Dikwella beach and Turtle Beach, the bays explained

Dikwella has not one beach but four bays side by side: Turtle Beach at Batheegama, the long town beach, Pehebiya at its east end, and Hiriketiya over the headland. From the first to the last is only about three kilometres on the map.

Where are the four bays?

Dikwella is a market town on the south coast of Sri Lanka, about 22 km east of Matara. The coast road runs through the middle of it, and the sea is a few steps behind the shops.

From west to east, the way you arrive from Matara, the bays come in this order:

• Turtle Beach, at Batheegama, before you reach the town.
• Dikwella beach, behind the town itself.
• Pehebiya, where the town beach ends in the east.
• Hiriketiya, in its own cove beyond the next headland.

Each has a different sea and a different mood. Knowing which is which saves a holiday from the wrong hotel.

What is Turtle Beach, at Batheegama?

Batheegama is the village on the west side of Dikwella. Its bay is small, round and calm, with a reef on the horizon that takes the force out of the waves. Guides describe it as quieter and more out of the way than the town beach or Hiriketiya.

It has its name from the sea turtles. Families of them live in the bay and often feed on the reef, and people search for the place as Turtle Beach and as Turtle Point. They are seen most early in the morning and at sunset, often a few metres from the beach. Turtles also come up the sand to lay their eggs.

This is where we are. Ohana has its own private stretch of beach inside its grounds, in front of the public bay, with sunbeds, hammocks, a cabana and two swings under the palms. We lend snorkel masks free.

The honest part: sea urchins live in the rocks, so walk in where the sand is clear. There is no surf here and no nightlife. And a turtle is a wild animal. They are often there, and nobody can promise one.

It suits families, couples of every age, readers, and people who work for a few hours by the sea.

What are Dikwella beach and Pehebiya?

The town beach is the big one: a long, wide arc of pale sand behind the main road, reached across a strip of grass. Even in the high months there is room on it. Coconut palms stand along the back and give some shade.

It is a beach for walking. Go at sunrise, when the fishermen are at work, or in the last hour of light.

For swimming, the accounts differ, and it is fair to say so. Some guides write that reefs and sandbars keep the water calm. Others warn that the beach is not patrolled and that the pull can be strong. Both can be true on a beach this long, and on different days. Ask somebody local, and stay where you can stand.

It suits walkers, runners and people who want to stay close to the town's shops, its buses and its Saturday market.

Pehebiya is the eastern corner of Dikwella beach, the end nearest to Hiriketiya. You will also see it written Pehembiya.

It is the sociable corner. A few cafes, a coffee place and some bars sit on or near the sand, some with sunbeds, and people come for the sunset. Later in the evening it is where visitors in Dikwella go out, and the places here serve alcohol.

It suits people who stay in Hiriketiya and want a wider beach for an afternoon, and anybody who likes a little music at the end of the day.

And Hiriketiya, next door?

Hiriketiya is not in Dikwella town, but it is so close that most visitors think of the two together. It lies about 2 km east of the centre: around five minutes by tuk-tuk, or a walk of 15 to 20 minutes.

It is a small horseshoe cove with jungle behind it, and it is known for surf. Beginners learn on the beach break in the middle, and surfers with experience ride the reef break at the side. Cafes, shops and yoga studios stand close together around the sand. From December to March it is busy.

It suits surfers, people who travel alone and people who want to be in the middle of things. We compare the two moods in Hiriketiya or Dikwella.

How far apart are they, and why so many names?

Not far at all.

• Dikwella town to Hiriketiya: about 2 km.
• Hiriketiya to Ohana at Turtle Beach: less than five minutes by road, or 10 to 20 minutes on foot.
• Dikwella beach to Turtle Beach: a short tuk-tuk ride west, or a walk of 10 to 20 minutes along the sand.

A tuk-tuk is the simple way between any two of them. Agree on the fare before you get in.

Why so many names? Because every name here is written from Sinhala, and nobody agreed on one spelling.

• Dikwella is also Dickwella.
• Batheegama is also Batigama.
• Pehebiya is also Pehembiya.
• Hiriketiya is often just Hiri.
• Turtle Beach and Turtle Point are two names for the same bay at Batheegama, ours.

If a driver looks unsure, say "Ohana, Turtle Beach, Batheegama", or show him the pin on our Find us page.

Which bay should you choose?

Choose Hiriketiya for surf, Pehebiya for the sunset crowd, the town beach for a walk, and Turtle Beach for calm water and a long day in the shade. The garden, the sunbeds and the cabana are on the page of our beach club on a quiet beach in Dikwella.

For the beaches further along the coast, from Talalla to Tangalle, read beaches near Hiriketiya.

Good to know

• Ohana is at Turtle Beach, Dikwella, less than five minutes by road from Hiriketiya.
• Snorkel masks are lent free. Never touch, chase or feed the turtles.
• Sunbeds are free for the whole day, one for each person, when each person spends 10,000 LKR on food and drinks; otherwise they cost 1,000 LKR an hour each. A towel comes with every sunbed.
• Breakfast is served from 08:00 to 11:00, lunch and dinner from 11:00 to 21:00, every day.
• No alcohol is served. Filtered water is on the house.