Hikkaduwa හික්කඩුව கிக்கடுவை | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 6°8′50″N80°6′37″E / 6.14722°N 80.11028°E | |
Country | Sri Lanka |
Province | Southern Province |
District | Galle District |
Areas | Sri Lankan town Tourist area Thiranagama |
Beaches | Hikkaduwa Beach Narigama Beach |
Population | |
• Total | 101,342 |
Time zone | UTC+5:30 (Sri Lanka Standard Time Zone) |
Postal Code | 80240 [1] |
Hikkaduwa is a coastal town in south-west of Sri Lanka. It's a world famous beach holiday destination, [2] well known for its scenic beaches , coral reef sanctuary, surfing and nightlife. [3]
Hikkaduwa might be the most popular surf spot on the Sri Lankan south-west coast. [4]
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 area [5] [6] Thiranagama.
In the sixties, many hippies came to live in Hikkaduwa which was nicknamed Hippiduwa. [7]
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.
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):
Hikkaduwa is a popular surf spot on the Sri Lankan south-west coast. [12]
It attracts thousands of surfers between October/November and March/April. [13] [14] There are: [15] shallow sand-bottomed waves, A-frame sections, harbourside waves, mellow whitewash to practice the pop, and fast left-hander waves.
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. [16] 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.
Australians say that Hikkaduwa Beach is Sri Lanka's version of Kuta Beach (Bali). [17]
Extends for 3 km (1.9 mi) towards the south, in a broad and continuous sandy beach, this wide beach is calm [18] with some luxury hotels [19] and a few quality restaurants. [20] There also are several surf stops there. [21]
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. [22] It was built in remembrance of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami victims [23] and to protect the people from harm. [24]
Held between July/August, this five day festival attracts thousands of locals and foreign nationals. [25] It features both local and international professional DJ's, famous musicians and world class dancers. [26]
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.
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.
Galle is a major city in Sri Lanka, situated on the southwestern tip, 119 km (74 mi) from Colombo. Galle is the provincial capital and largest city of Southern Province, Sri Lanka and is the capital of Galle District.
Sri Lanka was one of the countries struck by the tsunami resulting from the Indian Ocean earthquake on December 26, 2004. On January 3, 2005, Sri Lankan authorities reported 30,000+ confirmed deaths.
Unawatuna is a coastal town in Galle district of Sri Lanka. Unawatuna is a major tourist attraction in Sri Lanka and known for its beach and corals. It is a suburb of Galle, about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) southeast to the city center and approximately 108 kilometres (67 mi) south of Colombo. Unawatuna is situated at an elevation of 5 metres (16 ft) above the sea level. Despite significant development in the last decade it is still home to the endangered and endemic purple-faced langur, an unusually shy monkey species that can only be found in Sri Lanka's forests.
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, population 245,974 (2012), is a large municipality in Sri Lanka, covering 2,109 ha. It lies south of the Colombo Municipal Council area and is separated from it by the Dehiwala canal which forms the northern boundary of DMMC. Its southern limits lie in Borupana Road and the eastern boundary is Weras Ganga with its canal system and it includes some areas to its east. This town has experienced extensive population growth and rapid industrialisation and urbanisation in recent years. It is home to Sri Lanka's National Zoological Gardens, which remains one of Asia's largest. Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Kalubowila and Colombo Airport, Ratmalana are some important landmarks in this area. Dehiwela-Mount Lavinia and Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte being two large suburban centres of the city of Colombo function together as one large urban agglomeration in the Region. The overspill from the City in residential and commercial uses of land has rapidly urbanised these suburban centres. Dehiwela-Mount Lavinia and Sri Jayawardenpaura along with Colombo Municipal Council form the most urbanised part of the core area of the Colombo Metropolitan Region. Dehiwala and Mount Lavinia lie along the Galle Road artery, which runs along the coast to the south of the country.
Arugam Bay, known locally as "Arugam Kudah", is situated on the Indian Ocean in the dry zone of Sri Lanka's southeast coast, and a historic settlement of the ancient Batticaloa Territory. The bay is located 117 kilometres (73 mi) south of Batticaloa, 320 kilometres (200 mi) due east of Colombo, and approximately 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) south of the market town of Pottuvil. The main settlement in the area, known locally as Ullae, is predominantly Muslim, however there is a significant Sri Lankan Tamil and Sinhala population to the south of the village, as well as a number of international expatriates, largely from Europe and Australia. While traditionally fishing has dominated the local economy, tourism has grown rapidly in the area in recent years. Arugam Kudah's literal Tamil translation is "Bay of Cynodon dactylon". Tourism in Arugam Bay is dominated by surf tourism, thanks to several quality breaks in the area, however tourists are also attracted by the local beaches, lagoons, historic temples and the nearby Kumana National Park. Much of the bay, as well as the neighbouring town of Pottuvil, were destroyed in the 2004 Tsunami.
Hikkaduwa National Park is one of the three marine national parks in Sri Lanka. The national park contains a fringing coral reef of high degree of biodiversity. The area was declared a wildlife sanctuary on May 18, 1979, and then on August 14, 1988, upgraded to a nature reserve with extended land area. The growth of the number of visitors in the next 25 years increased the degradation of the coral reef. To reduce the effects to the ecosystem, the reef was declared a national park on September 19, 2002.
Ahangama is a coastal town in Galle District, Southern Province of Sri Lanka. It is approximately 18 km (11 mi) east of Galle. The A2 highway passes through the town.
Samudra Devi is a daily passenger train in Sri Lanka, operated by Sri Lanka Railways. The train runs on the Coastal line, from Galle to Maradana in the morning, and the return service is in the evening.
Ruhunu Kumari is a daytime passenger train that runs between Colombo and Matara in Sri Lanka.
Koggala is a small coastal town, situated at the edge of a lagoon on the south coast of Sri Lanka, located in Galle District, Southern Province, Sri Lanka, governed by an Urban Council. Koggala is bounded on one side by a reef, and on the other by a large lake, Koggala Lake, into which the numerous tributaries of the Koggala Oya drain. It is approximately 139 kilometres (86 mi) south of Colombo and is situated at an elevation of 3 metres (9.8 ft) above sea level.
Ahungalla is a small coastal town, located in Galle District, Southern Province, Sri Lanka, governed by an Urban Council. It is approximately 76.6 kilometres (47.6 mi) south of Colombo and is situated at an elevation of 12 metres (39 ft) above the sea level.
Boossa is a small town on the south coast of Sri Lanka, located in the Galle District of the Southern Province. It is approximately 123 kilometres (76 mi) south of Colombo and 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) north of Galle, immediately north of the mouth of the Gin Ganga. It is situated at an elevation of 5 metres (16 ft) above the sea level.
Galle Harbour is a natural harbour, located in Galle, on the south-western coast of Sri Lanka. Currently Galle port serves as one of the most active regional ports in the country. It is also the only Sri Lankan port that provides facilities for pleasure yachts. International yacht societies have recognised Galle Harbour as one of the world's best attractions for yachting.
Peraliya is a small coastal village situated in Hikkaduwa, Galle District in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka.
Jetwing Hotels Limited is a Sri Lankan hotel chain. Jetwing was founded in the 1970s by Herbert Cooray when he purchased the Blue Oceanic Hotel in Negombo from its Swedish owner Vingressor and renamed it Jetwing. Cooray founded Jetwing Travels in 1981. Jetwing Hotels' current chairman, Hiran Cooray, is the son of Herbert Cooray. Jetwing Symphony acts as the holding company for the new hotel of the Jetwing Group.
Thiranagama is a village in the southwestern Galle District of Sri Lanka, known for its luxury hotels including the only two 5-star hotels in the Hikkaduwa region.
Surfing in Sri Lanka is one of the popular sports in Sri Lanka among foreign tourists despite not being popular among the Sri Lankan locals. Surfing in Sri Lanka dates back to early 1960s. The country has many beaches for surfing, especially in the southern and eastern regions. Places such as Arugam Bay, Hikkaduwa, Weligama, Mirissa and Unawatuna are popular surf spots in Sri Lanka and among tourists. The Tourism in Sri Lanka is also very closely related to the sport of surfing and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau considers the sport of surfing as one of the measures of attracting tourists.
Dodanduwa is a small coastal town situated in Galle District, Southern Province of Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka exhibits a remarkable biological diversity and is considered to be the richest country in Asia in terms of species concentration.