Hikkaduwa Beach and National Park

Hikkaduwa Beach and National Park

H ikkaduwa Beach (Sinhala: හික්කඩුව වෙරළ තීරය) is a popular shoreline and National Park in Hikkaduwa in Galle District, Sri Lanka. Beach The beach is popular among the locals as well as foreigners as a place of safe bathing. Common bathing facilities are available in the vicinity area. As it is enclosed by a reef, the surrounding sea is shallow. Hikkaduwa is also famous for watching coral reefs, and turtles, and for surfing and snorkelling. National Park Extending in an area of about 104 ha, Hikkaduwa National Park is the first Marine Protected Area in Sri Lanka (IUCN & CEA, 2006). It encompasses a coastline of approximately 1.35 km between the southern breakwater of the Hikkaduwa fisheries harbour and rocky islets near the Coral Gardens Hotel (IUCN & CEA, 2006). Hikkaduwa Reef The reef at Hikkaduwa is considered a shallow fringing reef system found along the southern coast of the country. It is relatively small but contains high biodiversity. Corals with 60 species belonging to 31 g…