Hiriketiya Beach – Ultimate Guide / Surf Spots / Camps [2026]

Two breaks; one beach – that’s Hiriketiya Beach in a nutshell.

Set in a stunning tropical cove on the far southern edge of Sri Lanka (just about as far south as it’s possible to go and still find a surfable wave), this laid-back little town is swiftly turning into a mecca for surfers.

It’s risen from obscurity to a popular pitstop on the Sri Lankan surf trail in the last couple of years. That’s brought bigger crowds to the line up (though it’s still not too bad), along with more shops, restaurants, and nice boutique hotels to boot.

One of the reasons for the popularity is the variety and accessibility of surf. As Hiriketiya Bay spreads along its 0.5-kilometre inlet, it goes from a heavy-ish reef to a mellow beach break. The upshot? There’s something for a wide variety of surfers in a single bay.

A sand-bottomed wave rolls into the surf rental shacks on the west side of the bay for novices. There are the peaks in the middle of the bay, which break over a deep rock reef and then allow for 50-meter rides towards the sand. And then there’s the fast, walling left-hander that whips in on the east end of Hiri – leave that to the intermediates and experts.

We returned to this spot in 2022, and again in 2024, only to find that things have changed A LOT. The breaks are still pumping but there’s been considerable development in Hiri town, not least of all with the roads being paved. We have mixed feelings about it all.

We obviously want to share this stunning spot but they’re tearing down lush jungles to make way for five-star hotels as we write. Not good.

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>>Read more about every other surf spot in Sri Lanka right here

Hiriketiya Beach surf at a glance

Where is Hiriketiya Bay?

Huddled inside a wide scythe of a bay on the far southern edge of Sri Lanka, Hiriketiya is roughly midway between the towns of Tangalle and Matara.

The nearest town is Dickwella (also spelled Dikwella), which is about five minutes’ tuk-tuk away, but also within walking distance (if you don’t mind the heat!).

Dickwella is small but has all the necessary amenities – ATM, grocery shops, pharmacy. The nearest major city is Matara itself, around 14 miles to the west along the coast.

The trip from the airport (Colombo Airport/Bandaranaike International Airport) to Hiriketiya takes about 2.5 hours in a private transfer. It should cost around 12,000-15,000 LKR ($60-75) in total including surfboards. To organize a pick up, post in the South Sri Lanka Surf Community Facebook group or use Sri Lanka Car and Driver Hire.

How to get to Hiriketiya Bay?

Although it’s one of the farther-flung surf spots on the Sri Lankan south coast, it’s never usually a problem to get to Hiriketiya Bay. In fact, you can get a direct transfer from the airport in about three hours, and that’s something that’s easy to organize by messaging your hotel or surf camp.

• Transfer (taxi to Hiriketiya Beach): Most travelers will opt for a private transfer straight from the airport in Colombo. That’s particularly helpful if you’re coming in with a surfboard. (Bear in mind that Qatar Airways remains the surfer’s favourite – they allow boards to be checked as part of luggage allowance, and as an extra to your existing bags). You can use the groups mentioned above to search for a transfer or just ask your hotel. Alternatively, it’s possible to pre-arrange with Intui Travel or via Viator (it’s a standard $85 per couple there, so no haggling if you’re happy with the rate).
• Bus to Hiriketiya Beach: There are regular local buses that also run the route along the main roads of the south coast. Look for the ones heading to Dickwella – the nearest town to Hiriketiya Bay. They’re sure to be the cheapest choice (a couple of hundred rupees each way).
• Bus from Ella to Hiriketiya: Getting from Ella to Hiriketiya Bay is another popular way of coming to the south coast. We recently did that trip on a local bus and it cost a mere 250 LKR each! Granted, we didn’t have our surfboards with us and we stood for most of the journey, but it was an experience!
• Train to Hiriketiya: Trains might be more comfortable. Regular services run along the south-west coast of the island. They link Colombo with Matara, going through the handsome colonial city of Galle along the way. You can get off at Matara and grab a local tuk tuk straight to Hiriketiya Bay. Be sure to haggle.

Of course, all this depends on getting to Sri Lanka in the first place. That almost always involves a flight into the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo (CMB).

It’s got plenty of excellent long-haul links to Europe on carriers like Sri Lankan and Qatar (who also happen to offer free carriage of surfboard), along with loads of other shorter connections to other destinations (some of them surf destinations) in Asia.

Our 2026 update on Hiriketiya

In 2023 we wrote that we were very worried about Hiriketiya turning into yet another mass tourism hotspot on the Sri Lanka southwest coast.

A huge part of the jungle just back from the western end of the beach was being torn down to make way for a hotel that some cynical (rightly!) locals told us was the product of the right backhander to the right politician.

There had been a major political upheaval in Sri Lanka. Make no bones about it – that was REALLY bad for the country. The whole place almost went bankrupt, although tourism did continue on and there wasn’t all that much difference on the ground for travelers and surfers.

The government troubles seem to have slowed development in Hiri just a little but it’s still pushing forward pretty darn fast. We last stayed and surfed here in January 2024 and again in 2025, and things were VERY different to what they were on our first trip back in 2018.

Don’t come expecting some secret surf town with muddy roads and empty breaks. Hiriketiya is no longer that. We’re not saying it’s bad, just that it ain’t what it’s billed to be by many blogs on the internet or TikTok posts.

There are now hipster cafes selling flat whites and boutique hotels and concept stores with handmade bikinis in them. It’s like someone chopped off a bit of Canggu and dropped it in southern Sri Lanka. If you want a lively beach town with loads of surf camps and good places to dine and drink, you’ll love Hiri. We still do.

I guess our main gripe is that there’s essentially ZERO space left on the beach to laze around with your own towel, and the lineups are massive compared to what they were. Still good vibes, though, and you can still get some empty waves if you RISE EARLY (like 5am early!).

Hiriketiya Bay surf spots

There are two surf spots in Hiriketiya Bay. It’s the fact that they’re so different – one challenging, the other easy – that makes the town such an attractive prospect.

On small days, you can usually head out and ride the more powerful reef. When things are blown out elsewhere, there’s good shelter that helps keep things surfable closer to the beach.

Surf spots close to Hiriketiya

In addition to the two spots in the bay of Hiriketiya itself, we think it’s worth knowing about a few other locations in the area.

First off, Hiri can get busy, so there might come a time that you want to escape for something a little more off the beaten track. Second, this is southern Sri Lanka and that means there’s plenty to surf within a 30-minute tuk-tuk ride.

You can also go further afield – tuktuk drivers can get you up to other spots like:

• Mawella Beach – No surf of its own, but really really nice paradise beach. Super chill and only half an hour’s tuktuk out. Stay at the simply stunning Last House and travel to Hiriketiya to surf – that’s a banging trip right there.
• Unakuruwa Beach – Kinda like what Hiriketiya was 10 years ago but without such reliable surf. There’s a right-hand point break but it’s not ultra-consistent. Still, the beach is nice, and its v chill, so a good base if you like being away from crowds.
• Goyambokka Beach – Also 30-35 mins to the east, Goyambokka has some lush resort hotels and lovely white sands. Again, not brill for surfers but perfect as a chilled base.

The best hotels in Hirikeitya (specifically for surfers)

One thing that Hiriketiya has going for it is the sheer selection of hotels.

Personally, I’d say only Ahangama can rival this one for the sheer number of really cool upcoming hotels right now.

I LOVE the following spots…

• Salt House – One of the OGs of the Hirikeitya surf scene, Salt House is a cracking hotel literall 100m from the beach break. A big pool, a yoga shala, a great cafe (seriously the coffees and breakfasts are amazing) and rooms with indoor-outdoor bathrooms are the selling points. The vibe – super nice people – is the cherry on top.
• Casa Vana – I stayed a whole week in this tranquil oasis set away from the hubbub of the main Hiriketiya Street. There are only four or five rooms, but that nurtures a lovely family feel, and the rooftop kitchen with views of the jungle is a real joy. Book early becuase it does sell out.
• Dots Bay House – Another original. Dots used to be the only hotel here. It’s grown up as the town has grown, and now has lovely boutique rooms, a vibrant bar, and affordable dorms alike. It’s also right on the beach. Might get loud at night but it’s a great place to meet other surfers.
• La Playa Villas Hiriketiya – The couples option (if you have the dollar). These new villas sit on the hill above town. They’re super private, have lovely gardens, views of the ocean, and thier own infinity pool. Yea: Lovely.

>>Want more ispo? Check our guide to the best surf hotels in Sri Lanka

Surf camps in Hiriketiya

The best way to take the stress out of planning your surf trip to Hiriketiya is to book a planned surf camp. These packages roll your lessons, rentals, and even extras like yoga into one easy to manage booking. They will even throw in organized airport drop offs and pick ups for an extra fee.

It just so happens that both of our picks below are the Salty Pelican. Honest now, they haven’t paid any extra or whatever to be mentioned here. We dropped in 2022 and saw them building the lodge back in 2019. It’s seriously impressive, and has a fine location in the jungles behind town, so, yea, a good choice!

• The Salty – We think The Salty (erstwhile The Salty Pelican) is one of the finest surf camps on the island. This is thier flagship surf-yoga package (Surf & Flow). It’s eight days in all, includes 8 surf lessons and 15 yoga lessons, plus accomodation at the amazing Salty lodge, and breakfast each morning.

We also now have a separate guide that focuses in solely on the best surf camps in Hiriketiya. You can check that out if you’re after more detailed info on what we’d say are the best places to stay in this famous beach town.

>>Read our complete guide to the best surf camps in Sri Lanka

Where to eat & drink in Hiriketiya Bay?

There are more and more places to eat in Hiriketiya Beach every month. It seems the surfers have brought business with them – and, of course, an appetite!

Thankfully, there’s still a good mix of local Sri Lankan fare and the yogi’s medley of poke bowls knocking about.

We went back to Hiri in early 2022 and again in 2023 and there’s been a HUGE boom in the number of joints to dine at. But neither trip could prepare us for what we got in 2024!

There are now a gazillion places to eat in here and you can get a whole array of cuisines, from Middle Eastern falafel to what we’d consider to be arguably the best pizza in the whole of Sri Lanka…

• Bacuzzi – Top of our list now. A simply awesome Italian restaurant with proper Neapolitan pizza in a prime location on the seafront. If you think the food is good then rest assured the welcome is nicer. It’s run by two really lovely Italians who make food to sate thier longing for home and a great front of house team besides. Deffo eat here. Don’t miss it.
• Duni’s Hoppers – We walked past a small shack on the main road linking Dickwella to Hiri beach almost every day wondering exactly what it was. Finally, a friendly face poked out the door and told us they were opening the next day, serving traditional Sri Lankan hoppers and dahl. We were not disappointed. Just a few 100 LKR and you can score handmade coconut sambal and some of the best hoppers around. The coffee is also great! Here’s to hoping this one does well!
• Garlic Café – Under bamboo covers about five minutes’ walking from the beach, this one offers a bargain evening buffet. It’s all you can eat for 1000 LKR (as of January 2024). Dals, Sri Lankan soya, pumpkin curry, poppadum, and rice is all part of the deal. A beer sets you back 500 LKR. Always busy as it’s in the Lonely Planet.
• Smoke & Bitters – Do yourself a favor and go here for at least one cocktail. It was ranked among the best cocktial places in the whole of Asia. I can vouch that they are incredible drinks. Perfect sunset spot about 10 mins from Hirikeitya on the side of Dickwella Beach.
• RAA – New in 2025, this is going to divide opinion. People who LOVE high-price, high-quality craft cocktial will adore the location and the menu, which draws on old-school Sri Lankan toddy but gives it a modern twist. Those who like cheap, traditional curry and rice might not be fans. We’re actually admirers – the food is creative, the location is epic, overlooking the left hander on the east side of the bay.

Digital nomads in Hiriketiya Beach

Hit the mud track (or grab a tuk tuk) to the beachfront of Dickwella. That’s where you’ll find Verse Collective.

It’s a chic and stylish space that combines skate ramps with co-working areas (and not ones you have to register and pay for, either!) The menus follow the East-London school of cooking – think sourdough toasts with beansprout slaw and smashed avo. Moreover, the internet is fast (at least it is for Sri Lanka).

Interior tables have loads of plugs. We’d recommend coming early and trying for a spot under the fan – it can get hot. Notice the strikethrough? These guys have since started charging for WiFi access and even go as far as to block mobile connections. Not cool. It’s still a great spot to work but it’s 2,000 LKR for a session of 12 hours ($10).

A 2024 (or later) update: Overall, we’d say The Salty is the better choice for remote workers in Hiriketiya these days. The folk there were super welcoming, the breakfasts and coffees are top notch, and the WiFi is fast. There are also some more shaded work areas in the lobby by the pool.

A 2025 update: There are now stacks of places to work with the laptop. The

Things to do when you’re not surfing at Hiriketiya Beach

Hiriketiya Bay isn’t just for surfing, you know. Some people come here without even knowing there’s a beach break and a gnarly reef on the menu! So, if you want to drop the board for a spell, consider some of the other top activities this region has to offer:

• Enjoy Hiriketiya Beach – Don’t forget to enjoy what’s on offer on Hiriketiya Beach itself. It’s not only surfing that’s down on the shoreline. You can grab a spot under a coast pineapple and soak up the sun. A couple of chilled bars also coalesce by the water, offering sunset beers and dining with a view. It’s paradise.
• Safari in the Yala National Park – Cheetahs, elephants, chital, and all manner of strange exotic birds awaits in the Yala National Park. This is one of the most iconic sanctuaries in all of Sri Lanka. You’ll need to get an organised tour to do this one on your day off from the Hiriketiya Bay surf breaks. Or, better yet, book somewhere nearer to the park so you can rise early and have a better chance of seeing the animals. We like this planned guide, which includes the game drives and a pickup in the Tangalle area (Hiri included).
• Laze on Dickwella Beach – A mere 15 minutes walking around the headland from Hiriketiya Bay can whisk you to the wonderful stretch of sand that is Dickwella Beach. Almost totally deserted when we visited at the end of 2019, it’s fringed by stooping palms and the occasional quiet hotel. The water is crystal clear and the waves can be high. However, they aren’t really surfable.