Hikkaduwa, in south-west of Sri Lanka, is a large costal area covering eleven different villages over on the ocean, and inland, in the Galle District.
Located in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka, this area is under the dual jurisdiction of the Hikkaduwa Urban Council and the Hikkaduwa Divisional Secretariat covering of coastline on the Indian Ocean.
The Hikkaduwa region is divided into several main areas (from north to south): the townsite; the tourist hub (Wawulagoda, Wewala); Narigama (residential zone); and the upmarket area of Thiranagama, which borders Narigama Beach (a stretch of sand extending through Patuwatha to Dodanduwa).
In the 19th century, during the British Ceylon period, Hikkaduwa region was "the great resort of picnic parties from Galle" (Galle was the largest city in southern Ceylon).
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 largest rail disaster in history has been caused in Hikkaduwa by the 2004 tsunami. A wall of water slammed an eight-carriage train in Peraliya in Hikkaduwa.
Located in the Southern Province, Hikkaduwa is about north-west of Galle and south of Colombo. The Hikkaduwa region is divided into several main geographic zones (from north to south):
The Hikkaduwa National Park was the first Marine sanctuary to be established in Sri Lanka. It has approximately seventy varieties https://www.circleceylon.com/destination-item/hikkaduwa-sri-lanka/ of multi-coloured corals. In 2023, the Wildlife Conservation Department started to restore the coral reef.
Hikkaduwa town is famous for its nightlife. To prevent the fragmentation of the clientele, only one nightclub organises a main party each night on a fixed weekly rotation:
Hikkaduwa is a popular surfing location on the Sri Lankan south-west coast. and has many different surf spots. 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.
Australians say that Hikkaduwa Beach is Sri Lanka's version of Kuta Beach (Bali).
Turtle beach, located at the northern end of Hikkaduwa beach, is a popular spot for observing sea turtles in their natural habitat. Visitors can see Green Sea turtles and Olive Ridley turtles swimming close to shore year-round, particularly during early morning hours. The area supports several conservation centers that protect endangered species, incubate eggs, and release hatchlings into the ocean.
Extends for 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.
The Big Buddha statue (Tsunami Honganji Viharaya) was built to commemorate the victims of the the largest rail disaster in history caused by the 2004 tsunami, at Hikkaduwa, in Peraliya. <br>Donated by Japan, this high statue is a replica of the 6th-century Buddhas of Bamiyan, destroyed by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Il has been created using the earliest known sketches of those statues.
The jungle areas around Hikkaduwa is rich in biodiversity. It is home to :
Religious composition in Hikkaduwa DS Division according to the 2012 census is Buddhists 100,955 (99.06%), other Christians 317 (0.31%), Roman Catholics 293 (0.29%), Hindus 257 (0.25%), Islam 79 (0.08%), others 8 (0.01%).
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.