Dikwella, Sri Lanka: The South Coast Town That Asks You To Slow Down
BY Sibashree Jul 28, 2026
On the bus route hugging Sri Lanka's south coast, Dikwella sat as a shadow to two more prominent names in Sri Lankan Tourism, Tangalle and Mirissa. Mirissa stood out with its whale-watching boats and rooftop bars. Tangalle, on the other hand, showed its glossy resort strips. However, Dikwella waited quietly with just a busy street, a fish market, and a few guesthouses. Furthermore, the stretch of coastline of Dikwella unfolded quietly on either side of town. I was looking for that quietness exactly, and that is why I ended up spending three nights there. In this article, I will share my experience in Dikwella Beach, how to reach there, the things to do, and more! Where Is Dikwella? How To Reach It? Dikwella or Dickwella is in the southern province of Sri Lanka. Between Tangalle and Matara, this coastal town is also closer to the Galle–Mirissa corridor. So, Dikwella is accessible. However, the thing is that it is usually far enough off the main tourist script. So, to me, Dikwella felt like a place where locals lived and not a backdrop built for visitors. If you are already exploring the south coast, Dikwella is a short hop from nearby towns. It is just about twenty minutes from Matara, fifteen from Mirissa, and only ten minutes or so from Tangalle. Local buses run this route constantly, and the ticket prices are very low, though a tuk-tuk is more comfortable if you're carrying luggage. If you are traveling from Colombo, you will have to drive for around three and a half to four hours down the Southern Expressway to reach Dikwella. The road exits near Matara and continues along the coastal road. However, I took the Colombo Fort to Matara train and then a short tuk-tuk ride to Dikwella. The train takes longer. However, the time you spend on the train journey here is more than worth it as it is one of the most beautiful railway routes in Sri Lanka. It hugs the coastline for long stretches south of Galle. Colombo Fort To Matara Train There are many daily and weekly trains running between the Colombo Fort and Matara railway stations. I took the 8050 Express train. It runs daily. It departed the Colombo Fort Station at 6:50 AM, and I reached Matara at 10:15 AM. I was traveling in a 3rd class compartment, and the ticket price was LKR 300. The second class tickets cost LKR 600. From Matara, I took a tuk-tuk that charged me LKR 2500. Getting Around Dikwella You can hire a tuk-tuk to explore Dikwella and visit the nearby attractions such as the temple and the blowhole. The rental cost is around LKR 3000 to LKR 4000. However, I rented a scooter. It was more affordable, costing me LKR 1000 a day, and it gave me more flexibility to explore the smaller lanes and beaches nearby. What Are The Things To Do In Dikwella (The Best Is That You Do Nothing) Dikwella is the place that allows you to enjoy the joy of just existing. So, even if you are an introvert like me, you will find the place comfortable for getting knocked over by a wave or simply waiting for the water to wash your feet. Nevertheless, exploring the Blue Beach, a visit to Hiriketiya, a ride to the Hoo-maniya Blowhole, and a visit to the Wewurukannala Vihara are the to-do things in Dikwella. Being At The Blue Beach And The Double Bay Dikwella Beach or Dickwella Beach has become the Blue Beach thanks to the locals and the nearby hotel owners. It is a double bay formation just west of town, where two curved stretches of sand meet at a narrow rocky point. Due to the shape of the bay, the open-ocean swell gets broken up. So, the water inside remains calmer than most beaches along this stretch of coast. So, if you are visiting alone or with family, this is a more comfortable space for swimming. I saw palm trees leaning out over the sand at angles that look almost too deliberate, like a photograph. Furthermore, in the late afternoon, the light turned the water somewhere between turquoise and navy. I spent one whole evening doing nothing but sitting on the sand with a king coconut, watching fishermen haul in nets a little further down the beach. It was not a dramatic sunset by postcard standards. It was better, honestly, because there were maybe a dozen other people on the entire beach to share it with. 2. A Visit To Hiriketiya After soaking in the silence of Dikwella, Hiriketiya was my next stop to feel the pulse of the area. Technically part of the greater Dikwella area, Hiriketiya has become one of the fastest-growing spots on Sri Lanka's south coast in recent years. It is a near-perfect horseshoe-shaped bay that has turned into a magnet for surfers, yoga retreats, and a rotating cast of digital nomads working from beachfront cafés. The bay itself is small. While the small bay offers intimacy, a lack of space can also make it feel very crowded with a surge in the number of visitors. I rented a board for a couple of hours one morning, and it cost me LKR 500. Even as an amateur, the gentle, consistent waves here made it one of the friendlier places I have tried to learn surfing. The scenario, however, entirely changed by the evening. The beanbags outside the restaurants were occupied, and people were busy gorging on the best seafood and wood-fired pizza. It felt like a stark contrast to how quiet Dikwella felt. 3. A Visit To The Hoo-Maniya Blowhole I took a scooter ride toward Kudawella and reached Hummanaya, or Hoo-maniya blowhole. It was like a narrow rock chimney with incoming waves getting forced up through a submerged cavern and bursting out at the top in a sudden plume of spray. The water here makes a low rumbling sound that gives the blowhole its onomatopoeic name. Despite being the only natural blowhole in Sri Lanka and one of the largest in the world, the Hoo-Maniya Blowhole is unpredictable. Some eruptions are a modest fizzle, others send spray shooting dramatically into the air, and the difference comes down entirely to the sea conditions that day. The locals told me that the blowhole is the most powerful during the southwest monsoon. During the monsoon months, rougher seas force water through the cavern with more pressure. As a foreign visitor, I had to pay 500 LKR as the entry fee. For locals, however, the entry fee was 50 LKR for adults and LKR 20 for children. The parking charges were LKR 50 to LKR 100. There is a proper viewing platform from which you can cherish the unique geology of the place. 4. Visiting The Wewurukannala Vihara And Its Giant Buddha I took a scooty ride for about twenty minutes inland from Dikwella, and on the road toward Beliatta, I found a Buddhist temple appearing over the treeline. It was Wewurukannala Vihara, home to the largest seated Buddha statue in Sri Lanka. The statue rose around 50 meters, dominating the skyline of an otherwise low, palm-covered landscape. The temple complex itself is older and more layered than the giant statue suggests at first glance. Parts of it date back to the 18th century, built during the reign of King Rajadhi Rajasinha, with a smaller, more traditional Buddha image worked into the original structure. Walking through the complex, I passed from that older, quieter section into the base of the giant statue. Along the way, most visitors passed through a strange, slightly unsettling tunnel of painted dioramas depicting Buddhist concepts of karma and consequence. Where To Stay In Dikwella? You can decide where to stay in Dikwella based on the experience you want. Close to the town center and the Budget, there is a good mix of budget guesthouses and a couple of larger beachfront resorts. While the budget guesthouses were more suitable for me, the larger beachfront resorts were for travelers who wanted easy beach access without the buzz. However, if you want a little buzz and the pulse of the area, Hiriketiya will be a more suitable choice. The prices of guest houses here are higher. Also, the energy shifts toward boutique guesthouses, surf hostels, and design-forward small hotels aimed at the surf-and-yoga crowd. I split my stay between the two, a couple of nights in a simple guesthouse near Blue Beach for the quiet mornings, then a night in Hiriketiya just to experience the contrast. The stays near Blue Beach cost me LKR 1800 per night, and in Hiriketiya, it was around LKR 6000 per night. What To Eat In Dikwella? Dikwella does not promise a huge restaurant scene. It has not come out of its shell of a working fishing town yet. The daily catch showed up on almost every dish I had. Some of my best meals were the simplest, including grilled fish, coconut sambal, and rice and curry from small local spots along the main road. Furthermore, the cost of food in Dikwella was a fraction of similar meals' cost in Mirissa or Unawatuna. For a livelier and more elaborate food scene, you can visit Hiriketiya. It has cafés and restaurants aimed squarely at the international crowd. So, there you will find smoothie bowls, wood-fired pizza, and fresh pasta alongside Sri Lankan staples. Overall, I cherished the contrast of eating a rustic curry in Dikwella town one night and a plate of pasta overlooking the surf in Hiriketiya the next. Things To Remember If You Are Visiting Dikwella December to April, or the dry season, is the best time to visit Dikwella. You will enjoy the calmest ambiance and nature for swimming in these months. However, if you specifically want to see the Hoo-maniya blowhole at its most dramatic, aim for the southwest monsoon months instead, around May to September. Also, two to three days are enough if you want to experience the best of Dikwella. You can visit the Blue Beach and the Vihara in one day. On the next day, you can visit Hiriketiya and the blowhole and try surfing. Then, leave a spare day if you just want to do nothing. So, Is Dikwella Worth Visiting? During my trip to Sri Lanka, especially when exploring the southern coast, Dikwella was my favorite spot as it allowed me to slow down and be myself. Dikwella does not have an ancient fortress or a famous surf competition. It does not have a five-star strip or a world-class resort. In fact, it is still very much a working fishing town that has not been built around tourism. Dickwella Beach is beautiful because it is not overrun. Also, the nearby attractions such as the booming blowhole and a giant Buddha allow you to spend a couple of unhurried days. So, if your south coast itinerary has room for one detour off the Mirissa–Tangalle highlight reel, make it this one.
