Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka: 14 Nights in Our First Base
Hikkaduwa is where we landed, where we stayed longest, and where I would tell you to spend the fewest nights of anywhere on this coast.
That is not a criticism. It has the best sunsets in Sri Lanka, we watched baby turtles hatch on the sand here, and our favourite cafe in the whole country is on this beach. We just gave it fourteen nights out of twenty eight, and by the end I knew that was too many.
Is Hikkaduwa Worth Visiting? My Quick Answer
Yes, for three nights.
It is the gentlest possible introduction to Sri Lanka: a long beach with cafes sitting on the sand, proper surf, sunsets that ruined most others for me, and almost no nightlife. I rated it 8/10.
Getting to Hikkaduwa
We took an Uber straight from Colombo airport for A$48, which took the guesswork out of arriving tired and is what I would do again.
It is the first proper beach town heading south, which is why so many trips start here.
The Beach
A long strip rather than a bay, with cafes directly on the sand and surf that suits most levels.
The sunsets are the best we saw anywhere in Sri Lanka, and I watched them most evenings for two weeks without getting bored. The fishermen head out in outrigger canoes right as the light drops.
It is very quiet, and there is not much nightlife. That is the trade: perfect if you want to arrive slowly and work for a few days, thin if you want a night out.
The Turtle Beach Day: The Best Day of Our Trip
This is the reason to base here, and it is a day trip rather than the town itself.
From Hikkaduwa it is about 45 minutes on a scooter, past Galle, to a beach at Talpe. Wild green turtles come into the shallows to feed and they are completely unbothered by people. I could not believe how many there were, or how clear the water was.
I ended up flipping my phone upside down and putting the camera under the surface, which turned out to be the best decision of the day.
Someone will probably try to sell you sea urchins on the way in.
Where to eat after: Roy's Cafe is at Dalawella, two minutes further along, right on the sand. There is a cafe dog also called Roy who put his head on my hip and stayed there for my entire lunch!
And then, while I was mid-burger, baby turtles hatched on the beach in front of us. I put a very good burger down and walked away from it without thinking. Watching something the size of your palm make its first run at the ocean is not what I had planned for that afternoon.
It happened twice in a month, both times entirely by accident, and the other time was here in Hikkaduwa.
Where to Eat in Hikkaduwa
Every one of these is somewhere we actually sat down.
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| Place | What to get |
|---|---|
| Amaroo | Avo toast, the Maui tuna bowl, the Nim bowl, corn spaghetti, loaded baby potatoes |
| Salty Swamis | The breakfast burrito and the rainbow lunch bowl |
| Surf Control | One of the curries. Cash only |
| Tiki Burger | The best burger we had in Asia, and the location is ridiculous |
| Natura Italian | For when you have had enough curry |
| Roy's Cafe, Dalawella | Lunch after Turtle Beach |
Amaroo deserves its own paragraph. We went six separate times over two weeks. It is right on the sand, it is set up for working with space and power points, and the staff got to know us so well that they brought out a birthday cake for Daniel that we had never mentioned. The avo toast is the best I have had anywhere.
All sixteen places we ate on this coast are in the southern Sri Lanka food guide.
Things to Do in Hikkaduwa
- Turtle Beach at Talpe, 45 minutes on a scooter. Free, and the best day we had
- Watch for hatchlings. You cannot plan it. It happened to us twice
- Sunset, every night. This is the actual reason to be here
- Surf. Proper waves, and quieter line-ups than Weligama
- Work from a beach cafe. Amaroo is built for it
- Ride to Galle, which we did on the way past and should have given more time
What It Cost Us
We stayed in two different places in Hikkaduwa, back to back, and the gap between them is the whole answer to what accommodation costs in Sri Lanka.
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| Where | Nights | Total for two | Per person, per night |
|---|---|---|---|
| First place | 5 | A$288.82 | A$28.88 |
| Second place | 9 | A$1,076.00 | A$59.78 |
Same town, same beach, one week apart, and double the price. You decide which end you are at. Full numbers in our Sri Lanka cost breakdown.
Where to Stay in Hikkaduwa
Amaroo Hikkaduwa
Our favourite cafe in Sri Lanka turned out to be somewhere you can sleep. Directly on the beach, set up for working with space and power points, and the best avo toast I have had anywhere is downstairs.
Tropical House Jungleside Villa
Hikkaduwa is a long strip and being set back from it is no bad thing once you have a scooter. Worth comparing on price, because the beach becomes a two minute ride rather than a decision.
How Many Days Do You Need in Hikkaduwa?
Three. Enough for the beach, a couple of sunsets and the Turtle Beach day.
We gave it fourteen because we were working, and I would move most of those nights to Hiriketiya if I did it again. Our 14 night route has the split I would actually recommend.
What I Loved
The sunsets. First thing I mention about Sri Lanka, every time.
Amaroo. Six visits, a birthday cake we did not ask for, and the best avo toast anywhere.
The turtles. Both the wild ones at Talpe and the hatchlings, and neither was planned.
How easy it is to arrive here. Straight from the airport, and nothing is difficult.
What I Didn't Love
Not much nightlife. Genuinely quiet after dinner. Fine if that is what you came for.
It is a strip, not a bay. Hiriketiya has a shape to it that Hikkaduwa does not.
We stayed too long. Fourteen nights in the first place we landed, two in the best place on the coast. That one is on us.
Still planning? Here is every beach on this coast and the town I would give your extra nights to.
FAQs About Hikkaduwa
Is Hikkaduwa worth visiting?
Yes, for about three nights. Best sunsets in the country and the base for the Turtle Beach day.
How many days should you spend in Hikkaduwa?
Three. We did fourteen, which was too many.
Is Hikkaduwa good for surfing?
Yes, and the line-ups are quieter than Weligama. Weligama is still the better place to learn.
Where do you see turtles in Hikkaduwa?
Wild green turtles are at Talpe, about 45 minutes on a scooter past Galle. Hatchlings can appear on Hikkaduwa beach itself, but you cannot plan that.
How do you get from Colombo airport to Hikkaduwa?
We took an Uber for A$48 and it took roughly two hours.
Is Hikkaduwa or Weligama better?
Weligama, for a first trip, because it is central and has better food. Hikkaduwa is quieter and has the better sunsets.
Final Thoughts
Come to Hikkaduwa first, stay three nights, and use one of them on Turtle Beach.
It is the easiest possible landing in Sri Lanka and the sunsets alone justify it. Just do not do what we did and let it eat half your trip, because the best of this coast is further along.
Want your Sri Lanka itinerary planned in a couple of clicks?
Pick your towns, and it lays the days out from everywhere we actually went.
- Two lengths, five to seven days or the full fortnight
- Only places we actually went, never a generic list
- Every drive between the towns worked out for you
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