The pristine beach of Hikkaduwa boasts an underwater paradise that is filled with rich marine life and beautiful reefs of coral, therefore becoming the coral paradise that looks as beautiful as the underwater city of Talokan. If you take a chance on snorkelling, you would be able to explore all these oceanic jewels. Tucked between the beautiful cities, Colombo and Galle, Hikkaduwa is renowned to be the perfect beach getaway for anyone who loves the turquoise waters of the ocean. This beautiful coastal region has much more to offer so keep reading to find it out!
Hikkaduwa Beach provides an idyllic setting for enjoyment, soul-healing, and adventure. It has been a popular vacation spot since the 1960s. You are able to enjoy a range of recreational activities like snorkelling, diving, surfing, picnics, family fun, and beach volleyball alongside fringed palms and enchanting ocean waves. The beach is a place of pleasure that suits every person where you are able to enjoy delightful seafood meals at restaurants, opulent hotels, and get yourself a relaxing treatment from a spa. Enjoy snorkelling excursions during the day time and then savour Isso Wadey(similar to fried calamari) to satiate your hunger after the fun adventure. Then spend a vibrant life at the beach when the night falls with a campfire alongside the sea breeze and seafood delicacies. Hikkaduwa Beach is an amazing destination for both solo and family vacations, as it welcomes both adventurous travellers and also travellers seeking a serene retreat.
You can visit the Sea Turtle Hatchery and Rescue Centre, a safe haven for turtles located north of Hikkaduwa, if you are an animal lover because this place was built as a community project that now houses and safeguards five endangered turtle species including Olive Ridley, Leatherback, Loggerhead, Hawksbill, and Green Turtles. This rescue centre offers advanced facilities, including water tanks for the newborn turtles and they also offer rehabilitation for the injured adult turtles. It has a remarkable egg-laying region that features piled mounds of sand which is monitored for observing how precisely the process of egg hatching takes place. The best period of time to visit is throughout the months of April to July which would be the nesting season for these turtles.
Hikkaduwa National Park is one of the marine national parks in Sri Lanka which is home to one of the best coral gardens found in Asia. It was declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 1979. There are fringing coral reefs boasting rich biodiversity where the shallow reef has an average depth of 5 metres (16 ft).
Throughout the coral reefs you are able to find the thriving Foliaceous Montipora species which includes encrusting and branching forms. You can explore massive groups of Faviidae and Poritidae corals close to the shore, and the reef is enriched by a variety of other corals, such as Staghorn, Elkhorn, Cabbage, Brain, Table, and Star. The ecosystem of the reef contains around 170 reef fish species from 76 genera and an overall amount of 60 species of coral from 31 genera.
Seagrass and aquatic algae like Halimeda and Caulerpa are very common at depths of 5 to 10 metres. Several prawn species feed on this seagrass, while Dugong and sea turtles use it as their habitat. The reef is home to eight species of ornamental fish as well as a variety of other vertebrates and invertebrates, including crabs, prawns, oysters, and sea worms. Amazingly, this area is home to the endangered coral species named Porites Desilveri. Rare reef fish such as Chlorurus Rhakoura and Pomacentrus Proteus can only be found in Sri Lanka. Three endangered kinds of sea turtles—the hawksbill, green turtle, and Olive Ridley—frequently move around the coral reef, which also has a blacktip reef shark dwelling on its outer slope as well.
The only marine sanctuary in Sri Lanka is located at Hikkaduwa Beach. Explore this vibrant underwater paradise abundant in exotic corals and tropical fish by snorkelling and by taking glass bottom boat trips. Hikkaduwa is the perfect vacation spot for all those who prefer exploring the natural world. It offers waves for the surfing enthusiasts, coral reefs for the snorkelers, and dazzling beaches for basking in the golden rays of the sun. Being one of the top tourist destinations in Sri Lanka, nature enthusiasts and adventure lovers can enjoy a wide variety of activities here, so visit Hikkaduwa today!