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What Is Special In Hikkaduwa? Uncovering What Is Great, Okay, And Ugly In This Sri Lankan Resort Town
BY Sibashree Jul 13, 2026
During my trip to Sri Lanka, Hikkaduwa, the resort town, was surely one of the biggest highlights of the southwestern region. I took a train journey from Colombo to reach Hikkaduwa, the epicenter of dark tourism in Sri Lanka. It was the place where the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami had hit the most! However, while this keeps the mood somber and humbling while visiting Hikkaduwa, the town also offers some delightful experiences. It is a hotspot for scuba diving and turtle spotting like other southwestern beach destinations, such as Mirissa Beach, Bentota Beach, Unawatuna, and Ahangama and Weligama. Despite so many attractions, this resort town is now facing a serious dip in its tourism industry due to the US-Iran conflicts. A report published by The Island Online on 13th May 2026 suggested that there has been a drop of around 80% in tourist arrivals due to this ongoing global tension. While I wish for the end of the war and the global crisis (including the conditions in Hikkaduwa) soon, here I pen down my experience in Hikkaduwa. I loved a lot of things about it and also felt some things could have been better. So, here is an honest confession. The Things I Loved Doing In Hikkaduwa Hikkaduwa is not an idyllic tropical escape. It is an action-packed beach destination for snorkeling, scuba diving, and swimming with the adorable turtles. Hikkaduwa also has the Tsunami Museum, which is a must-visit to learn about the calamity that changed the course of the human race. Also, it shows the resilience of the human race in surviving such a rampage. Nevertheless, here are the best things to do in Hikkaduwa. 1. The Train Journey From Colombo To Hikkaduwa The journey in a third-class train from Colombo Fort to Hikkaduwa had set the mood right for the delightful experiences ahead. The distance of 95.14 km by train took around 2 hours to cover. The compartment was windy, and I also got a seat for myself. However, once the train started running, I stood close to the door, and the views of the Indian Ocean were iconic. The third-class ticket cost me LKR 200. However, if you are traveling in second-class and first-class compartments, the ticket price will be LKR 400 and LKR 800, respectively. 2. Spotting The Sea Turtles In Hikkaduwa The adorable sea turtles were the reason behind my visiting Hikkaduwa. I visited the turtle hatchery first, where I found 3-day-old turtles swimming. Then, I went down the beach to find them on seagrass. The Sea Turtle Hatchery & Rescue Center in Hikkaduwa remains open from 9 AM to 6 PM. Furthermore, the ticket price was 2000 LKR for foreigners and LKR 500 for locals. April to July is the best time to spot these turtles as it is their nesting season. Also, if you want to spot them on the beach, be present in front of Hikka Tranz at dawn. 3. Exploring The Coral Reefs At Hikkaduwa You will find the coral reef of Hikkaduwa just in front of the main hotel strip. So, you can spot them by just walking off the beach. You can also snorkel to explore the reef. Also, there are delightful provisions for taking a glass boat tour. These tours cost between LKR 3000 and LKR 6000 based on the duration of 30 minutes to 1 hour. Furthermore, the Hikkaduwa coral reef is a shallow fringing reef with an average depth of 1 to 5 meters, harboring over 60 species of hard coral and 170 species of reef fish. Moreover, it has the designation of a marine national park, and it is home to green and hawksbill sea turtles and other adorable marine animals. 4. A Visit To The Ambalangoda Mask Workshop And Museum Hikkaduwa was again an eye-opener, showing the cultural richness of Sri Lanka. I have cherished the Tamil Culture in Jaffna, and of course, Kandy was like the textbook. Hikkaduwa, on the other hand, made me familiar with the popular demons in Sri Lankan folklore. Maha Sona was the most powerful among them, and Reeri Yakseya was the most cruel. Also, there are other demons associated with various disorders. It is said that these disorders can be cured only by exorcism. The exorcists wear different masks of demons and dance to the drum beats. They also make offerings to the demons. They believe that the demons will leave the one they have attacked if they are happy with the offerings. The Ambalangoda Mask Workshop and Museum has a brilliant display of these masks. It is the cradle of Sri Lankan mask making, and the Wijesuriya family has been in charge of the museum for five generations now. The museum also has a library and workshop, where seeing the art of mask making was quite an experience. Moreover, the museum remains open from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM, and entry is free. 5. Shopping In Hikkaduwa The Hikkaduwa Market was delightful. For me, the best buy was a shell turtle statue. Furthermore, many shops had colorful masks, and each of them was unique. During shopping, I also had the chance of meeting the locals in Hikkaduwa. I especially cherished the conversations with an old gemstone shop owner. He shared how he has been witnessing the changing tourism scenario in this resort town. 6. Scuba Diving Scuba diving is one of the biggest attractions in Hikkaduwa for sure. It is a delightful experience to go deep into the water and spot the marine life. However, I loved diving to find out the mast and rigging of an old sailing ship. 7. River Tours I traveled around 50 minutes from Hikkaduwa for a boat tour on the Madu Ganga River. It is in a Ramsar wetland and estuary on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka, located in Balapitiya. The boat took us through a narrow tunnel with mangroves on both sides. During the journey, we could spot vampire bats, crocodiles, and giant lizards. Furthermore, the 2-hour boat tour cost me around LKR 6000 to 15000. While the mangrove tunnels were the first stop, we also visited the Cinnamon Island and enjoyed a fish therapy in an enclosed pool for LKR 900. Moreover, visiting the Kothduwa Purana Raja Maha Viharaya was a unique cultural experience. Do not forget to bring binoculars for these boat tours, as there is a lot to see from a distance. 8. Visiting The Hikkaduwa Tsunami Museum The Tsunami on 26th December 2004 was one of the biggest natural disasters in Hikkaduwa and other parts of the eastern and southern coasts of Sri Lanka. The death toll was 30,196, and the waves engulfed the “Queen of the Sea” holiday train with 1700 passengers inside. The site now has a giant Buddha Statue as a symbol of peace. Many locals visit this statue and the Tsunami Honganji Viharaya, a place of worship to remember their loved ones who have lost their lives in the tsunami. After visiting the Tsunami Honganji Viharaya, I headed toward the museum. The museum explains the geographical process of how the tsunami happened and how Hikkaduwa survived after that. Entry to the museum is free, and it remains open from 8 AM to 8 PM. Hikkaduwa Things That Were Okay (But Could Have Been Better) The first thing that could be better about Hikkaduwa was the roads. It was fun walking on the beach. However, walking down the streets was a task, and sometimes it felt like passing through a maze. The buses ran even at night, and because of the road conditions, they made the strangest noise. Also, the tuk-tuks were a menace, making taking each step a task. Furthermore, despite Hikkaduwa being a popular base and stopover for anyone traveling from Colombo to Galle, in reality, planning trips around it is a task. You can still make it to the Yala National Park. However, if local tour operators try to convince you of long-haul trips to Dambulla Royal Cave Temple, Pidurangala Rock, Sigiriya Rock Fortress, or Polonnaruwa, don’t fall prey to them if you don’t have a long travel plan. What I Did Not Like About Hikkaduwa Hikkaduwa is famous for its moonstone mines, turtle tourism, and Ayurvedic herb gardens. However, all of these disappointed me greatly. 1. The Growing Turtle Tourism I came to Hikkaduwa for the turtles, joining crowds feeding this local industry. Enterprising "turtle whisperers" hustle for tips, while numerous hatcheries operate nearby. I envisioned secluded beaches and wild hatchlings safely reaching the sea. Instead, fishermen sell wild eggs to these hatcheries. While they successfully incubate eggs and care for injured mutants, the magic is gone. Hatchlings miss that epic first journey, and the world feels a little duller for it. 2. The Herb Garden Experience Being from the land of Ayurveda, I was keen to experience how the southern neighbor is adding its own twist to it. However, the experience was disappointing to put it politely, and the ones demonstrating the qualities and medicinal properties of local herbs, spices, and fruits were not well informed. Moreover, they were more interested in selling miracle potions to “Foreigners” rather than offering insights or knowledge sharing. 3. The Moon Stone Mines Watching the men at work at the moon stone mines was a decent experience. However, I did not like how they dealt with the pricing part as I was checking out some jewelry at the workshop on the mine property. The charges were bizarre, and I knew it as I had already visited a gemstone shop in the market and bought some souvenirs. So, I knew the actual pricing, and I did not like the fact that, given a chance, they would extract more money from a first-timer or a novice. Will I Still Visit Hikkaduwa Again? Of Course! Despite some “Okayish” and “Not-So-Great” experiences, I would love to visit Hikkaduwa again. Why? For the mangrove boat rides, the time spent with the turtles, and discovering a different side of human history in the Tsunami Museum. If not anything else, I will return for the train journey that allows me to enjoy the views of the Indian Ocean to the fullest!
