As the sun dipped behind the horizon of Turtlesp Beach Hikkaduwa, turning the sky a dusty burnt orange, synonymous with Sri Lanka, we were excited to return in the morning to witness the famous sea turtles of Hikkaduwa firsthand.
Drawn by the promise of magnificent Hikkaduwa turtles, seen across social media, we found ourselves in the touristic town of Hikkaduwa. Perhaps not our favourite town in Sri Lanka but it is home to the famous Turtle Beach.
Sri Lanka is famous for its nesting sea turtles, and Hikkaduwa snorkelling experiences offer glimpses of these endangered species which seem plentiful here, perhaps some hope for the creatures. While snorkelling around Sri Lanka’s waters we saw multiple turtles, plus there’s a few baby turtle hatcheries and sanctuaries you can visit, including one here in Hikkaduwa.
We believe in experiencing travel authentically, embracing both the good and the bad, but the story we share here of the turtles at Hikkaduwa is troublesome. The ethical concerns detailed below make this spot tainted, one that has so much promise.
If you want to experience the Hikkaduwa Turtles for yourself we share below the best time to see them, how to visit as ethically as possible (skip the turtle feeding), share information about Hikkaduwa Turtle Sanctuary and share our experience at this famous Sri Lankan turtle spotting location.
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Sea Turtles In Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is home to a variety of wild turtle species, the most popular being the Green Sea Turtle and Olive Ridley although you can occasionally see the critically endangered Hawksbill as well.
You can see turtles while snorkelling in Sri Lanka or by visiting one of the hatcheries. If you’re there at the right time you can watch a release where the baby turtles are sent on their journey to the sea.
🗺️ Your Ultimate Sri Lanka Map
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What Makes Turtle Beach Hikkaduwa Famous?
Turtle Beach Hikkaduwa has gained fame for its resident sea turtles, which can often be seen just metres from the shore. These gentle giants draw crowds daily, with tourists hoping to swim alongside them or snap a close-up photo.
Unlike other turtle viewing locations in Sri Lanka, Hikkaduwa’s turtle beach offers almost guaranteed sightings, which explains its popularity despite ethical concerns. It’s one of the few places in Sri Lanka where turtles come so close to shore making this an accessible wildlife encounter, although not an ethical one!
The Reality Of Turtle Beach Hikkaduwa: What To Expect
We headed down to the corner of the beach, in front of Hikka Tranz hotel, where we’d heard the turtles were.
Signs littered the beach reading, “Do not feed, touch or ride the turtles.”
“Ride the turtles”, what did that even mean?
As we settled on the beach, we were approached numerous times by a local selling us seaweed and promoting turtle feeding in Hikkaduwa, ironically, right in front of the signs. Along the shoreline, crowds of people surrounded the turtles. Like parasites, they touched, photographed and fed them. Enjoying the nature that they were in fact suffocating.
Interestingly, we found ourselves more compelled to watch the humans than the turtles.
Then we discovered what “ride the turtles” actually meant. A woman straddled an ornate shell to snap the all-important photo.
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This took away from the experience, tainting what should be a majestic creature in the wild.
We decided to leave the beach and return the next day at dawn. We arrived back at around 7am when there were fewer people.
In the quieter light of morning, with the waves gently rolling in and a single turtle drifting just offshore, we finally caught a glimpse of what this place could be: peaceful, wild, and beautiful. If more people approached Turtle Beach with patience and respect, it might just live up to the wonder it promises.
Looking for a Hikkaduwa Snorkelling tour? This one offers a less crowded experience.
Ethical Concerns At Hikkaduwa Turtle Beach
Sea Turtles are an integral part of the environment, especially for the fragile coral reefs. They are key in the food chain grazing on smaller species but also being a source of food for predators.
However, the constant human interference at Turtle Beach through touching, crowding, and especially feeding raises serious concerns. The Hikkaduwa turtles have become dependent on human feeding, disrupting their natural foraging patterns, while physical contact can damage their sensitive shells and skin and even transmit diseases.
Without stricter regulations and education, the long term impact could be devastating. The turtle hatchery Hikkaduwa and Hikkaduwa turtle sanctuary advertise education and conservation practises however we didn’t visit so are unsure what this consists of.
Looking for other things to do in Hikkaduwa during your stay? We share the top things to do here.
How To Visit Turtle Beach Responsibly
If you choose to visit Turtle Beach Hikkaduwa, here’s how you can do so responsibly:
- Keep your distance: Admire the turtles from at least a few meters away. Avoid crowding or surrounding them.
- Do not touch or feed: Human contact can stress turtles and feeding them disrupts their natural diet and behavior
- Visit early: Arriving at dawn or just after sunrise, avoids the crowds and reduces pressure on the turtles.
- Say no to seaweed sellers: Buying seaweed supports unethical tourism practices.
- Respect the signs: Don’t straddle a turtle….
If you’re looking for places to stay near Turtle Beach, we recommend accommodations like Hikka Tranz that allow for early morning turtle viewing when the crowds are less intense.
🗺️ Your Ultimate Sri Lanka Map
On our way, we created a Google Pinned Map with all the places we visited in Sri Lanka. Grab your Pinned Map today and start planning your adventure!
Alternative Turtle Experiences In Sri Lanka
There are other popular sites you can visit in Sri Lanka to see sea turtles, all less crowded than Hikkaduwa Turtle Beach. We visited both Rekawa Beach, a vast, wild stretch of coastline and Mirissa Beach where we spotted two turtles from Coconut Hill.
Rekawa Beach, Tangalle
Famous for its baby turtle hatchery and releases, Rekawa beach is focused around marine life. You can visit during the evening for the baby turtles or in the day. They have a cafe, some shops and an information centre, but the real magic happens after dark.
Rekawa only permits natural hatchings, meaning they do not intervene or relocate eggs. While this means sightings aren’t guaranteed, there’s a high chance of witnessing a mother turtle lay her eggs between 7:45pm and 8:30pm during nesting season.
All flash photography is strictly prohibited, and between 7pm and 6am you can only visit with a guide.
Mirissa Beach
Another popular town but less known for turtles is Mirissa Beach. We spotted two sea green turtles from the top of Coconut Tree Hill Viewpoint and directed two snorkellers who watched them peacefully from a distance.
This seemed a much better experience than the one at Hikkaduwa Turtle Beach.
Pigeon Island National Park
Near Trincomalee you can get snorkelling tours to Pigeon Island National Park where you have a high chance of seeing turtles in one of the most diverse areas on the island.
For a more ethical experience, consider Hikkaduwa snorkelling trips & tours to deeper waters where turtles can be observed without disruption.
Where Is Turtle Beach, Sri Lanka?
There are a few places named Turtle Beach, but the most popular is found in Hikkaduwa.
Turtle beach Hikkaduwa is specifically located at the northern end of the main beach, easily identified by the gathering of people.
Hikkaduwa is close to Colombo making it a popular first or last spot on many backpackers’ travels.
How To Get To Hikkaduwa Turtle Beach?
Once in Hikkaduwa, how to get to Hikkaduwa can be found here, you need to head down to the main beach.
Turtle Beach is the area of headland in front of Hikka Tranz Hotel where the sea turtles are commonly found.
Our Personal Experience Of The Hikkaduwa Turtles & Final Thoughts
Would we go back to Hikkaduwa? No, but we are glad we stopped off for a short time to experience the town. Experiencing the ethical concerns that we thought were implausible, such as riding turtles, opened our eyes up to the importance of education and honest conservation efforts.
If Hikkaduwa is on your route then it may be worth a short stop, however, we preferred other beaches and areas of Sri Lanka.
FAQs About Turtle Beach Hikkaduwa
Best Places To Stay In Hikkaduwa
$ Budget
Weerakoon Homestay
When travelling we often look for budget homestays where we stay alongside the family in comfortable but basic rooms. This is exactly what we found at Weerakoon, a charming homestay within walking distance of Turtle Beach and the main town.
$$ Mid-Range
Hikka Tranz
A huge complex right next to Turtle Beach Hikkaduwa. This means you can be the first down to the beach to experience the turtles without the crowds. The hotel includes sea views, a large swimming pool and onsite restaurant. This is a great value hotel.
$$$ High-End
Riff Hikkaduwa
If you are looking for a luxury stay we recommend Riff Hikkaduwa. The hotel has an onsite spa, swimming pool, restaurant, bar and fitness centre. Plus it is located only a 10-minute walk away from Hikkaduwa Beach and Turtle Beach.
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