A Surfer’s Guide to Riding the Waves in Hikkaduwa: A Tropical Getaway Filled with Adventure

A peaceful town on the southwest coast, Hikkaduwa remains calm, even though it’s one of the most visited places in the country. Its surf scene attracts surfers from across the world. The best thing about Hikkaduwa is that both beginners and pros can enjoy surfing there.

Getting to Hikkaduwa 

Hikkaduwa is about 100 km from Colombo. Getting there takes two to three hours. The train ride is an experience in itself – the coastal scenery is absolutely breathtaking and calming. Taxis and buses are also available.

Accommodation 

This coastal town is one of the most popular in the country. As you’d expect, accommodation offers a wide range of choices, including Hikka Tranz by Cinnamon. If you’re visiting during the high season, make sure to book your stay in advance.

Surf Spots

Surfing is one of the best things to do in Hikkaduwa – and for good reason. There are several surf breaks in Hikkaduwa. The main beach break is ideal for those with no experience. If you’re more advanced, the reef break near the main point offers more challenging waves. North Jetty and Benny’s are also popular.

Image by Kanenori from Pixabay

Best Time for Surfing in Hikkaduwa 

The surf season runs from November to April. During these months, it’s usually sunny with consistent waves. The only challenge is the crowds, but it’s worth it for the good waves.

Venture into the dark corners of the ocean floor in Hikkaduwa

Venture into the dark corners of the ocean floor in Hikkaduwa to explore under sea marvels of ship wrecks, rock formations, caves and the beautiful coral reefs. The sea surrounding Hikkaduwa has hidden underwater mysteries and magical marine life for people to explore.

Water sports, Hikkaduwa| Img by: Amila Tennakoon via FlickrCC BY 2.0

 

Water sports

There are many things to do in Hikkaduwa while staying at luxury hotels such as Hikka Tranz by Cinnamon. Hikkaduwa is ideal for many kinds of water sports, deep sea diving, snorkelling and viewing of coral reefs under water via taking a ride on a glass bottom boat. There are variety of colourful tropical fish and other gorgeous marine life to be viewed as well.

Deep diving

There are so many under water sites for divers to explore; ship wrecks, reef and rock formations, underground caves and multi-coloured coral and tropical fish inhabiting the reefs are all part of an exciting diving experience in Hikkaduwa.

Historic shipwrecks

The shipwreck is a main attraction for divers here. Many divers visit this site to enjoy the adventure of diving to explore these underwater shipwrecks. An oil tanker known as Steam Ship SS Conch transporting oil to Madras hit the rocks and sank on 3rd June 1903. The parts of this broken ship are scattered over a large area on the sea beds of Hikkaduwa and part of the hull had turned upside down forming a large cave which became a safe haven for marine life and a variety of fish inhabiting it now. Divers can have a great experience swimming through this cave.

 

 

Caleb Falcon is a travel writer who specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers. Google+