Sri Lanka’s original surf town has been drawing travellers since the 1970s and carries a relaxed, lived-in energy unlike anywhere else on the coast. The reef break is consistent on south coast swell, the coral sanctuary just offshore – one of the few remaining accessible reef systems on Sri Lanka’s southwest shore – is home to resident hawksbill turtles that are a genuine and consistent presence year-round. A well-established dive community makes Hikkaduwa the natural base for underwater exploration on this stretch of coast.