# Hikkaduwa

Hikkaduwa, in south-west of Sri Lanka, is a large costal tourist area covering 11 villages run by the Hikkaduwa Urban Council. Well known for its scenic beaches, coral reef sanctuary, surfing and nightlife., it extends over 6 km (3.7 mi) on the ocean, and 3 km (1.9 mi) inland.
Hikkaduwa might be the most popular surf spot on the Sri Lankan south-west coast.
Located in the Galle District, Hikkaduwa is divided into three main areas (from north to south) : the Sri Lankan town, then the very lively tourist area, then the upmarket areaThiranagama.

## History

In the sixties, many hippies came to live in Hikkaduwa which was nicknamed Hippiduwa.
Its economy was based on fishing and coconut cultivation, which was replaced by tourism when its golden sandy beaches were widely discovered in the 1960s.
The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami affected Hikkaduwa along with many nearby villages.

## Geography

Located in the Southern Province, Hikkaduwa is about 17 km (11 mi) north-west of Galle and 98 km (61 mi) south of Colombo.
Hikkaduwa is divided into three main areas (from north to south):
* the town (with associated public infrastructure, including bus stand, harbour, and railway station)
* the tourist area, with numerous hotels and restaurants
* Thiranagama, the upscale area, where the only 5-star hotels in the Hikkaduwa district are located (Riff Hotel and Haritha Villas).

## Attractions
### Surf

Hikkaduwa is a popular surf spot on the Sri Lankan south-west coast.
It attracts thousands of surfers between October/November and March/April. There are: shallow sand-bottomed waves, A-frame sections, harbourside waves, mellow whitewash to practice the pop, and fast left-hander waves.

### Coral Sanctuary

The Hikkaduwa National Park was the first marine sanctuary to be established in Sri Lanka. It has approximately seventy varieties of multi-coloured corals.
In 2023, the Wildlife Conservation Department started to restore the coral reef. Live coral washed ashore with the waves are planted on coconut shell-shaped cement blocks dropped and nursed in the medium-deep seabed of Hikkaduwa.

### Hikkaduwa Beach

Australians say that Hikkaduwa Beach is Sri Lanka's version of Kuta Beach (Bali).

### Narigama Beach and Thiranagama Beach

Extends for 3 km (1.9 mi) towards the south, in a broad and continuous sandy beach, this wide beach is calm with some luxury hotels and a few quality restaurants. There also are several surf stops there.

### Tsunami Honganji Viharaya (Big Buddha Statue)

The Big Buddha Statue is 30 m (98 ft) high. It is a replica of the 6th-century Buddhas of Bamiyan destroyed by Taliban in Afghanistan. It was created using the earliest known sketches of the statue. It was built in remembrance of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami victims and to protect the people from harm.

### Hikkaduwa Beach Festival

Held between July/August, this five-day festival attracts thousands of locals and foreign nationals. It features both local and international professional DJ's, famous musicians and world class dancers.

### Biodiversity

The jungle around Hikkaduwa is rich in biodiversity. It is home to the purple-faced langur, an endangered and endemic monkey. Over sixty species of endemic birds, including herons, sandpipers, terns, egrets, and kingfishers, as well as rarer species such as the lesser whistling duck, the Asian palm swift, the white-breasted waterhen, the black bittern and Loten's sunbird.
Beneath the Indian Ocean lies a number of coral reefs, shipwrecks, and a great variety of fish and turtles. The turtles still wade onto the shore to lay their nests and eggs.
In the early 1980s, Arthur C. Clarke played a key role in persuading the government to declare Hikkaduwa a marine sanctuary.

## Transport

Hikkaduwa is located on the Coastal or Southern Rail Line (connecting Colombo through to Matara). It is also located on the A2 highway, connecting Colombo to Wellawaya.

## Notable people

* Ryan Reynolds, Canadian and American actor whose film Ordinary Magic, was shot in Hikkaduwa
* Sir Arthur C. Clarke, world-famous writer, author of 2001: A Space Odyssey, lived in Hikkaduwa where he had his diving company's installation.
* Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Thera, famous buddhist monk