Hikkaduwa
and the South Coast
-- a brief travel guide
Hikkaduwa
The villages of Hikkaduwa, Narigama and Thiranagama have grown into each other and this stretch of palm-fringed coast is now generally referred to as Hikkaduwa.
For many years Hikkaduwa has been known as one of Sri Lanka’s best beach destinations, with good surf, diving and the laid back beach life. In high season – December and January – the place comes alive with visitors who come to soak up the sun during the day and party the night away at the island-style beach bars and restaurants.
Stretching along the main Galle Road thru Hikkaduwa are a range of craft shops offering local handmade batiks, wood carvings and paintings. There are several tailors where you can get custom made clothing from colourful cottons and soft silks. We recommend the Cheaper Side tailor and Dunstan’s who specialises in making custom board shorts.
There are jewellery shops if you want to buy the famed Sri Lankan sapphires or semi-precious moonstones – check out Jeral Jewellers.
If you’re looking for some alternate therapy you can try one the several spots offering Ayurvedic medicine.
Hikkaduwa has great surf in season (Oct thru March) with an A-frame reef setup offering barrelling lefts and rights. The reef can hold a solid 6 foot, but it is generally in the 3 to 5 foot range with light offshores every morning and delicious, warm tropical water.
There are several other reefs, points and beach breaks going south along the coast
Check Surf Spots of South Sri Lanka for a tagged Google Map and other details.
Hikkaduwa is the prime place to base yourself to explore these surf spots. And The Beach House is an excellent option for a place to stay – giving you comfortable, tranquil privacy just 10 minutes walk along the beach to the reef, beach bars and restaurants. Mirissa, the furthest spot south, is an hour and a half by tuk tuk. Actually there are others further on, but we’ll leave that up to you to explore!
The Beach House Guide
At The Beach House / beach bungalow guests find our guide of cool day trips out of Hikkaduwa to ancient Buddhist temples, lakes, waterfalls, turtle hatcheries, tea estates, jungle trips, river safaris, antique shops, craft shops, markets, the tsunami museum and more…
We also give you details about where to eat, where to party, how to get around and tell you about all the local amenities like Internet cafes, food shops and so on.
Of course you can go further afield and there is a lot to see on this magnificent Emerald Isle. Check the map of UNESCO World Heritage sites in Sri Lanka. Mahinda, The Beach House manager, will be happy to advise and arrange tours for you. |
