Which beach near Hikkaduwa has the calmest water for swimming?

From messages by 2 participants in 1 source · Last activity: 52 days ago

TL;DR

Turtle Beach near the hotels is usually calmer, and Akurala Beach 7 km away is described as calm as a kiddie pool year-round, while Hikkaduwa Beach itself often has waves, especially in winter.

What the community said

During an 11-day trip in February, the water at Hikkaduwa Beach had waves every single day, so travelers went to swim in Hikkaduwa town itself where the water was calmer.

Hikkaduwa Beach — wavy in February

Most hotels in the Hikkaduwa area are near Turtle Beach, within walking distance of Hikkaduwa Beach itself. If the water there is rough, it's worth driving 7 km to Akurala Beach, which stays calm like a kiddie pool year-round. In the other direction, Unawatuna or Beruwela are easy day-trip options for a beach change.

Akurala Beach, 7 km from Hikkaduwa

There is a small river near Turtle Beach that flows into the ocean, but it's separate from the one by the Hikkaduwa Beach hotel area, which locals say never actually reaches the ocean based on years of observation.

Turtle Beach — river reaches the ocean