Top 12 Things to Do in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka

Hikkaduwa sits on Sri Lanka’s south-west coast, about 100 km south of Colombo and just 17 km north of Galle. The reef offshore was declared a marine sanctuary in 1998 and upgraded to a national park in 2002, which is why the water here still holds roughly 60 species of coral and around 170 species of reef fish — along with the green turtles that have made the town famous.

It is a small place. You can walk the length of the main beach strip in under an hour, and most of what you come for happens within a few hundred metres of the sand: snorkelling, diving, a beginner-friendly surf break, a turtle hatchery, and a row of restaurants serving the morning’s catch. That combination is why backpackers and families end up on the same stretch of beach.

12 things to do in Hikkaduwa

If you only have a couple of days, work down this list. Everything here is doable from a base on the main beach.

• Snorkel the coral sanctuary by catamaran
• Swim with green sea turtles off the beach
• Take a glass-bottom boat over the reef
• Learn to dive at a PADI school
• Dive a 1903 shipwreck at The Conch
• Take a surf lesson at Hikkaduwa Beach
• Visit the sea turtle hatchery at feeding time
• Boat through the mangroves of the Madu Ganga
• Walk the Tsunami Museum and memorial
• See the Tsunami Honganji Viharaya “Big Buddha”
• Eat crab and prawns straight off the boat
• Day-trip to Galle Fort, 25 minutes south

Snorkelling in Hikkaduwa

The reef starts remarkably close to shore. In the sheltered section in front of the coral sanctuary you can wade in, put your face down and be over living coral within a few minutes — no boat required. For the better formations, rent a mask and fins on the beach and take one of the short boat transfers out to the reef.

Aim for late morning to early afternoon. The light is directly overhead, visibility is at its clearest, and that is also when turtles tend to come into the shallows to feed on the seagrass. Bring reef-safe sunscreen and resist the urge to stand on the coral — it is a protected national park, and the reef has already taken a beating from bleaching events.

Most of the reliable snorkel and dive operators are grouped along the same stretch of road, including the International Diving School, Blue Deep Diving Centre, Poseidon Diving Station and Dive Lanka. Any of them will run a guided snorkel trip if you would rather not swim out alone.

The best dive sites around Hikkaduwa

Hikkaduwa is one of the strongest dive bases on the south-west coast: warm water, a mix of rock formations and wrecks, and schools that will take complete beginners through a discover-scuba session on the same day they walk in. Here is what the sites actually offer.

Diving season follows the same window as everything else on this coast: November to April, when the sea is calm and visibility is at its best. Outside those months many schools close or move operations to the east coast.

Surfing in Hikkaduwa

Hikkaduwa built its reputation on longboarding, and it remains one of the friendliest places in Sri Lanka to stand up for the first time. The beach break in front of the main strip is forgiving, boards rent by the hour, and the men renting them will usually teach you for a small fee. Peak surf season runs November through April.

Where to paddle out

Madu River safari

When you have had enough salt water, head about 30 minutes north to Balapitiya, where the Madu Ganga opens into one of the island’s largest and most important wetland systems. A boat safari takes you through mangrove tunnels and past dozens of small islands, several of them inhabited.

You will see monitor lizards on the banks, kingfishers and cormorants working the shallows, and — if you are lucky and quiet — a crocodile. Most trips include a stop at a cinnamon island where a family demonstrates how the bark is peeled and rolled, and a temple island reachable only by boat. Kayaking and canoeing are options if you would rather move under your own power.

Beaches and coral gardens

Narigama Beach

The wide, sandy stretch immediately south of the town centre and the best place in Hikkaduwa to simply lie down. Around 4 km of beach with restaurants and bars backing directly onto the sand, so you are never far from a cold drink or a plate of rice and curry.

Hikkaduwa Beach and the coral gardens

The northern end, inside the sanctuary, is where the reef comes closest to shore. This is the calmest water in town and the reason glass-bottom boats operate here — a good option for children or anyone not confident swimming. Turtles are regular visitors to these shallows.

Visiting a sea turtle hatchery

Five species nest along this coast: green, olive ridley, hawksbill, loggerhead and the enormous leatherback. Hatcheries around Hikkaduwa collect eggs that would otherwise be poached or washed out, incubate them, and release the hatchlings.

Eggs typically hatch after around 50 days, and the young turtles surface a few days later. Releases usually happen in the evening, when the sand has cooled and predators are fewer — so plan your visit for late afternoon if you want to see one. Choose a hatchery that releases hatchlings within a day or two rather than keeping them in tanks for weeks; the longer they are held, the worse their odds in open water.

Best time to visit Hikkaduwa

The south-west coast runs on the opposite monsoon cycle to the east. The dry, calm season here is November to April, and that is when the sea is flat enough for good snorkelling, diving and swimming. January to March is the sweet spot: warm, dry and clear.

From May to September the south-west monsoon brings rough water, choppy visibility and closed dive schools. It is still pleasant on land, prices drop sharply, and the beaches empty out — but do not plan a diving trip around it. If you are travelling in those months, we would usually route you to Trincomalee or Arugam Bay instead.

How to get to Hikkaduwa from Colombo

Coming straight from Bandaranaike International Airport, budget around 2.5 to 3 hours by private transfer. If you are relying on public transport, take bus 187 from the airport to Colombo Central Bus Station first, then change.

Nightlife in Hikkaduwa

For a town this size, Hikkaduwa has an outsized reputation for staying up. Things pick up around 9pm and run late, particularly in high season. The reliable spots are Vibration Music Bar, Mambos Place, Top Secret, Funky De Bar and the Long Beach Surf Café — most within walking distance of each other along the main strip, all with sand underfoot and music running until the small hours.

What to eat in Hikkaduwa

Sri Lankan cooking on this coast draws on both South Indian and Indonesian influence, and meals arrive as a spread of small dishes meant to be shared.

• Seafood — crab and prawns are the reason to eat here, usually served in the shell and worth the mess. Ask what came in that morning rather than ordering off the menu.
• Rice and curry — the daily standard: rice with five or six curries, sambol and papadam. Vegetarian versions are excellent and everywhere.
• Kottu roti — chopped roti stir-fried with vegetables, egg and meat, made to a rhythmic clatter you will hear from down the street.
• Dhal curry — lentils simmered with coconut milk. Order it with roti and use the bread as your spoon.
• Hoppers — bowl-shaped fermented rice pancakes, best at breakfast with an egg cracked into the middle.

Where to stay and how long to give it

Hikkaduwa runs the full range: guesthouses a few dollars a night just back from the beach, mid-range boutique places with pools, and a handful of proper resorts on the sand. Villas and homestays are easy to find if you are travelling as a group.

Three nights is enough to snorkel, take a surf lesson, see the hatchery and eat well. Give it five if you want to add diving, the Madu Ganga and a day in Galle Fort without rushing. Most of our guests fold Hikkaduwa into a wider south-coast leg alongside Mirissa, Yala and Galle.

Frequently asked questions