The sunny south coast of Sri Lanka is famous as a paradise when it comes to water sports from jet skiing to surfing, boogie boarding and best of all diving and snorkelling. When it comes to the latter, there is no other place on the southern coast that is as popular for this as Hikkaduwa is. And this is no surprise as this little beach town is the site of one of the finest of the three marine national parks in Sri Lanka.
If you wish to explore the beautiful coral reefs here, you will need to travel about 2 hours away from Colombo, the commercial capital of Sri Lanka where the country’s main international airport is situated at. You can choose to take a swift journey through the Southern Expressway or go along the Galle Road which offers scenic, coastal views. The best time of the day to go snorkelling is during the early hours like 6:00 am when the waters are at their clearest. So because of this and the long journey, its best recommended that you visit Hikkaduwa prior to the day of your snorkelling excursion. There won’t be a difficulty in finding accommodation here as there’s a wide variety of hotels and villas in Hikkaduwa as well as budget hotels like Yoho Bed. The last option is available in plenty as Hikkaduwa’s hippy, beachy vibe attracts a lot of backpackers.
Once you’ve reached and settled down in this heavenly escape of a beach resort, you need to prepare yourself for the snorkelling trip. Even if you’re a total amateur to the art of snorkelling, there’s no need to worry as there are a wide number of diving schools scattered along the beach, with PADI-certified instructors to show you the ropes.
The Hikkaduwa Coral Reefs have been a wildlife sanctuary for over 3 decades, and for good measure too as if not, these corals would have disappeared a long time ago mainly due to human interference. Due to the extensive conservation projects carried out, there is an astounding number of 60 species of coral found here along with 170 species of fish species whose entire lives depend on these wonderful natural formations. Some of the coral here include elkhorn, brain, staghorn, table, cabbage and star corals.
If you’re planning a visit here be sure to know that the ideal time to snorkel in Hikkaduwa is during the months between November and April when good visibility and calm seas prevail.
