Hikkaduwa attractions - what to see

For most tourists, the main attraction of Hikkaduwa is its beaches (see about Hikkaduwa beaches here). Indeed, apart from the beaches there is nothing interesting in the resort area itself. However, near the resort there are many attractions that you can visit yourself by rented transport, tuk-tuk, bus. You can also go to the sights with an excursion, because Hikkaduwa is one of the few places in Sri Lanka where you can buy inexpensive group excursions, and not individual tours by tuk-tuk or rented car. Excursions are also offered for several days in Colombo, in the mountainous part of Sri Lanka (Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Horton Plateau and the end of the world, tea plantations, etc.), in Cultural Triangle (Dambulla, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura), national reserves. And by the way, there are even travel agencies with Russian-speaking consultants and guides.

Among the interesting places visited from Hikkaduwa, you can include the sights of nearby Bentota, Ambalangoda( Ambalangoda), Galle (Galle). You can get to these cities not only on your own, but also by bus or commuter train. See details:

• Galle Attractions
• Bentota Attractions
• Unawatuna Attractions
• Colombo Attractions

You can visit the sights in the vicinity of Hikkaduwa on a rented motorcycle from 2200 rupees per day (from 6.65 USD), and something you can see on the buses. But it is much more convenient to hire a tuk-tuk with a driver. You can find them on the beaches and on the street, drivers themselves offer services, and even recommend ready-made routes. Prices depend on the season, besides you need to bargain. In 2023, it is possible to hire a tuk-tuk for 2000 rupees (from 6.04 USD) for 3 hours, or 3000 rupees (from 9.06 USD) for the whole day.

Next is a list of attractions in Hikkaduwa and the surrounding area, indicating opening hours, costs, and ways to get to them:

Hikkaduwa National Park (Hikkaduwa National Park, also Hikkaduwa Coral Reef)

This is a Marine Coral Park, which is located almost in the most central part of the Long Beach of Hikkaduwa. They say that once it was really beautiful here, colorful fish swam, and through the thickness of the clear water you could see bizarre corals. Today, almost nothing remains, but it is still the most popular beach and a place to go on sea excursions in Hikkaduwa. At the very shore you can go snorkeling, but you will not see anything special. But turtles still come here. They swim up to the shore between the bathers, not at all afraid of them, but they do not crawl out on the shore itself.

The beach itself is free, but if you want to go away from the shore to really go snorkeling, you will have to pay for a boat and for access to the park. Learn more about Hikkaduwa National Park here...

Moonstone Mines

Not far from Hikkaduwa is the town of Meetiyagoda, whose lands are very rich in precious stones and minerals, the most famous of which is the Moonstone. There are many mines here, some of which open their doors to tourists. You can safely come to such a mine, see how the stones are mined and processed, listen to a detailed story about it with an individual guide (including in Russian), and completely free of charge. But at the end of all this action you will be taken to the store, from where you almost certainly will not get out without buying. Learn more about gemstone mines and photos here...

Seenigama Vihara Temple (Seenigama Muhudu Viharaya)

This is one of the most interesting temples in Hikkaduwa and definitely worth a visit. It is remarkable for two reasons. First-located on a small island 100 meters from the shore. And secondly, it is one of two temples in Sri Lanka where victims of robberies can ask for retribution from higher forces. To do this, you need to buy a special oil in the temple, cooked with pepper, pour it into the lamp at home, light it and read the spell. After that, as the locals believe, heaven will punish the robber with an accident or illness. And judging by how many locals are in the temple, you might even think that robberies in Sri Lanka occur at every turn. Read more about Seenigama Vihara temple and photos here...

Gangarama Maha Vihara temple, aka Jananadha ramaya

This is a large interesting temple with an impressive territory, many statues of Buddha and a sacred tree. It is especially noteworthy that in one of its buildings there are frescoes on the walls. According to the monks of the temple, these frescoes are very ancient, and they really look very old. But there is another version: that they were inflicted only a few decades ago. Whatever it was, the temple is definitely worth a visit.

Naga Vihara Temple (Naga Viharaya)

It is a small Buddhist temple located near the city center, on the way to Gangarama Maha Vihara temple. It is not particularly remarkable except that it is a very quiet and rarely visited place by tourists. Almost certainly you will find yourself here all alone, and you can safely walk around the territory and slowly inspect the structure and decoration of the temple. As in many Sri Lankan temples, a sacred tree grows on the temple grounds.

Monument to tsunami victims

Very close to the temple on the island of Seenigama is a memorial to the victims of the 2004 tsunami, made in the form of a large statue of Buddha on a small artificial pond. The Buddha stands on an artificial island, and at the foot of the island are memorial tablets with the names of the dead.

Locals and foreigners come to the monument to honor the memory of the dead, and according to a new local tradition, the monument is visited by newlyweds for "photo sessions".

A hundred meters from the monument is also the building of the Tsunami Museum, but it does not work.

Telwatta tsunami Photo Museum

This is a very "sad" museum, but it is worth a visit if you are moving from Hikkaduwa to the North. A very modest, private museum, created by enthusiasts, works at the expense of donations from visitors, admission to it is free. The exhibition includes photographs, drawings and documents of the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami. The owner of the museum herself will tell about that terrible moment that occurred on December 26, 2004, because she was a living witness of those events.

By the way, during our last visit in 2019, her two private museums appeared next to this museum, so you can visit any of them.

Jayanthi Viharaya Temple

It is a small temple on the way to the gem mines. It's nothing special, but you can check it out on your way to the mines.

Turtle Hutchery, Turtle Farm

There are several sea turtle nurseries or farms on the coast north and south of Hikkaduwa. The closest farm, a small private one, is just a few kilometers north of Hikkaduwa. A more serious turtle farm is much further north near Bentota. Another one in the South behind Unawatuna.

On farms in large pools contain different species of turtles, and the tour is accompanied by a detailed and interesting story, however, in English. Moreover, it does not matter whether you arrived with a group or will be completely alone on the farm, you will still be told in great detail about everything. Usually there is also a clutch of eggs of sea turtles. And in some places you can even release small turtles into the open sea, of course, for an additional fee.

Ambalangoda mask museums

10 kilometers north of Hikkaduwa on the coast is the most famous place in Sri Lanka, where traditional wooden masks are made-the town of Ambalangoda. It houses two museums of masks. In one of the museums you can see the process of their manufacture in a craft workshop, find out what types of masks are, what they are dedicated to and what they are used for. Of course, you can buy your favorite mask. Prices for them are not very low, but this is due to the fact that each mask is made by hand from Kadura Wood in compliance with all the traditions of manufacturing.

Learn more about Ambalangoda and mask museums here…

Attractions in Galle

The city of Galle (gal) with its fortress and other sights is quite possible to explore not only with an excursion or a hired guide with transport, but even independently. Any tourist can easily allocate one day, during which you can take a bus to Galle, take a walk there and see its sights, and return back in the evening. Learn more about Galle here...

Attractions in Colombo

As well as in Galle, in Colombo you can go for a day by bus. One day is enough to see the most basic things in Colombo, but it is better to leave early in the morning. It is best to go directly to the center of Colombo in the Colombo Fort area or in Pettah, where you can see a lot just by walking. Learn more about Colombo attractions here...