Travel Blog To Hiriketiya
Hiriketiya, a former fishing village, is situated on a horseshoe-shaped bay in southern Sri Lanka. The days when Hiriketiya was considered an insider’s tip are long gone. The former fishing village has rapidly developed into a popular destination for surfers, sun-seekers and yoga enthusiasts. The bay boasts a shallow beach break for beginners and a reef break for the more advanced, as well as plenty of trendy cafés, restaurants and shops. Yoga enthusiasts won’t be disappointed in Hiriketiya either, as yoga classes are available on almost every corner.
Helpful Tips
I recommend buying a SIM card from the provider Dialog. You can apply for a tourist e-SIM online or buy a physical SIM card at the airport. If you opt for an e-SIM, I recommend applying for it before you arrive in Sri Lanka, as it takes an hour to activate it on arrival. I opted for a physical SIM card at the time and the installation went quite smoothly.
I recommend staying for 3–4 nights. Hiriketiya is very compact and you’ll get to see plenty during this time whilst still having enough time to relax.
The best way to get around Hiriketiya is on your own scooter or by negotiating a fare with a tuk-tuk driver for your desired route. Unfortunately, the PickMe app works poorly in Hiriketiya and other places on the south coast.
I can particularly recommend ATMs from the Bank of Ceylon or Commercial Bank. Make sure you always withdraw the maximum available limit, as fees can apply. Don’t worry, you’ll need cash, as there are very few places where you can pay by credit card.
Getting There
I can recommend three different ways to get there from Colombo Airport. You can travel from Colombo to Hiriketiya by bus, train or private car. As Hiriketiya is quite far south, I recommend organising a private car after what is already a long flight. You can save the adventure of travelling by bus or train for the return journey.
If you’d like to travel to Hiriketiya by private car, you could, for example, use Kangeroo Cabs or book a private car via 12GO. Personally, I opted for a private transfer on 12GO for cost reasons.
If you’d like to travel by train, you should be aware that you’ll first need to travel from Colombo Airport to Colombo Railway Station. The distance is approximately 36 km and depending on traffic, you should allow for a journey time of 1–1.5 hours. After that, you’ll need to travel for another 3 hours or so by train towards Matara and from there continue by tuk-tuk or bus. You should also expect delays and the journey time may unexpectedly be prolonged. That’s why I’d recommend saving this sort of adventure for your return journey, when you can set aside a whole day for it and stay overnight near the airport to catch your return flight on the next day.
You can also travel by bus, which is a fairly inexpensive option. However, you should expect a journey time of 3–4 hours and be prepared for the lack of comfort.
I recommend booking a private transfer for the journey there and saving the adventure of travelling by train or bus for the return journey. I opted to take the train back on that occasion. Travelling by train in Sri Lanka is fairly straightforward and inexpensive and I was able to take in many impressive sights during the journey. And the final stretch from the station to the accommodation near the airport was quite an adventure too.
Restaurants & Cafés
Lemon Grass Cafe
The first restaurant I can recommend is the Lemon Grass Cafe. It’s a small restaurant run by a local family. There you’ll find typical Sri Lankan dishes at a reasonable price. The family is very friendly and every time I visited they asked if I wanted seconds. They also always served free fruit for dessert.
Kingsley Hot Kitchen
Kingsley Hot Kitchen is also run by a local family. There, too, you’ll find local dishes at reasonable prices. But it’s important to book well in advance for dinner, otherwise you won’t get a table.
Slow Down
Every morning I enjoyed my coffee at Slow Down. This locally run coffee shop also serves delicious pastries and breakfast, which you can enjoy on the small terrace. Every now and then, you might even spot some monkeys.
Smoothiebun Hiriketiya
At Smoothiebun, you’ll also find good coffee and smoothies. However, the prices there are a bit on the touristy side.
Activities
Hiriketiya Beach
Hiriketiya is the place to be for all sun worshippers. However, as the bay is relatively small and Hiriketiya has long since ceased to be an insider’s tip, the beach is usually very busy. To secure a good spot, it’s worth heading there in the morning or in the early afternoon.
Surfing with Sachee
Surfing in Hiriketiya was a must for me and I found the perfect surf coach for the job. I can highly recommend Surfing with Sachee. You can book your surf lessons directly on his website. Sachee really cares about your progress and knows the conditions in the bay inside out.
RAA
I recommend you watch the sunset at RAA. From there, you’ll have the best view of the sunset and can watch the surfers at the same time.
Yoga
I don’t practise yoga myself, but there are plenty of yoga classes on offer. It’s no surprise that Hiriketiya is a popular destination for yoga enthusiasts.
A Walk To Nilwella Beach & Dikwella Beach
Nilwella Beach is about a fifteen-minute walk from Hiriketiya. To get there, you’ll need to walk over a small hill towards Nilwella or take a tuk-tuk. Nilwella Beach is home to the famous “Blue Beach”, which is a small island connected to the mainland by a narrow strip of sand. This spot is ideal for drone photography or videography.
Dickwella Beach is also about a fifteen-minute walk from Hiriketiya. Dickwella Beach is significantly larger than Hiriketiya Beach and is much less crowded.
Yala National Park
I haven’t visited Yala National Park myself, but it’s very easy to get to from Hiriketiya. If you’re interested in the national park, I’d recommend taking a trip from Hiriketiya.
*Here you can book a tour to Yala Nationalpark: Yala Nationalpark
My Take
Hiriketiya has long since ceased to be an insider’s tip and given the size of the small bay, already feels rather overrun. I spent a week in Hiriketiya and looking back, I have to admit that 3–4 nights would have been enough. Of course, Hiriketiya still has plenty of charm, but there are many other lesser-known destinations on Sri Lanka’s south coast that are far more pleasant. I would still recommend you pop over to Hiriketiya to see it for yourself. After all, every traveller has different preferences.
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