THE COMPLETE DESTINATION GUIDE
Discover Hikkaduwa
Hikkaduwa was among the first stretches of Sri Lanka's coast to develop as a beach destination, and it retains a livelier, more built-up character than many of the quieter beaches further south. A shallow coral reef sits close to shore along part of the bay, sheltered enough in the right season to snorkel directly from the beach, with a reasonable variety of reef fish visible in clear conditions — though, as with any reef, the health and visibility of the coral varies with conditions and should be treated as a genuine but not guaranteed highlight.
Glass-bottomed boat trips run out over the reef for visitors who prefer to stay dry while still seeing beneath the surface, and the same waters that shelter the reef also produce reliable, popular surf breaks at certain points along the bay, giving Hikkaduwa a foot in both the snorkelling and surfing worlds. The main beachfront strip has a dense concentration of guesthouses, restaurants and shops, giving the town a busier, more continuously developed feel than some of the more spread-out beach towns nearby.
A turtle hatchery near the town cares for eggs relocated from threatened nesting sites and releases hatchlings into the sea, and several similar hatcheries can be found along this stretch of coast — as with Pinnawala's elephants, it is worth researching current welfare practices at any hatchery before visiting, since standards vary. South of the main town, the Hikkaduwa National Park protects a section of the reef itself, with restrictions in place to limit damage from anchors and foot traffic.
Because the reef is a living, sensitive habitat, snorkellers are asked to avoid standing on or touching coral, both for the reef's protection and for personal safety, since coral can cause cuts that are slow to heal in seawater.