The lively beach resort of Hikkaduwa is famous for its colourful coral, tropical fish and long stretch of golden sand fringed by a variety of rustic guesthouses, hotels, restaurants, dive centres and tourist shops. As one of the oldest beach resorts on the island and despite its popularity back in the 70’s and 80’s as a hippie hangout, Hikkaduwa has reinvented itself so that while it still retains its characteristic laid-back charm, it is now more appealing to a wider range of visitors. There’s plenty to do here both on land and in the water; visitors can explore the tropical fish and colourful coral of the marine sanctuary just offshore either by snorkeling, diving or chartering a glass-bottomed boat. Surfing is also very popular here and many experienced locals are often to be seen expertly riding the waves of the resort’s most famous surfing points or teaching inexperienced westerners their home-grown techniques. With a wide stretch of beach, many visitors to the resort just choose a spot to eat, drink or just relax on loungers under the tropical sun overlooking the ocean. A range of restaurants offer plenty of opportunities for dining on anything from the simplest local dishes to more complex international cuisine; seafood is especially good here and one of the resort’s specialties. Hikkaduwa has a relatively lively nightlife; during the high season (November to April), regular discos are held at Vibrations (Fridays) and Mambo’s (Saturdays) whilst many of the restaurants’ closing times are dependent only on when the last customer leaves. The town is linked to Colombo and Galle on the Coast Line railway route and has plenty of banks with ATMs and money changing facilities as well as supermarkets, fresh produce stalls, travel agencies and pharmacies.