On Sri Lanka’s southern coast, Hikkaduwa is a town just 100 kilometers south of Colombo. It is a popular destination for tourists from both domestic and foreign countries because of its stunning beaches and wide selection of restaurants and hotels.

Once in Hikkaduwa, it’s not immediately obvious what the best activities are. Besides lying on the beach, how should you spend your time in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka?

When we first arrived in Hikkaduwa, we believed this, but after some investigation and exploration, we learned many things to do there.

Hikkaduwa

Sea turtle swim

You’ll never forget your time spent swimming with sea turtles!

Hikkaduwa is the place to go if you’ve ever wanted to swim in the ocean alongside enormous sea turtles.

You can easily see many sea turtles hanging out in the water from the town’s shore. They frequently swim up to you because they aren’t afraid of people.

In one particular area of Hikkaduwa, turtles always seem to be present. 

Here are the directions to the place:

The spot is in front of the Hikka Tranz Cinnamon hotel. From Hikkaduwa’s main beach, turn left (if you’re facing the ocean) and walk up the bay until you reach the end. There are a few signs about the turtles here. They will most likely be there here, so look there first! Look for the concrete steps and handrail in front of the hotel on the beach if you’re lost. Alternatively, merely ask a lifeguard.

Watch turtle eggs hatch (and run for the ocean)

Swimming with the adults is lovely if you love turtles as much as I do, but seeing baby turtles is even better!

They keep turtle eggs in a small, closely supervised hatchery on Hikkaduwa Beach. You can stop by this enclosure between January and April to see if any turtle eggs are hatching. Around 6:30 pm each night, they let the turtles out of their enclosure and sent them scurrying for the water.

If you walk along the main beach, you can stop by the hatchery at any time, but there might not be any turtles there. Keep checking throughout the day because you’ll be able to tell when they hatch that they are about to be released.

Anyone can join this space for free since it is public. Even some visitors were allowed to assist in moving the young turtles from the hatchery to the beach.

One of the best things to do in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka, is to watch the turtles, which is an extraordinary experience.

You can still see baby turtles all over Sri Lanka, so don’t worry if you miss this activity in Hikkaduwa. It’s one of the best things to do in Mirissa, a well-liked beach town nearby.9omclock

Visit a national park to go on a safari.

Elephants are known to roam freely in Sri Lanka. If Hikkaduwa is your only stop, don’t leave Sri Lanka without going on a safari in Udawalawe or Yala National Parks. Seeing wild elephants is so cool.

If you plan to spend your entire vacation in Hikkaduwa, I strongly advise going on a tour of one of the national parks to go on a safari.

It is one of Sri Lanka’s most beautiful national parks and one of the best places to see elephants. Of course, you’ll need to visit Yala National Park if you want to see leopards; this place is useless.

Elephant sightings are most common in Udawalawe National Park.

This half-day safari is a good option if a two-day tour isn’t what you’re. Although it’s only a few dollars, remember that driving both ways will take most of the day. 

I’m pretty sure watching elephants is like consulting yourself, as they can treat all your mental illnesses.

Visiting the Tsunami Museum

The Tsunami Museum offers a beautiful opportunity to honor those who perished. Young children might not find it appropriate because there are photos of the victims.

One of the best free things to do in Hikkaduwa is the Tsunami Museum. It is about a 10-minute drive from the town center and is situated just outside the town.

The museum is not your typical museum; instead, it is a family home where a woman has gathered and displayed documents and images of the 2004 tsunami.

Both the written and visual content is heartbreaking.

It makes you seriously reflect on how devastating the tsunami of 2004 was for so many people.

If you have any questions, the family that runs the museum is happy to talk with you about it because they also lived on that particular property when the tsunami struck.

Although admission to the Tsunami Museum is free, please consider making a small donation in the box by the door if you enjoyed it.

To get to the museum from the city, you can either take a tuk-tuk or rent a bike or scooter.

You can find the location of the Tsunami Museum on Google Maps!

Blessing from Budhdha

Near the Tsunami Museum is the “lord Buddha .”You can’t miss it, as it’s a giant Buddha statue on the side of the road. The first time we drove by, we thought, “oh great .”But then the lady at our hotel told us we had to go back and check it out, so we did.

When we arrived at the Buddha, we were greeted by a friendly older man who pointed out the information about the Buddha on a sign. He then told us to go inside, where a young monk showed us various photos of the tsunami and the damage it caused to the area.

We knew the Buddha had built it to honor those who died in the tsunami, especially those who died on the ship. A passenger train with more than 1700 people died when the tsunami hit. When this happened, the train was running on the tracks directly behind the Buddha.

Buddha statue is 18m high, equal to the height of the wave that swept over the train.

This visit of the Buddha is free, but you will be asked to make a small contribution.

Go to Turtle Farm

This is a closed turtle hatchery on the beach in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka.

You can visit the designated hatchery if you haven’t seen enough turtles in town. This incubator is just a few hundred meters from the Big Buddha and can be visited for free.

Here you can see adult turtles and baby turtles. These turtles have been rescued, and they take care of them at the hatchery before releasing them back into the ocean. It is also a safe place for turtle eggs before they hatch and release into the ocean.

The turtle hatchery is open daily from 9 am to 6 pm.

Eating seafood

There is a lot of seafood in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka, and there are also many great restaurants to eat at! This makes Hikkaduwa the perfect place to sample fresh seafood. Everything from fish, crab, and lobster is available and reasonably priced.

There are several restaurants on the beach and many others along the main street in town—worth stopping here for dinner one evening while in Hikkaduwa.

River Cruise

North of Hikkaduwa is the Madu River. River cruises are one of the most popular activities in Hikkaduwa.

Tours will pick you up at Hikkaduwa town and take you to the riverside, where you’ll board the boat. Your guide will tell you about the river, the area, and the animals you’ll see along the way. Expect to see crocodiles and monkeys! You’ll also get the chance to try fresh local fruit.

Learn to Surf

Not everyone wants to surf the big waves, so this beach is perfect!

From December to March, surfing is one of the best things to do in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka. The waves are suitable for beginners, and rental boards are available on the beach.

If you’ve not surfed earlier, recollect becoming a member of a lesson. You pay any person of the board apartment men to educate you, which is a great way to get an excellent foundation.

For the more extraordinary superior surfers, a few respectable waves are available with a brief paddle out to the more extensive reef break.

Paddle-boarding

paddle-boarding in Sri Lanka at sundown is amusing. Sunset makes for a sufficient time to get out on the water.

Paddle-boarding is wonderfully amusing and an excellent manner to check your balance. Although it appears smooth, paddle-boarding may be a venture at first. Hikkaduwa is not the calmest seashore, so it’ll be an excellent ab exercise and venture.

If you’ve got paddle-boarded earlier, you may additionally attempt to surf a number of the smaller waves on your board. It’s very tough, however incredibly amusing!

Paddle-board rent is much like surfboard leases and may be rented from the identical men at the seashore who provide surfboard leases in Hikkaduwa.

Go Deep Sea Fishing

If you adore fishing, you may arrange a personal deep-sea fishing constitution from Hikkaduwa!

I am now no longer sure what it seemed to be like. The man jogging the excursions stated you might trap a wide variety of fish, including Barracuda, Seer, Giant trevally, and Queen Fish. During the good season, you may trap something; however, outdoors during the season can be a venture. The great season for fishing in Hikkaduwa is between December and March.

The factor I prefer about the maximum approximately fishing excursions from Hikkaduwa is that you may take your trip to an eating place and feature it cooked for a small fee.

Visit the Galle Fort

Take an afternoon journey to Galle (21 kilometers away ) and look out the Galle Fort! There is a fantastic excursion to take you to the Galle Fort from Hikkaduwa and go to a tea factory!

The Galle Fort is a UNESCO global history web website online and a lovely vicinity to discover specifically in case you love history.

Watching the Sun set

Another calming activity was watching the sunset. Sun is hiding in the skyline like saying sorry for burning the whole day. It is like a golden ball that drops into the deep sea. 

Hikkaduwa National Park

Hikkaduwa National Park is one of Sri Lanka’s three marine national parks. It is home to some of Asia’s best coral gardens. The national park is home to a high-diversity fringing coral reef. On May 18, 1979, the area was designated as a wildlife sanctuary. Hikkaduwa coral reef is a typical shallow fringing reef with a depth of approximately 5 meters (16 ft).

In other tips, you have three unique alternatives for purchasing Hikkaduwa. 

You can pick to take public transport (that is the most inexpensive option); hire your tuk-tuk, motorbike, or automobile and force yourself; or rent a driving force for a personal transfer.

Most tourists come to Hikkaduwa immediately from Colombo. Maybe effortlessly organize Cheap personal transfers immediately from the Colombo International airport. From Colombo, Hikkaduwa is the simplest, approximately a three hour force.

Options for the mode of journey

Quickly the maximum popular (and amusing) manner to journey around Sri Lanka. We honestly rented a tuk-tuk on our journey and virtually cherished it! Tuk-tuks are smooth to force, reasonably priced to hire, and the liberty that comes with your wheels is unmatched.

  • Rent a Tuk-tuk

If you do determine to hire a tuk-tuk in Sri Lanka, make sure to go along with a good corporation that gives first-class tuk-tuks, together with Tuk-tuk Rental (who we rented from.) These men now no longer simplest provide a splendid service. However, their tuk-tuks are honestly rented from neighborhood families, imparting earnings to the neighborhood community.

  • Hire a Driver.

A personal driving force isn’t always a terrible idea if you plan to go to more than one destination. With the consolation of an air-conditioned vehicle, your driving force can take you to your next destination. All you need to do is sit down lower back and relax!

You can pre-hire a highly-rated driver to pick you up directly from the airport when you arrive in Sri Lanka. 

  • Taking public transport

This is an option that I only recommend for those with a tight budget and a lot of time. Public transport is available everywhere in Sri Lanka through public buses and trains. It’s also very cheap, costing less than a few dollars each way.

However, it isn’t the most comfortable mode of transportation. Buses are not air-conditioned and do not have many train services. They can also slow down, stopping every two minutes from picking up more passengers.

Public transport is popular with budget backpackers, and it’s generally safe. It’s a way to travel for those who want to travel like a local!

So, enjoy traveling to a paradise. The hospitality of Sri Lankans is a most attractive quality. Also, the Sri Lankan. The techniques in Sri Lankan cuisine are marvelous. So don’t forget to visit Sri Lanka without any hesitation!