Hikkaduwa is a seaside resort town located in the southern province of Sri Lanka, close to the city of Galle. Highlights of attractions in Hikkaduwa include its beaches which are renowned for surfing and various water activities. Hikkaduwa is designated as a coral sanctuary and is home to marine turtles and exotic fish.
Hikkaduwa National Park
The Hikkaduwa National Park is one of the three marine national parks in Sri Lanka and is situated in Hikkaduwa. This national park contains a coral reef of high degree of biodiversity. It was declared as a wildlife sanctuary on May 18, 1979. Later on August 14, 1988, it upgraded to a nature reserve with extended land area. The reef was declared as a national park on September 19, 2002. The Hikkaduwa National Park is governed by the Department of Wildlife Conservation. Miraculously this marine national park received very little direct impact from the Boxing Day Tsunami in 2004.
Stilt Fishing
Stilt Fishing is a form of fishing done by the fishermen and mostly seen in the Southern coast of Sri Lanka. It makes use of a vertical wooden rod planted on to the sea floor in the shallow part. The fishermen stand on a horizontal bar in the rod in which position it causes minimum shadows on the water hence making little to no disturbance among the sea life. This makes it easier to catch fish and put them in bag tied to the pole or to their waist. Tourists can give this activity a try especially in the Hikkaduwa beach. It is by no means easy to balance one’s self on this rod and is a picturesque sigh to see the fishermen doing this activity especially against the horizon at dawn and dusk.
Hikkaduwa
The Hikkaduwa Harbor is a natural harbor located in the southern coast of Sri Lanka. It is a popular tourist attraction due to the beautifully coloured boats lined up in the coast of the harbor, used to go fishing in the deep sea. The harbor is used by local fishermen who go fishing early in the morning and return with their catch. Visitors could experience how fish are caught and even buy fish freshly caught from the sea. This amazing sight of stilt fishermen close to dusk is also a sight not to be missed.
Peraliya Tsunami Memorial
Peraliya Tsunami Memorial is situated in the coastal Peraliya village close to the Hikkaduwa town. It is built in a small island in the middle of a pond located close to the railway track which was affected by the Tsunami tragedy in 2004. On this tragic day the train was travelling from Colombo to Galle carrying over 1500 passengers who dies in the incident. The entire train along with engine and compartments were thrown away for the powerful force of the Tsunami waves. The Buddha statue was built close to this railway track and was done as a replica of the Bamiyan Buddha statues which were in Afghanistan prior to its destruction by the Taliban militants. The Buddha statue is visible from the Colombo-Galle Main Road and could be reached via a small bridge. It was built with the aid of Japanese donation.
Seenigama Muhudu Viharaya
Seenigama Muhudu Viharaya is situated on a small island in the middle of the sea in Hikkaduwa and can be reached by boat. It is visible and accessible via the Galle Road. The temple is also known as Seenigama Sri Devol Maha Viharaya as it is dedicated to God Devol. It is a popular Buddhist temple among locals and tourists alike. Local villagers flock in to worship in this small and beautiful temple of theirs. Miraculously this temple survived the Boxing Day Tsunami in 2004.
Nagaramaya
Nagaramaya is a Buddhist temple situated on Nihena Road in Hikkaduwa. It is a small temple mostly visited by locals. Since it is off the radar of most tourists, the temple is the ideal place to observe the Buddhist monks at their rituals and learn something about local traditions. The main viharaya has a reclining Buddha statue in it and there are several other smaller temples surrounding it. The place is very quiet and serene.
Kumarakanda Maha Viharaya
Kumarakanda Maha Viharaya is a Buddhist temple situated on Kumarakanda A2 in Hikkaduwa. It is an ancient temple located at the top of a hill. This gives the temple a beautiful look and consists of amazing views from the hill top. Many locals come to worship at the temple and it is also a popular tourist attraction in the area.
Gangarama Maha Viharaya
Gangarama Maha Viharaya is a Buddhist temple situated on Rajeskanda Temple Road in Horagampita, Hikkaduwa. It is a small temple complex with a towering white dagaba and a Bo tree. It is a very popular and often visited temple in the area. The temple has a lot of informative paintings which are the works of one man for over almost a decade. The temple is most famous for these informative murals that depict the life of the Buddha.
Coral Sanctuary
Coral Sanctuary is situated on the Asian Highway 43 in Hikkaduwa. Explore the underwater world at Coral Sanctuary, and admire a reef rich in colourful coral formations. The Coral Sanctuary can be explored by boat, snorkelling or even swimming with turtles and vibrantly coloured fish. There are place to rent snorkelling equipment for those who need them. The glass boat rides are the most common form of exploring the corals at the Sanctuary.
Turtle Hatchery & Rescue Centre
Sea Turtle Hatchery & Rescue Centre is situated on Galle Road in Hikkaduwa. The sanctuary takes recently laid turtle eggs out of the beach and keeps them in a secured area until the baby turtles hatch. It is a must visit place to go with kids especially since one can experience every stage from eggs buried beneath the sand waiting to hatch to disabled turtles that the centre takes care of.
Brief Garden by Bewis Bawa
Brief Garden by Bewis Bawa is a landscaped garden which is situated in Beruwala. It was designed by one of Sri Lanka’s famed architects, Bewis Bawa. He is also the brother of Geoffrey Bawa which is also a renowned Sri Lankan Architect. Bawa designed the garden in a sprawling land area of 2 hectares. At present, the property is under the care of Bevis Bawa’s staff, whom he considered family.The entrance to the garden is guarded by two ornate gateposts crowned with male and female figures. Bawa’s house is also located at the property. The ‘araliya’ (frangipani) tree at the entrance near the main house is the first tree Bawa planted on the property. It is said that he designed the house and garden around this tree.
Hikkaduwa Lagoon Safari, Dodanduwa
Lagoon Safari provides a chance to enjoy a range of activities suited for every age level and budget at Dodanduwa close to Hikkduwa, in Southern Sri Lanka. Lagoon safari tours are available for daytime and night time as well. Apart from this the lagoon tour operators also provide traditional fishing trips and offer kayaks and canoes for rent which adds more to the exploring activities for visitors.
Hikkaduwa Lake
The Hikkaduwa Lake is a beautiful lake situated on Baddegama Road. The lake is home to numerous reptiles such as lizards and birds and makes for a great excursion away from the beach. There are boat tours to take around the lake. The lakeside hotel Kalla Bongo offers kayak hire if one is having lunch at the hotel. It is a great option for some peace and calm surrounding the lake opposing the more crowded Hikkaduwa Beach.
Moonstone Mines
Moonstone Mines are situated in the coastal village of Meetiyagoda which is just a couple of kilometers from the coast, in between Ambalangoda and Hikkaduwa. The area has been popular for moonstone mining where the mines are muddy holes, 6 meters or 7 meters long. The process involves filtering out the precious stones and polishing them to prepare them for sale. Sri Lankan moonstones are of highest value due to their dark blue reflection. The finest and rarest moonstones have an almost transparent colourless body with a strong blue shine.
Rathgama Lake
The Rathgama Lake is a natural lake situated next to Delgasduwa in South of the island. The lake has a length of 17.66 kilometers and has calm and serene nature to it. It is a very popular lake for boat tour rides and the surrounding area is naturally beautiful with its lush greenery. It is certainly one of the highlights around Hikkaduwa. It is a great place for bird watching as there are many difference species of birds flocking and flying in the area.
Turtle Beach
Turtle Beach is situated on the Galle Road in Hikkaduwa. The beach in Hikkaduwa is very popular for sea turtles. The turtles crowd around the area heading left from the main beach until a rocky division is reached. There are steps leading down to a small piece of beach in front of Hikka Tranz by Cinnamon Hotel where the turtles like to hang out.
Narigama Beach
Narigama Beach is a surfer’s paradise situated in Hikkaduwa. It is a beautiful beach in which the waves are ideal for surfing. It is a long and golden sandy beach great for walking while feeling the fine sands under the feet. There are also a considerable number of bars and restaurants in the area. It is the ideal place to be in for amazing views of sunset, beach bars & surfing waves. The surfing season at Narigama Beach is from April to October. While Hikkaduwa in general attracts surfers, the Narigama Beach attracts mostly couples and matured tourists, mainly Russian and German Nationals who seek for a quiet and less crowded beach to relax. The temperature of the water in the sea is perfect; warm but not too hot. The Narigama beach extends for 3 – 4 kilometers towards the south, in a broad and continuous stream of sand. Narigama Beach is one of the best places to view the magical sunset in Hikkaduwa. It is indeed a beautiful sight to see and one not to miss. There are many guesthouses and boutique hotels lined up along the beach where guests can stay overnight or extended days during their travels. Accommodation along the beach could be expensive so it is better to walk a bit further and find accommodation at modest prices. Narigama Beach stands among the best beaches in not only Hikkaduwa area but also in the Southern peninsula. The waves are ideal for surfers from beginners to experts. It is also a popular area for beach parties and is always lively and vibrant.
Hikkaduwa Beach
The Hikkaduwa Beach is a popular and beautiful beach situated in Hikkduwa. Its crystal clear water allows amazing opportunities for water sports activities such as snorkelling, surfing and fishing. The area is also a popular place for sea turtles and hatching. The Hikkaduwa reef is also popular for its beautiful corals and is a popular tourist destination due to this reason
Akurala Beach
Akurala Beach is a beautiful beach situated in Hikkaduwa, about 5 km from where the Telwatta Bird Sanctuary existed. It is a sandy beach with a reef barrier creating a swimming area with calm and shallow water. It is a popular area for locals and tourists to spend quality time especially in the evening during sunset.
