritage listed monument, well preserved and a very atmospheric place worth visiting. From Hikkaduwa to Galle 21 kilometers. You can get to the fort by bus, rented motorbike or tuk-tuk.

Coastal road from Hikkaduwa to Galle and Unawatuna

You can also drive from Galle to Unawatuna (they are only 5 kilometers apart) to appreciate another beach and add to your impressions of Sri Lanka.

Excursion to Bentota

You can go to Bentota to visit another beautiful beach, and you can also go on a tour along the Bentota River. The guides promise to show crocodiles, but for this you need to swim quite far. But you can look at mangrove forests, monitor lizards basking on the shore and colorful birds.

Excursions to Ambalangoda

There are two mask museums in Ambalangoda. Here you can watch the manufacturing process and buy a mask. Excursions are usually brought here. If you wish, you can come on your own. Although masks are easy to buy in Hikkaduwa.

The distance from Hikkaduwa to Ambalangoda is 13 km, approximately 20 minutes by bus. You can also get there by motorbike or tuk-tuk.

Excursion to Colombo

You can travel to Colombo from Hikkaduwa in one day by bus or train. But we must take into account that this is an Asian metropolis, which outwardly produces a rather contradictory impression.

This trip will take a whole day, so you should leave Hikkaduwa as early as possible. This walk will definitely take your energy, but if there is enough of it and it’s very interesting, then why not.

How to get to Hikkaduwa

First, we buy a plane ticket to Sri Lanka. There are direct flights to the island of Sri Lanka from Moscow operated by SriLankan Airlines (departure days - Tuesday, Saturday; travel time 10 hours 55 minutes).

You can also fly with transfers from Emirates, Etihad, Qatar, etc. It is very comfortable to fly with these airlines and you can find a flight with a short connection.

Air tickets and their prices by month can be viewed in this convenient search form:

There are several ways to get from the airport to Hikkaduwa - by taxi or transfer, as well as by local public transport - train or buses.

Taxi or transfer to Hikkaduwa from the airport

If you are going on vacation for two weeks, then, of course, the most convenient and energy-saving option would be a transfer or taxi from the airport.

The usual cost of a taxi or transfer to Hikkaduwa is $65-70 per car. If you drive along the toll highway, the journey will take about 2 hours (surcharge for the toll road is about $7). The free road along the sea takes about 3 hours.

It is better to arrange a transfer or taxi with the hotel in advance, making sure to specify the cost of the meeting.

You can also take a taxi at the airport. The cost of an official taxi at the airport is fixed, in Hikkaduwa it is 8500 rupees for an air-conditioned car.

The arrivals area at Bandaranaike International Airport is very small, the airport taxi stand is located immediately after customs, on the right hand side (official airport plan, arrivals area).

From Bandaranaike Airport to Hikkaduwa by bus

You can also get from the airport to Hikkaduwa by bus, which will be much cheaper (the journey will cost about $2 per person, but you will have to get there with two transfers).

First, you need to take the free airport shuttle and get to the nearest bus station, where you need to change to bus number 187, which goes to Colombo.

At the bus station in Colombo you need to take a bus that goes to Hikkaduwa, Galle or Mattara. Buses leave frequently, at least once every half hour.

A ticket from Colombo to Hikkaduwa on a bus without air conditioning costs 100 rupees, with air conditioning - 215 rupees.

Buses in Hikkaduwa

From Colombo to Hikkaduwa the journey takes about 3 hours. In total, the road from the airport to Hikkaduwa will take about 4 hours, given that there is usually high traffic on the road from the airport to Colombo and on the exit from Colombo.

To Hikkaduwa by train

To get to Hikkaduwa by train, you first need to get to the Colombo railway station (Colombo Fort station). From the airport you can take bus No. 187 (see section above). Colombo Fort is the final stop of bus number 187.

The current train schedule can be found on the Sri Lanka Railways website. The cost of tickets for 2nd class is 160 rupees, for 3rd class - 85 rupees. Travel time is 1.5 - 2 hours. There are usually about a dozen trains a day. The journey by train is usually shorter than by bus, but the trains are often overcrowded.

Railway station in Hikkaduwa

You can also get to Hikkaduwa by express, but it runs only once a day, it leaves from Colombo early in the morning, at 6:55, the ticket price is 990 Rs, it arrives in Hikkaduwa at 9:22, the schedule (Colombo - Matara train) can be viewed .

Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka: map, photo, weather, how to get there

The city of Hikkaduwa is located on the west coast, 128 km from Colombo International Airport (CMB). Belongs to the administrative district of Galle in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka. The territory of the city of Hikkaduwa is located on the ocean coast, on a peninsula formed by the bend of the river flowing into the lake of the same name (Hikkaduwa Lake).

For lovers of a quiet and uncrowded holiday, it is worth noting that the number of permanent residents in Hikkaduwa is several times less than the number of visiting tourists. It is here that package tourism from Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus is widely developed, with all the ensuing consequences of a popular resort, such as the presence of beach vendors and a certain amount of garbage on the beach.

Map of Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka

• to the north - Telwatta, Kahawa, Madampagama, Ambalangoda, Balapitiya;
• to the south - Tiranagama, Kumarakanda, Dodanduwa, Rajgama, Bussa, Gintota, Velawatta, Galle.

The resort of Hikkaduwa is a comfortable place to relax, with a relatively developed infrastructure, located two hours drive from the largest city of Sri Lanka, Colombo. Two national highways pass through the village: A2 and E01, which provides the opportunity to quickly get to any point on the island.

How to get to Hikkaduwa from Colombo airport

Getting from Sri Lanka International Airport, located in Negombo, to Hikkaduwa on the southern coast of the island is not at all difficult. To do this, you can use the official taxi service; the Colombo Airport prepaid taxi counter with fixed prices is located at the exit from the arrivals hall.

The taxi counter is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and on holidays. The cost of an official taxi from Sri Lanka Airport to Hikkaduwa in a car with AC is about 8,500 rupees. There is no need to book an airport taxi transfer in advance; the journey will take about 1.5-2 hours if you drive along the highway.

You can also use public transport services, for example, bus number 187, in order to first get to Colombo, and then transfer to a local bus or train to Hikkaduwa. Bus number 187 between the airport and Colombo railway station. Bus No. 187, depending on the type, arrives at the Central Bus Station or Pettah Bus Station. Colombo Fort Station and Pettah Bus Station are located within a 10-minute walk from each other.

Travel time from Colombo by train is about 2 hours, by bus - about 4 hours, as there are usually traffic jams at the exit from Colombo. And also because commuter buses towards Matara go along the coast along Galle Street, and not along the highway, which significantly increases travel time.

Buses connecting Matara and Colombo run 24 hours a day, with an interval of about 20 minutes during the day and about 1 hour at night. The total cost of a trip by public transport to Hikkaduwa will be about 200-400 rupees.

Hikkaduwa beaches: Narigama and Hikkaduwa

Hikkaduwa is remarkable for its lake of the same name, surrounded by magnificent tropical nature and the wonderful Narigama Beach. The majority of visiting tourists rarely visit the city to explore ancient cultural monuments and local attractions, preferring beach and sports activities to these destinations. There are two beaches in the city - Hikkaduwa beach(Hikkaduwa Beach) and Narigama(Narigama beach).

Hikkaduwa Beach is a narrow strip of sandy beach, densely built up with hotels, bars and shops. The bottom of the beach in most of the territory is rocky, which is why the waves rolling onto the shore contain almost no sand and have a crystal-transparent blue color. The area near the Hikka Trans hotel is used for swimming; there are almost no waves there.

Hikkaduwa Narigama Beach is a wide sandy beach, the entrance to the water is quite flat, there is no immediate transition to depth. There are waves, since Hikkaduwa is not located in a closed bay, but due to the presence of coral reefs, the waves are not very strong. The beach infrastructure is very developed.

Hikkaduwa Photos

Water sports in Hikkaduwa

A beach holiday gives you the opportunity not only to relax in the warm Indian Ocean under the tropical sun, but also to start practicing various water sports: diving, snorkeling, surfing in all its varieties and many other forms of active recreation on the coast.

There are several surf schools on the beach in Hikkaduwa, providing surfing lessons for children and adults. A lesson with a local instructor costs about 2000 rupees.

There you can easily find several diving centers providing the services of dive instructors. All water sports centers operate during the dry season - from October to April.

Feeding turtles on Hikkaduwa beach

In Hikkaduwa, huge turtles swim to the beach in the lagoon located opposite the Red Lobster restaurant, not far from the Hikka Trans hotel. Moreover, they do this on a daily basis, which attracts many tourists there. You can observe sea turtles in the lagoon from early morning until 3-4 pm.

Tourists have the opportunity not only to photograph huge turtles, but also to carefully feed them, sometimes even pet them. The key word here is "careful" - sea turtles have teeth and use them. The approach to the lagoon, photos with turtles and feeding of the turtles are FREE, even if there are local businessmen who claim otherwise. Enterprising Sri Lankans even manage to make a living by selling turtle food - algae - to white tourists.

Sights of Hikkaduwa

Lake Hikkaduwa
(Hikkaduwa Lake)

The second most popular place in the city after the beach is Lake Hikkaduwa, which attracts many tourists with walks along the calm surface of the water, as well as the opportunity to observe the leisurely Sri Lankan life.

On numerous islands located throughout the lake, locals grow coconut, cinnamon, ginger, bananas, etc.

Nets are installed in the dams on the channels of the lake; river shrimp grow in them. On one of the islands of Lake Hikkaduwa there is a museum that displays exhibits of the art of the local population to tourists. The lake itself is a bird sanctuary.

Coral reef in Hikkaduwa
(Coral reef)

There is a large coral reef along the coast of the city. This place is historically called the “Coral Gardens” because previously, not far from the shore, there were countless corals surrounded by bright tropical fish, starfish, urchins and other oceanic life.

Previously, the Hikkaduwa reef could easily compete with the beauty of the Red Sea with its natural resources. Unfortunately, all this splendor could not survive the notorious tsunami of 2004, and what can now be seen are only remnants of its former splendor, mercilessly exploited by tourist businessmen.

Sinigama Muhudu Viharaya Temple
(Seenigama Muhudu Viharaya)

At the entrance to Hikkaduwa, in the village of Sinigama, there is a temple, the Sinigama Temple (Seenigama Muhudu Viharaya or Seenigama Devol Devalaya), in honor of the deity Devol Deviyo. Sinigama - translated from Sinhala as “sugar village” (“sini” - sugar, “gama” - village).

The temple attracts not only tourists but also local residents; it is believed that Devol Deviyo, or god Deviyo, is the protector of the southwestern province and all fishermen and drivers. Every month, the offering site on Galle Road at the entrance of the temple collects about 50 kg of coins, and a puja, a worship ceremony, is also held at the temple every month.

According to local beliefs, the Shinigama Temple is a place where an unjustly injured person can ask for retribution for their offenders, and they will certainly be punished. Some people use this place to cast curses. In order to ask Devol Deviyo for retribution for the offenders, you need to reach the island on foot and turn to the deity there. It is believed that in this way, the territory in which the act of cursing is performed is outside the Buddhist world, without denigrating it. After the petition, it is necessary to carry out a certain ritual, which consists of grinding chili pepper on a special stone.

Honganji Vihara Tsunami Monument
(Honganji Vihara)

Not far from the Shinigama Temple is the Tsunami Honganji Vihara memorial complex, which was erected after the tsunami in December 2004, when about 35,000 people died in Sri Lanka.

The location of the monument was chosen in connection with the tragedy that occurred a few meters from it on December 26, 2004. At this point, a train was washed away from the railway tracks by a tsunami wave; there were 1,700 passengers in the carriages, including tourists from around the world.

The statue of Buddha, 18.5 meters high, looking into the ocean, was donated to Sri Lanka by Japan. In the neighboring village of Tellwatta there is a Tsunami Museum with a voluminous photographic exhibition. This museum is not recommended for visiting by impressionable people, as the photographs of the museum evoke strong emotions.

Nightlife in Hikkaduwa

Due to the developed package tourism, nightlife, by Sri Lankan standards, is present at the resort. However, when going to Hikkaduwa, lovers of nightlife must remember that you should not expect the scale of Pattaya there. The city has several nightclubs with different reputations: “Mambo”s”, “Blue Moon”, “Funky de Bar”, “The Vibration Music Bar”, open until one in the morning.

We strongly advise young travelers not to fall into a tourist trance and periodically subject the surrounding reality to critical reflection - just as if the scene were an unfamiliar nightclub in their hometown, since conflict situations with the local population in such establishments are not at all uncommon.

Weather in Hikkaduwa

The climate in Hikkaduwa is very humid, but warm: the average annual temperature practically does not change its values ​​throughout the year and fluctuates in the range of +28C - +31C. The water temperature in the ocean also changes slightly throughout the year, within the range of +27C - +29C.

The tourist season in Hikkaduwa lasts from November to April - this is the best time to visit the city; during this period the weather is coolest, the average daily temperature drops to +28C, and the amount of precipitation is significantly reduced.

The rainy season in Hikkaduwa lasts from May to October inclusive, during these months there is a large amount of rainfall, mainly in the form of tropical thunderstorms. May and October are the wettest months, precipitation at this time can fall in the afternoon, in the remaining summer months the amount of precipitation is less, rains begin in the afternoon.

This article will tell you about what Hikkaduwa Beach, a popular resort in Sri Lanka in the south of the island, is like.

Review about Hikkaduwa beach with photo

1) Hikkaduwa beach is good, wide and long - about 3 kilometers. Covered throughout with pleasant yellowish sand. On the first day, we wandered along the shore for an hour and a half, met only a couple of merchants, complete solitude. Even in the Maldives, the beach of our resort island was more crowded than in the south of Sri Lanka! True, the beach is not equally clean along its entire length. If at hotels everything is usually orderly and noble, then in front of some guest houses we noticed some kind of construction debris and other impurities. Not globally, but still.

2) Well, the Indian Ocean, of course, is incredible - powerful, noisy, a completely different impression compared to the Atlantic. The only problem with swimming in it is that the waves are huge. The only place where we saw people in the water was the bay behind the Hikka Tranz hotel. And so, red flags are raised along the entire beach prohibiting entry into the water. If you are traveling to the southern coast of SHL in the summer, keep this fact in mind.

3) This is the very bay that Christina is looking at.

4) But in general, the weather was gorgeous, and you can’t say it’s not the season!

5) Walking along endless beaches...

6) We've been waiting for this moment for a whole year and here we are!

Beach rating in Hikkaduwa: 7.5/10. In general, we liked it in Hikkaduwa! In June, the season is super low, resulting in an almost complete absence of tourists, the bulk of whom cluster in a few hotels where package travelers are taken. And despite the fact that we were never able to swim in the raging Indian ocean, we rated the beach in Hikkaduwa very highly. First of all, for its length and desertedness.

Hikkaduwa hotels on the 1st beach line

The situation with hotels on the first line in Hikkaduwa is as follows - there are not many of them, but they exist. And in principle, for every taste and budget, from inexpensive guest houses to luxurious “fives”.

In June, many guest houses were a little less than completely empty, and it’s hard to say that there was any activity near the hotels. In fact, you could choose accommodation upon arrival; there were plenty of accommodation options to suit any budget, but in the high season, in our opinion, it is better to think about accommodation in advance.

Well, we also made the following observation: if you can sometimes negotiate with guest houses on the spot a little cheaper than they offer online, then with decent hotels the situation is the opposite - when booking through Booking it almost always turned out cheaper than at the reception, and significantly cheaper . 🙂

In Hikkaduwa, Booking offers more than 500 accommodation options, of which just over 40 are located on the first line of the Hikkaduwa beach. You can view the entire list of hotels on the first line at this link.

We can also recommend the hotel where we stayed ourselves - this is a pretty good 4-star Citrus Hikkaduwa, a review of which you can find at.

We know that many people are specifically looking for a hotel in Hikkaduwa with a good beach and turtles. There is only one such hotel - this is Hikka Tranz (formerly Chaaya Tranz). It is really well located, there is a small cove nearby, where even in the season with big waves it is quite calm and you can swim.

Hikkaduwa beach in the photo

You can find more photos of Hikkaduwa beach in our album.

Turtles in Hikkaduwa

On the second day of our stay in Hikka, we decided to walk to the Hikka Tranz hotel, where large turtles swim to feed in the mornings.

8) Kristina and Sobakevich stomp to feed.

9) And here is the hotel itself in the photo, it will be difficult to make a mistake.

How to breed in Hikkaduwa

We knew in advance that the turtles have a local pimp who takes a bribe for the algae that these reptiles feed on. Having thought about it, we decided to pick up some algae ourselves along the way; there was no point in paying.
Approaching Chayi beach, we met the same native responsible for monetizing turtle eating habits. He immediately indicated that these turtles are his and he has been feeding them for 15 years, and our algae is complete shit, which we can feed each other, but not his shelled friends. For his own magic ones, he asked for 500 rupees. In addition, he promised to bring the turtle to the shore, because... she was hanging on the waves quite far away, and we would hardly have been able to do it on our own. Many people write on the Internet that you have to bargain hard with the Sri Lankans, because... They like to greatly inflate the prices for their services and in real life you can almost halve the price. That's what we decided to do. They immediately said - we will give 200 and no more. He started to get indignant, but we didn’t listen to him, we just went into the water. He's behind us.

10) To the right of Christina is the same turtle master.

Having lit this way and that with the turtle, they returned to the shore to settle accounts. He took 200 rupees out of his pocket - the dark-skinned ruler of the turtles spreads his arms to the sides, saying - “What am I, a sucker or something, drive five hundred, snowball!” I told him: “Its Good Price for You, Maine!” There is no one else on the beach except us who would be happy about this income, but no, he insists on his own. We are, of course, talking about ridiculous amounts of money, but there is no particular point in overpaying for something that is essentially free. They offered to pay 250 rupees today and 250 tomorrow when we come again to feed the turtles. Not at all. He began to appeal to our conscience, because this is his only source of income and if I don’t pay him now, he will have nothing to feed his family for dinner. Then he began to threaten that he would call his local bros and we would be in trouble. I started to get tired of this and as soon as it came to threats from him, I simply gave up and moved towards my hotel. He followed along and, having finished with threats of physical violence, moved on to the next round of pressure - he began to scare him with the police.

To be honest, I was aware of the approximate line of behavior of Sri Lankan hucksters in such cases and clearly understood that they had no real leverage over tourists. Therefore, I just slowly walked towards the hotel and watched how the initially threatening style of his rhetoric ultimately came down to the fact that he, with a face full of disdain, all in foam (he was literally foaming at the mouth!), agreed to the proposals us the money and set off, taking half the amount, cursing us at the top of our lungs, and went home.
This is not a very pleasant story. I can’t say that I behaved in the best possible way, but the guy showed himself to be quite stubborn, refusing us the slightest bargain.

11) The Sri Lankan asks for money for this very seaweed.

Hikkaduwa is a small town in the south of Sri Lanka, whose beaches have long been one of the most popular on the island. The fact that Hikkaduwa is only 98 kilometers from Colombo can be useful in some situations. Many tourists coming to Sri Lanka want to relax and enjoy their time on the beach as soon as possible after arrival. If you're looking for water sports, you'll also have a great time in Hikkaduwa, which has beautiful coral reefs and shipwrecks that attract diving and snorkeling enthusiasts, as well as good conditions for surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing.
Not long ago, Hikkaduwa was a sleepy fishing village on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, but in the last few years, its clean beaches and wide range of services and activities have transformed the village into a major resort. Hikkaduwa's nightlife has also played a big role in the growing popularity of this resort.
The coastal section of Hikkaduwa is a four-kilometer strip, the main artery of which is Galle Road, connecting Colombo and Galle. The traffic on this road is quite heavy, so walking along it is not always a pleasure. Near this road one can find the Gangarama Maha Vihara Buddhist temple, which displays the various stations of the Buddha's life, painted by one person over a period of ten years. In addition, you can also order wonderful clothes here. After the 2004 tsunami, in order to provide livelihoods for the affected people, sewing machines were provided to them as part of relief and reconstruction efforts. Today tourists can order clothes here for little money.

Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka: video

Hikkaduwa on the map of Sri Lanka

The resort of Hikkaduwa is located 98 km south of Colombo. This fascinating coastal town, located 14 km from Galle, was the first place to be discovered by tourists.
Due to its proximity to the capital, Hikkaduwa can be easily reached by bus, train or taxi. There are regular air-conditioned buses from Colombo to this resort. The journey takes between two and three hours, depending on traffic. In addition, Hikkaduwa is also well integrated into the Sri Lankan railway network. From here you can easily reach Colombo (two to three hours) or Galle (30 minutes) and Kandy (about 6 hours). However, we advise you to take express trains as regular trains are very slow due to long stops at each station.
As for a taxi, the cost of a trip to Hikkaduwa from Colombo Airport is usually $70-80.

Weather in Hikkaduwa by month

The best time to visit Hikkaduwa, like many other resorts on the west coast of Sri Lanka, is from December to April. At this time of year the ocean is very calm and offers ideal conditions for swimming, diving or snorkeling. In general, we can say that the diving and surfing season here lasts from November to April. Of course, the weather during this period is also quite good, it is sunny and quite dry (the amount of precipitation is much less than during the monsoon season).
Since the southwest monsoon dominates in Hikkaduwa from May to October, most shops and cafes close at this time of year. The ocean can be very rough, so swimming is not recommended at this time. Only sometimes weather and ocean conditions allow you to swim in warm water and go diving or snorkeling.

Sights of Hikkaduwa

Tourists who head to the resort area of ​​Hikkaduwa on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka do not come here for the attractions, because there are only a few minor places in Hikkaduwa. This resort is distinguished by its exotic beaches, pristine jungle landscapes in the hinterland and the charm of an old fishing village. However, you can still see some interesting things in Hikkaduwa. Below we will tell you about what to see in Hikkaduwa.

Turtles in Hikkaduwa

You might think that the attractions of Hikkaduwa should only include some buildings or beautiful places, but in fact, one of the main attractions of this resort area is... turtles.
A few kilometers from Hikkaduwa towards Galle, right on the beach there is an interesting turtle breeding station. This is certainly one of the most interesting attractions in the area. The workers at this station do everything to preserve rare turtles. At dusk they collect newly laid eggs on the beach and then bury them back at the breeding station. Newly hatched turtles spend several days at the station before being released into the open ocean. In addition, the station is home to many old and crippled turtles, whose survival in the ocean is no longer possible. They were often rescued from fishing nets or bought from locals, and now reproduce in the breeding area.
A visit to the turtle farm is a great experience, especially for families with children, as the baby turtles can be seen at very close range.

Sinigama Muduhu Viharaya

This is a Buddhist temple in the vicinity of Hikkaduwa, completely surrounded by water. You can only reach it by boat. Based on records, the temple is approximately 300 years old, but according to the believing population, its age is up to 1000 years. The temple, dedicated to the local god Devol Devi, is not very large. Due to its unique location, the shrine exudes a calm and solemn atmosphere. The dress code for foreign tourists here is not as strict as in other places. A sarong or a scarf on the shoulders is enough to visit the temple.

Tsunami Memorial in Hikkaduwa

Right in the center of Hikkaduwa is the Tsunami Monument, a huge Buddhist temple with a plaque and countless photographs. When the devastating tsunami hit the coast of Sri Lanka on December 26, 2004, Hikkaduwa was hit the hardest. The small village was almost completely destroyed. More than 1,700 people died when the wave hit Hikkaduwa. The resort was almost completely rebuilt with the help of numerous international aid organizations. However, many traces of the incredible natural disaster can still be seen here.

Moonstone of Mityagoda

An interesting moon rock lies about eight kilometers from Hikkaduwa. Here, a rare blue moonstone is dismantled and used exclusively as a gemstone. Next to the mine there is a small shop that sells moonstone jewelry. You have to visit this place yourself if you want to buy something, because if someone brings you, you will pay double the price (the store offers a large commission to taxi drivers and other "agents").

Alut Vihara (Telvat Monastery)

The monastery at Telwatta, 2 km north of Hikkaduwa, was a famous center of learning back in the fifteenth century. The original monastery and temple complex was destroyed by the Portuguese, and the present buildings date back to 1805. It is an atmospheric complex with particularly impressive well-preserved frescoes, statues of a reclining Buddha and beautiful makaras of the toran (Dragon Arch).
One of the island's most famous Buddhist monks, Sri Rahula Maha Thera, is commemorated here with a striking modern copper statue. The monk, a renowned poet, was noted for his exorcism powers as well as his literary works.

Ratgama Lagoon in Dodanduwa

The picturesque Rathgama Lagoon is home to many species of birds and a large number of aquatic animals. There are three islands in the lagoon. One of the islands, Polgasduva (Coconut Island), is home to a forest hermitage founded by a German monk. Walks around the lagoon are made on primitive wooden catamarans. It is best to go for a walk in the late hours as many birds and other wildlife, including monkeys, can be seen.

Coral reefs of Hikkaduwa

Although Hikkaduwa is a pretty good place for diving and snorkeling, unfortunately the coral reefs have been seriously damaged in recent years. Boats carrying tourists move too close to the corals, causing them to break. Air and sea pollution are also negatively affecting the corals in the Hikkaduwa area. As a result, half of the reef has been affected by so-called coral bleaching since 1998. In addition, the tsunami in 2004 resulted in huge amounts of rubble being deposited on the corals after the waters receded.

Diving in Hikkaduwa

Although the coral reefs in the Hikkaduwa area are no longer as beautiful as they were a couple of decades ago, Hikkaduwa is still considered one of the best diving spots in Sri Lanka. In general, diving is the most environmentally friendly way to see the colorful fish that live in the waters around Hikkaduwa. The coral sanctuary, which can be found off the coast of Hikkaduwa, is a large shallow pool surrounded by a reef and decorated with layers of colorful corals. It is home to countless colorful fish. The beach has a collection of small islets surrounded by beautiful coral formations. Many species of fish and large turtles are found here. In addition, diving enthusiasts should know that there are four shipwrecks in the Hikkaduwa area.
For diving enthusiasts, Hikkaduwa has many dive centers and shops offering PADI diving equipment and courses. Moreover, some diving centers are located in local hotels.

Surfing in Hikkaduwa

Hikkaduwa Beach is one of the most popular surfing spots in Sri Lanka. Here you can enjoy surfing to its fullest between November and March when the waves are suitable. During this period of the year, numerous international surfing competitions are held in Hikkaduwa.
In our opinion, Hikkaduwa Beach is still better suited for beginners as the waves here are not very high and most of them break on the reefs rather than on the beach. The focus is on the gap known as "A-Frame", which is closer to Vivale.
Narigama and Thirangama, located south of Hikkaduwa, are more suitable spots for experienced surfers as the waves are higher than in Hikkaduwa.
As befits a popular tourist resort considered a paradise for surfers, Hikkaduwa offers a large number of surf schools and places where you can rent a board and other surfing equipment for little money.

Hikkaduwa Beach

Hikkaduwa beach itself is quite wide and long. The color of the sand here is light yellow. In cloudy weather, the color of the sand is closer to brown. The beach itself is not the cleanest in Sri Lanka, but hotels, restaurants and other establishments located near the beach try to clean “their” area so as not to scare away customers with garbage. So they still keep order on most of the beach.
The entrance to the ocean near Hikkaduwa beach is flat and gentle, so the beach is suitable for swimming. Just remember that the waves are sometimes strong, so families with children should think twice about visiting this beach, especially between May and October, when the southwest monsoon dominates here.
Most of the famous hotels and other establishments are located either on the beach or close to it, so you won't have to walk much. In general, the entire Hikkaduwa resort has an area of ​​about 4 square kilometers (4 km long and 1 km wide), so in most cases you will not need transport to get around.

Hikkaduwa Resort

The actual center of Hikkaduwa is clustered around the bus station. Here you can also find a train station, post offices, banks, hairdressers, various shops and many restaurants and cafes. Since there are many local residents in this area, prices for food in cafes and prices for goods in stores are quite reasonable. Here you can still order a delicious dish for only 100-150 rupees.
In the resort area of ​​Hikkaduwa in Sri Lanka you can find a fish market and an excellent fishing harbour. Every Sunday morning from 6 am to 1 pm there is a large market with fruits, vegetables and household items to the east of the train station. Even if you don’t find interesting goods here, this market is worth visiting at least for the sake of interest and beautiful photographs.
The Hikkaduwa resort area extends to the south and includes the villages of Wewala and Narigama, which are located approximately 2 km along the very busy coastal road. These villages have many small hotels, guest houses and restaurants of all classes, as well as many clothing and jewelry stores, kiosks, motorbike rentals, small supermarkets and travel agencies. Unlike Hikkaduwa, all the shops here are aimed at tourists, so their prices are inflated. However, some items, such as masks and leather goods, are sold quite cheaply. But precious stones and jewelry, as well as household items, are expensive. It is better to buy these goods in Galle.
Running parallel to the main road is the truly beautiful Hikkaduwa Beach. Here you can see many hotels, beach restaurants and surfboard rentals. This is a rather noisy beach. If you like quieter places, then just head towards Dodanduwa. You can go to the Dodanduwa resort, located 5 km from Hikkaduwa, by bicycle. Before the bridge on the right is a small idyllic natural harbor where you can watch the fishermen in the morning and evening as they go out to the ocean and come back with their catch and head straight to the fish market.

Excursions from Hikkaduwa to Sri Lanka

Although Hikkaduwa is a stunning beach resort, many travelers come here for more than just lounging on the beach and enjoying delicious food at local restaurants and cafes. Often tourists want not only to spend time on the beach, but also to see something interesting. There are several interesting places in Hikkaduwa and the surrounding area of ​​the resort, but these are small local attractions in nature. If you want to see something truly amazing, then you need to go on excursions from Hikkaduwa. Excursions in Hikkaduwa are sold on almost every corner, but we advise you not to chase the price, but to look at the excursion program. Still, in this case, the rule “The lower the price, the lower the quality of the excursion” almost always applies.
Below we will tell you about the most interesting and most popular excursions from Hikkaduwa.

Excursion to Galle from Hikkaduwa

We advise you to visit the city of Galle on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, as it is a major port and commercial center of the island. The Dutch built a fortress here in the 17th century, which perfectly combines European and Asian architecture. The fortress is well preserved and belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Typically, a Galle excursion also includes a stop at a sea turtle farm, a boat ride on the Madu River and a visit to the island temple or moon rock. So look carefully at the excursion program before purchasing it.

Excursions to Kandy from Hikkaduwa

Kandy is a must-visit destination for any traveler visiting Sri Lanka for the first time. Although there are day excursions from Hikkaduwa to Kandy, such excursions are very strenuous. Therefore, we advise you to pay attention to two-day excursions, during which you can explore the main attractions of the ancient city at a normal pace.
Kandy means "Kingdom on the Mountain". The last capital of the kingdom, Sinhala, is located just below 500 meters above sea level, so the temperatures here are lower than in Hikkaduwa and the air is fresher.

Excursion to the elephant nursery from Hikkaduwa

Pinnawala is a famous elephant nursery in Sri Lanka that attracts many travelers. As a rule, the excursion to the nursery begins at five o'clock in the morning. During your first stop, you can enjoy Ceylon tea and delicious pineapple for breakfast. Only at nine o'clock in the morning you will arrive at the elephant shelter, where you can watch the feeding of little elephants. On the way back you will visit a spice plantation and a tea factory. As a rule, almost all excursions to the elephant nursery from Hikkaduwa have the same program, but it is still better to familiarize yourself with the excursion program before purchasing it.

Excursion to Colombo from Hikkaduwa

Colombo is the vibrant capital of Sri Lanka with an interesting past. The city is located on the shores of the Indian Ocean, between the Kenali River and Mount Lavinia. The main attractions of this city are the Independence Hall, the old town hall, Buddhist temples, Galle Park, the traditional Petta market and the old Colombo Fort railway station. We recommend that all or at least most of these places be included in the excursion program that you want to buy.

Whale watching

If you want to see blue whales, then this excursion is for you. You will depart Hikkaduwa early in the morning for Mirissa on the southern coast of Sri Lanka. Here you will board a boat and head out into the open ocean for whale watching. Typically, the boat ride starts at 06:30 am and lasts 3 to 4 hours. Depending on the season, you may see different whales and dolphins. Often this excursion includes a visit to Galle Fort on the way back.

Excursion from Hikkaduwa to Sigiriya

Sigiriya is a large stone and ancient fortress in the central Matale region of Sri Lanka, surrounded by the remains of an extensive network of gardens, ponds and other structures. Sigiriya is also famous for its ancient paintings (frescoes), which are reminiscent of the paintings in the Ajanta Caves in India. It is one of the eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka and is even named the Eighth Wonder of the World by UNESCO.
Sigiriya may have been inhabited in prehistoric times. According to chronicles, the entire complex was built by King Kashyapa (477-495 AD), and after the king's death it was used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century. The Sigiri inscriptions were deciphered by archaeologist Senarath Paranavitana in his famous two-volume work published by Cambridge.

Shops and supermarkets in Hikkaduwa

Hikkaduwa has many shops to suit every taste, but mostly they are very small shops. There are no large shopping centers in this resort area. Souvenir and food shops are scattered throughout the resort area of ​​Hikkaduwa, but, of course, the largest number of shops is on the main street, Galle Road.
As for supermarkets in Hikkaduwa, there are several of them. There are Lal Food City, Nilu Food Shop, Ranjith Super Market, Sampath Grocery and Sathosa Shop supermarkets. All of them are located on Galle Road. But still, Sandagiri is considered the main supermarket of Hikkaduwa. Sandagiri Supermarket, located in the heart of the Hikkaduwa tourist area among the best hotels and guest houses, offers thousands of local and international products, wines and spirits, as well as baked goods, beach items and many other items. In fact, it is the premier shopping destination in Hikkaduwa.

Food prices in Hikkaduwa 2017-2018

Of course, many tourists are interested in the prices of food in Hikkaduwa, since not everyone plans to stay in hotels with an all-inclusive food concept. If you plan to eat at local cafes and restaurants, you can be sure that you won't spend a lot of money on food unless you want to.
There are many places to eat cheaply in Hikkaduwa, but if you want, you can go to a decent restaurant or cafe. The cost of meals in such places can be 2-3 times higher than in simple cafes, but the conditions for eating here are better.
In a decent restaurant and cafe, the cost of fruit juice, for example, is about 350 rupees, while in a simple cafe it will cost no more than 150 rupees. In general, most dishes in simple cafes cost between 2 and 7 dollars, although there are also more expensive dishes (mostly seafood dishes). In Hikkaduwa you can have a very good meal for 7-10 dollars per person, but if you want, you can even spend less than 5 dollars. Of course, if you eat in expensive restaurants, your food costs will be noticeably higher. It's easy to spend $30 for 2 dishes and a drink at these places.

Nightlife in Hikkaduwa

Hikkaduwa Resort offers the most vibrant nightlife of any resort in Sri Lanka. Although this is not Phuket or Pattaya, it is still a great place to spend an evening and night. There are many bars in Hikkaduwa that are open until late at night, but for a party it is better to choose one of the establishments suggested below.

Funky de Bar

A good option for gatherings during and after sunset. The bar has a nice atmosphere, good music and really tasty food. One of the best weekly beach parties in Hikkaduwa is held at this place.

Mambo's Hikkaduwa

Mambo's Hikkaduwa Beach Bar hosts a famous party every Saturday. Since the bar is located right on the beach, it offers a pleasant view of the ocean. On the first and second floors there is a restaurant, bar, billiards, table tennis and a recreation area.

Vibration

This is a disco bar that is famous for its Friday night party. In fact, this is the best club in Hikkaduwa. In my opinion, Vibration has the best DJs who play great electro music.

Long Beach Lounge

Every Monday there is a beach party at the Long Beach Lounge + Bar. This bar has a unique atmosphere and offers a variety of music and the opportunity to sip your favorite drink while enjoying beautiful views of the ocean.

Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka: photos