Hikkaduwa Marine Park
Hikkaduwa Marine National Park is one of the three marine national parks in Sri Lanka, known for its rich biodiversity and fringing coral reef. Initially declared a wildlife sanctuary, it was upgraded to a nature reserve and then designated as a marine national park in 2002. The park features a shallow fringing coral reef with an average depth of around 5 metres, which helps reduce coastal erosion by acting as a natural breakwater. Covering a total area of 101.6 hectares, it is located in the southern province.
Situated in the coastal town of Hikkaduwa, renowned for its surfer-friendly waves, Hikkaduwa Marine National Park is an ideal location for scuba diving and coral reef observation. The reef’s biodiversity is impressive, with a total of 60 coral species and 170 species of reef fish. Various types of coral, including staghorn, elkhorn, cabbage, brain, table, and star coral, can be found in the reef, which includes coral species from the Montipora, Faviidae, and Poritidae families.
The reef also serves as a habitat for dugongs, sea turtles, and various invertebrates, such as prawns, crabs, shrimps, oysters, and sea worms. The shallow depth of the reef, combined with its aesthetically pleasing flora and fauna, makes it an excellent spot for both scuba diving and marine photography.
