Hikkaduwa, human settlement
Hikkaduwa is a coastal town on the southwest shore of Sri Lanka, facing the Indian Ocean. It is made up of fishing villages, small shops, and guesthouses that line the main road running parallel to the beach.
Hikkaduwa began as a fishing settlement and gradually became a tourist destination over the course of the 20th century. The arrival of visitors changed the local economy, though fishing never stopped being part of everyday life.
The name Hikkaduwa comes from Sinhala and refers to the water and life by the sea. Along the shore you can see fishermen pulling in nets, surfers reading the waves, and locals going about their day, all sharing the same strip of sand.
The weather is warm throughout the year, but the rainy season brings heavy showers and rough surf that can make swimming difficult. The shallow parts of the beach are easy to reach on foot, while snorkeling and diving call for proper gear.
The coral reef just offshore sits close enough to the beach that you can reach parts of it by snorkeling without swimming far out. The reef has been damaged over the years by overuse, but some sections are still healthy and worth seeing carefully.
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