Sri Lanka 2026 – 4. Turtle Beach

Turtle Beach in Hikkaduwa is a popular, calm bay where wild sea turtles swim near the shore, offering snorkeling opportunities. Visitors can frequently see 3-4 large resident turtles in shallow, clear water. It is best visited during the dry season, roughly November to April.

The Hikkaduwa Turtle Beach is only a short Tuk-Tuk ride from the Exotica Bungalows.

The place was packed with tourists. We walked along the curving sandy beach to the Coral Garden in front of Citrus Hotel where the Hikkaduwa Tourist Hotel used to be. Men, women and children were knee deep in the coral pools touching and feeding turtles with seaweed purchased from venders despite notices asking them not to do so.

There were many kiosks selling King Coconuts. The notices were in English, Russian and Chinese.

There was a strong smell of oil in the air and there were oil slicks in the water making swimming impossible. “Oil is from the Iranian ship the Americans torpedoed a few days ago” an armed coast guard said. A Russian tourist said in Russian that he is a policeman in Moscow and wanted his photo taken with the guardsman.

We took the Tuk-Tuk back to Exotica Bungalows.

PS:

Later in the afternoon, three Sri Lanka Army personnel who were checking for oil slicks along the coast, visited Exotica Bungalows. They were interested in the above pictures of oil pollution at Turtle Beach and were critical of US actions in the Indian Ocean and asked me to be cautious when swimming in the sea.

(There is no charge to enter Turtle Beach. Free parking is available. The Tuk-Tuk from Exotica Bungalows cost Rs. 300.)