Hummanaya blowhole, a guide from Dikwella

Hummanaya is a natural blowhole at Kudawella, about 5 km from Dikwella, where the sea is forced up through a crack in the rock and shoots into the air. It blows hardest when the sea is rough, roughly from May to September, and can be quiet on a calm day.

What is the Hummanaya blowhole?

It is a hole in a rocky headland above the sea. Under the rock there is a cave that opens to the ocean below the waterline. When a swell rolls in, water rushes into the cave, has nowhere to go, and is pushed up through a narrow crack. It comes out at the top as a tall white fountain, with a deep rushing sound.

On a strong day the spray often reaches 25 to 30 metres. It does not blow all the time. A fountain comes every couple of minutes, depending on the sea, and between two of them you wait and listen.

The name comes from that sound. In Sinhala, "hoo" is the noise you hear from far away when the blowhole is working, and Hummanaya means roughly "the place of the hoo".

It is the only known blowhole in Sri Lanka, and it is often described as the second largest in the world. Claims like that are hard to check. It is certainly the one to see on this coast.

When does it blow hardest?

When the sea is rough. The blowhole needs swell, so the season that is poor for swimming is the good one here.

• About May to September. The south-west monsoon sends big swell onto this coast. Guides name these months for the tallest fountains, and one names June above all.
• About December to April. The sea is calmer, which is why people come to the south coast then. The blowhole still works on many days, but lower, and on a flat day it may only puff.

Inside any day, the state of the sea decides. Tide, wind and swell all play a part, so no hour can be promised. Ask someone local in the morning whether the sea is up. If the waves are loud on your own beach, it is a good day for Hummanaya.

Go early if you can. It is cooler, and there are fewer people on the platform.

How do you get there from Dikwella or Hiriketiya?

Hummanaya is near the fishing village of Kudawella, east of Dikwella on the way to Tangalle. It is about 5 km from Dikwella, 12 km from Tangalle and 28 km from Matara.

• By tuk-tuk. About 15 minutes from Dikwella. Agree the price before you set off, and ask the driver to wait, because it is the simplest way back.
• By scooter or car. Follow the coast road east and turn off for Kudawella.
• From Ohana. We are at Turtle Beach, less than five minutes from Hiriketiya, so add a few minutes to the ride from Dikwella.

From where the road ends you walk. The path goes uphill, with steps, to the viewing platform. Allow an hour for the whole visit, more if the sea is putting on a show and you do not want to leave.

What does a visit cost, and what is there?

There is a small entrance fee. The figures in guides differ: one gives 250 LKR, another about 500 LKR for foreign visitors and less for Sri Lankans, with a small charge for parking. One listing gives opening hours of 8 AM to 5 PM every day. We read these in November 2026, and prices change, so take small notes and ask at the gate.

At the top there is a viewing platform facing the crack in the rock, and the site has a small visitor centre with information about the life of the sea. Facilities are simple, so carry water.

What should you watch for?

• Stay on the platform and in the marked areas. The rock around the blowhole is wet, and guides ask visitors to keep well back from the water, above all at high tide. Nobody needs a photograph from the edge.
• Mind the steps in the wet. The months with the tallest fountains are also the rainy ones. Wear shoes that grip.
• You may get wet. On a strong day the wind can carry spray a long way. Keep your phone in a pocket between fountains.
• Hold small children by the hand. The platform can be crowded, and everybody is looking the other way.
• Take a hat and water. You will stand in the open while you wait.

What goes well with it on the same day?

The blowhole is a visit of an hour, so it joins well with something else:

• Wewurukannala temple, with its great seated Buddha, is on the Dikwella side. See our guide to Wewurukannala temple.
• Blue Beach Island at Nilwella is on the same stretch of coast, a sandbar you walk across at low tide.
• Lunch by a calm bay. After the noise of Hummanaya, a quiet table is welcome. We serve lunch from 11:00 to 21:00, so there is no need to hurry back.

For more ideas within an hour, see places to see near Dikwella. Everything else we know about the area is in our Dikwella and Hiriketiya travel guide.

Good to know

• Ohana is at Turtle Beach, Dikwella, less than five minutes by road from Hiriketiya. Directions are on Find us.
• Breakfast is served from 08:00 to 11:00, lunch and dinner from 11:00 to 21:00, every day.
• Prices are in LKR, plus a 10% service charge.
• Filtered water is on the house.
• 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.