"HIKKADUWA" Top 5 Page for this destination Hikkaduwa by Pakistaniguy

Hikkaduwa Travel Guide: 44 reviews and 71 photos

A Sri Lankan Beach Resort

Tuesday, 19.08.2003:

I woke up in the morning in my Orient Hotel in the capital of Sri Lanka - Colombo. I directly went to the station because i was afraid of missing my train to southern beach city of Hikkaduwa. but Thanks to Allah that i was in time. I did some 'food shopping' :-) because i knew that i can't survive without eating anything as a breakfast and for enjoying the trip to Hikkaduwa it was important that i am not hungry ;-) hehehe...

After 10 mins wait, Sri lankan train arrived on the platform. Colombo train station is very small (and unfortunately a bit too dirty) so u shouldn't worry about 'finding the platform' ! Anyways, i had a ticket of the 'Third Class' in train, it was the cheapest and about 40 SLRs. It was first time in my 'Life' that i was going to travel in third class of any train. The platform was crowded and as the train stopped everyone rushed to the doors of the train and everyone inside the train wanted to be the first to come out of the train. so, it was a bit of a 'struggle' going on for 10 mins. Outsiders pushing in and insiders pushing out ! something very interesting ;-) The reason was that there was no seat assignment and there were less seats and more people so everybody wanted to get a seat. After watching these people for 20 sec's i realised this reason and also started to make my way in the train.

Finally after the application of the rule of the fittest, i was able to get a seat in the train. The train started just 5 mins late. The train started and i started noticing and realising where i was ! The part of the train where i was sitting had nothing except the long side ways seats on both side. It even had No Toilets !!! :-( Thanks to Allah that i received no Nature's Calls otherwise there was no option for me except to leave the train on the next station ;-)

The train was passing through the Colombo city and it was a working day in Colombo so i was able to see the life in Colombo :-) After 3 mins it stopped at a station which was just on the beach ! and when the train resumed its journey towards hikkaduwa, there were some magnificant scenes of the Indian Ocean streching till the horizon.

It was a long journey. Longer than what i was told. Longer than what i expected. I also had to change a train in 'Alutgama', which nobody told me before even not the ticket officer. Ahhhh ! The journey upto Alutgama was 2.5 hours and from there to Hikkaduwa it was 1.5 hours. It was not at all pleasing but whenever i use to look outside the train the view was really something special. A clear sunny day, Blue Sky and dark blue water of the Indian ocean,Tall coconut trees, sandy beaches, lush green villages and villagers busy in their work. so, after 4 hours of 'uncomfortable' travel i reached Hikkaduwa. I immediately decided either i won't travel in train or i shall travel in a bit better class of the train. But unfortunately i came to know that the train going to Colombo was not after a lot of time. so i decided to throw my ticket and train a bus on the way back from Hikkaduwa to Colombo.

Look at me ! Am i happy to be there ;-) ?

I walked out of the train station and there were a few taxi drivers and others who started offering me a taxi, hotel, cruise in the sea, etc. etc. I would strongly suggest 'Never' listened to them and never show them that you are afraid of them ! I just walked and completely ignored them. I didn't even know where i was walking towards but i just wanted to reach the main area or u may call city or town center so i trusted my intutions and continued. I didn't want to show these people that i am here for the first time. Thanks to allah everything was fine and i reached the main area of the town. There was a main road known as the Colombo - Galle Road. It was coming from Colombo from the north, and going to the southern ex-portugese city of Galle in the south. I asked one of the shop keepers to recommend the best hotel of Hikkaduwa and they all recommended Corel Garden Hotel. They also helped me in my directions and it was due to their help that i easily reached Corel Garden Hotel. This was just 5 mins drive from the main city towards the south (Galle), on the Colombo - Galle road.

It was a good decision to reach here. I enjoyed everything here from the beaches to the food. I didn't stay here for the night but they didn't mind it and offered me whatever i wanted. The food was good and i even left my bags for sometime there at the pool because i wanted to go to the beach. It even had a lot of money but it was safe !

Woke up at 10.17 a.m
checked out at 10.45 a.m
Reached Railway Station at 11.00 a.m
Got the train at 11.15 a.m
Arrived in Hikkaduwa at 14.40 p.m
Relexed at hotel Corel Garden and went to the beach.
Bought some postcards and wrote them there.
Got a bus for Colombo at 18.42 p.m
Arrived in Colombo at 21.15 p.m at Galle Road.
Walked along the beach.
Took a tuk tuk to Nippon hotel where i was staying.
Took my bags and repacked them.
Wanting to have a dinner from a nice place.
Took another tuk tuk to Creature D?liFrance.
Everything was closed !
Walked to Colombo Plaza Hotel for the dinner.
After the dinner, took a tuk tuk and arrived at the airport in 50 mins.

I took a lot of photos there, which i have some in the travel tips. You may continue now with the travel tips about Hikkaduwa. If you are planning a trip to Hikkaduwa and require any other tips, suggestions or guidance please feel free to email me. Feel free to offer your comments, rating and feed back, they means a lot to me.

Thank you for visiting my Hikkaduwa page.

Greetings from Pakistan,
Umer Durrani.

Pros and Cons

In a nutshell:A sunny and sandy Sri lankan beach resort.

Last visit to Hikkaduwa: Aug 2003
Intro Updated Feb 20, 2004
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Reviews (12)

Beautiful Golden Sandy Beaches of... Things to Do (6)

This is my favourite picture and view from Hikkaduwa. It's a typical Sri Lankan Beach scene with Tall Coconut trees... more travel advice

The Beach front of Corel Garden Hotel - Hikkaduwa

Best available Hotel in Hikkaduwa Hotels (4)

The prices are very high in comparision with other hotels but the facilities are excellent. The single bed room here... more travel advice

Sea shore infront of the Coral Sanctuary - Hikkaduwa

Beautiful Golden Sandy Beaches of... Things to Do (6)

If you decide to visit the reef you may hire the mask, snorkel or fins from the diving centers in the town of Hikkaduwa.... more travel advice

Look inside the water ! Isn't it beautiful ? - Hikkaduwa

Beautiful Golden Sandy Beaches of... Things to Do (6)

You may swim to this reef from Corel Garden Hotel's beach too, where the reef runs straight out to the shore. The water... more travel advice

Restaurants (1)
Don't miss the Sea Food

Transportation (1)
Travelling to Hikkaduwa

Comments (11)

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huzafa Jan 23, 2012 at 12:56 AM

tell me any pakistani hotel or resturent in colombo to stay for some days in srilanka
nknpkr@yahoo.com
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svbuchanan Nov 15, 2005 at 6:11 AM

Hi PakistaniGuy, I just wanted to thank you for all the things u write here... I've found ur tips and advice useful many times... Tonight I'll eat at Coral Garden Hotel in Hikkaduwa Sri Lanka because you said so! Take care! svb
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sim1 Nov 22, 2004 at 9:00 AM

Great sunny page! :-) Just what I needed on this cold wintery day in Sweden! :-))
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nepalgoods May 31, 2004 at 10:06 AM

I just could not help: I had to come back to this sunny page!!!
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boxiebee Apr 21, 2004 at 4:47 AM

And, I also stayed in Coral Gardens Hotel - and I was very pleased. Wonderful view, working AC, no problems whatsoever. Maybe they had bad days when tommix visited.
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nocnylot Feb 20, 2004 at 6:07 AM

I'am agree with tommix. Recently I spent one week in Coral Garden Hotel in Hikkaduwa and it was a nightmare! They billed to my room a lot of services I've paid in cash. And it's true the AC in the rooms doesn't work!
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tommix Feb 2, 2004 at 7:36 AM

Nice pictures and good tips. But not all of them! Recently I passed 5 days in Coral Garden Hotel ant it was my worst experience with an hotel in Sri Lanka. AC in the room doesn't work, rats inside hotel and lot of others disappointments...
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johal Oct 23, 2003 at 10:19 AM

oh how I wish I had the job you have :-) awsome pictures, cant wait to see more from the next tips you will be taking
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hadrian Oct 20, 2003 at 1:28 AM

pics are so beautiful!!! and when i am thinking that here we already have snow :-(
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oppositeset Oct 17, 2003 at 4:56 AM

gReAt TiPs