In 1940, the rocky islands of Hikkaduwa were declared a reserve, confined to the land boundaries of these rocky islands. It was upgraded to a nature reserve in 1998 and then to a national park. The famous Coral Gardens and Telwatte Bird Sanctuary are the main attractions of Hikkaduwe, 116 km from Colombo.

Foreigners and local tourists come to see Hikkaduwe’s famous ‘coral gardens’. Glass-bottomed boats are available for tourists who don’t want to get their feet wet, while others go snorkeling to coral gardens filled with colorful coral and marine life.