Hiriketiya: The Bay That Everyone Found and Still Loves

Hiriketiya is a small bowl-shaped bay about twenty minutes east of Dikwella on the south coast. It appeared in surf magazines and on Instagram a few years ago and the result has been rapid: guesthouses, cafes, surf schools, yoga studios, and a crowd of international visitors who discovered it slightly after it became slightly less of a secret. None of this has actually ruined it. The bay is still beautiful and the wave still works.

The wave at Hiriketiya is a right-hand point break that wraps around the headland and produces long, relatively forgiving rides that are excellent for intermediate surfers. The bay shape also creates a sheltered inside section that is perfect for beginners on small days. The combination makes it genuinely suitable for mixed-ability groups, which is part of why it has become so popular.

Beyond the wave: the bay is genuinely beautiful. The headland on one side is thick with jungle that drops almost to the water. The beach is small and intimate in a way that larger surf beaches never are. At high tide the water comes right up to the treeline. At low tide there are rock pools. The sunsets here, from the headland above the main break, are extraordinary.

Come in November or December when the south coast season is just starting and the bay has not yet filled with its peak-season crowd. Stay at one of the smaller guesthouses run by local families rather than the bigger operations that have moved in. Eat at the places along the main track where the owners are cooking rather than managing. This is how Hiriketiya works best: as a genuinely local place that happens to have an excellent wave.