Local Area

2000 year old Heritage (Buddhism &; Culture)
2000 year old Heritage
(Buddhism & Culture)

Wild life - Deep South
Wild life - Deep South

Unawatuna Beach (15 min drive)
Unawatuna Beach (15 min drive)

Pictures courtesy
by Christian Eckert


The UN heritage city of Galle, once the center of activities of the Dutch domination of Sri Lanka, over four hundred years ago, is just a ten-minute drive. A further five minutes towards the south is the magnificent bay of Unawatuna, famous for its diving, snorkelling and year round bathing as the beach is protected by a large spreading coral reef. PADI certification is available at Unawatuna for around Euro 180/=, probably the cheapest in the world.

A ten-minute drive in the opposite direction is the surfer's delight of Hikkaduwa. The west coast's only surfing site draws many foreign visitors to Hikkaduwa. The beach is dotted with surfing lessons for beginners.

On the other side of Hikkaduwa, a kilometer from the surf, is the coral reef. Currently a conservation programme is underway, aiming to propogate corals and clean the reefs. You can take part in this programme free of charge if you wish to learn more about the marine environment and conservation methods.
During the season, evenings in Hikkaduwa are a hive of entertainment with live music on the beach and an array of restaurants and busy bars.

Should you wish to go further afield there is a raft of sites and experiences to choose from, all within easy access of Hikkaduwa.
These include: