A rainy day in Hiriketiya and Dikwella, what to do

When it rains in Hiriketiya and Dikwella, wait first: most showers here are short, and the sun is often back within the hour. For a properly wet day there are temples under a roof, cooking classes, yoga, workshops and long lunches.

How long does the rain last?

Usually not long. Rain on this coast tends to come as a heavy shower or a storm in the afternoon or at night, and then it moves on. Even in the wetter months, days when it rains from morning to evening are rare.

• December to March is the dry season. A shower is a surprise.
• April and May bring storms late in the day, after clear mornings.
• June to September, in the south-west monsoon, showers pass through on about every second day.
• October and November are the wettest months, and the ones when this page is most useful.

So the first plan for rain is a pot of tea and half an hour of patience. The second plan is below. The months are described in when to visit Dikwella, month by month.

Which places are under a roof?

• Wewurukannala temple. About 1.5 km inland from Dikwella. The seated Buddha, about 50 metres tall, stands in the open, but the rooms behind it are covered: corridors painted with the life of the Buddha and, in bright colours, the punishments that wait for people who behave badly. Allow about an hour. Cover shoulders and legs, and take off shoes and hats.
• The cave temples of Mulkirigala. About 40 minutes inland. The painted caves themselves are dry, but about 500 stone steps lead up to them, and wet steps are slippery. Go only if the rain is light, and take your time.
• The cafes and small shops of Hiriketiya. The bay has boutiques, coffee places and brunch cafes close together, so you can spend a wet morning going from one door to the next.
• A massage. There are massage and spa places around Hiriketiya, some with a sauna. Ask your hotel which one they trust.

What can you learn on a wet day?

Rain is a good teacher, because it takes away the reasons not to.

Cook a curry. There are cooking classes around Dikwella and Hiriketiya, some with a walk through a spice garden. A class takes about three hours and ends with the meal you made. Some include the ride from your hotel. Book the day before.

Take a yoga class. Yoga needs no sun. There are studios in Hiriketiya, and our own Ohana Shala, the covered upper floor of the restaurant, facing the ocean, holds classes: vinyasa, hatha, slow flow, yin with sound. Regular classes cost 4,000 LKR. The shala is being reorganised, so the days and hours are on our events page. Classes do not run in heavy rain, so this one is for a grey day, not a storm.

Make something with your hands. On some afternoons we hold the Ocean Treasures Workshop, where you make a piece of jewellery from shells and natural materials and take it home, or the Mindful Painting Workshop. Each costs 5,000 LKR. Whoever joins an activity has 10% off the whole restaurant menu.

Is a long lunch a plan?

In the rain, it is the plan. The kitchen cooks to order, so nothing is quick, and on a wet day that is a gift.

• Ohana Zuppa di Pesce, 6,900 LKR. Mahi mahi, shrimps and calamari in our fish stock and tomato, made to order the Italian way. This is the dish for a grey sky.
• Sweet Prawn Curry, 6,700 LKR. Gentle on the chilli and rich with coconut milk.
• Toasted Sourdough Bread, 700 LKR. From our own kitchen, for the last of the sauce.
• Ohana Brownie, 2,400 LKR. Warm chocolate with cold vanilla ice cream.
• Ceylon Tea, 700 LKR, in a warmed pot, or an Ashwagandha Moon Milk, 2,400 LKR, warm milk with spices.

What is under a roof at Ohana, and can you work?

When it rains, you sit under a roof in the lounge, on the upstairs terrace, which is the Ohana Shala, at the bar and at some of the tables in the garden. Together they seat about 55 people. The tables on the sand wait for the dry hours.

Can you work through it? Yes. A rainy day is a working day that nobody will envy. We have Wi-Fi and power sockets, coffee is served until 18:00, and lunch comes to the table. More is in work remotely from Dikwella.

Can you swim when it rains, and what should you carry?

Warm rain on warm water is one of the small pleasures of the tropics. Three cautions before you go in:

• Thunder. When you hear it, come out of the water and off the open sand, and go indoors. Weather services advise waiting half an hour after the last thunder before going back.
• Rough sea. Storms bring waves and currents. If the bay looks different from yesterday, stay out.
• Roads. Heavy rain can flood roads and close them. On a day of real downpour, stay near where you sleep.

One sight is at its strongest in rough weather: the Hummanaya blowhole, about 5 km from Dikwella. The steps are wet then, so go carefully.

For the bag:

• A light rain jacket, or simply a second shirt.
• A dry bag for the phone.
• Sandals that grip on wet stone.
• A book, as always.

And when the sky clears, which it will, the beaches are still there. Our Dikwella and Hiriketiya travel guide has the rest.

Good to know

• Ohana is at Turtle Beach, Dikwella, less than five minutes by road from Hiriketiya.
• We are open every day. Breakfast is served from 08:00 to 11:00, lunch and dinner from 11:00 to 21:00.
• Regular yoga classes cost 4,000 LKR and workshops 5,000 LKR. Join any activity and you get 10% off the whole restaurant menu.
• On a dry evening, when there are enough people, we light a bonfire on the sand on request as the sun goes down.
• Prices are in LKR, plus a 10% service charge. Filtered water is on the house.