Honest review
A history few can match: in the early seventies the current managing director started here with a caravan site charging 10 rupees a night. Today Coral Sands is 82 ocean-view rooms on Hikkaduwa's golden beach, with a team that has worked here for more than 25 years.
That quarter-century shows in the service: the team has one goal — that guests leave with nothing but the best impressions, and that is not a slogan but seniority.
Hikkaduwa is Sri Lanka's first tourist centre: a reef with tropical fish and stately turtles two steps from the shore, and in the evening the town comes alive — boutiques, craft shops, small restaurants and bars.
A note for surfers: Hikkaduwa beach, a kilometre away, is considered one of the best surf beaches in Sri Lanka, and a board can be hired. For everyone else — sunsets from your own balcony, a lawn running the full length of the grounds and live music in the bar each evening.
Count the road honestly: 136 km from the international airport, a transfer of about three and a half hours. An option for those who love places with character and a history.
