True to its name (which in Sinhalese means ‘long beach’), Dickwella is a long, wide, deserted stretch of sand which floats right next to an idyllic Southern village. Dickwella is so quiet sometimes that it can almost feel like a ghost beach. The beach is located about a 3 hour drive from Colombo, 23 kilometres from Matara.

Don’t be fooled by its quiet facade however, Dickwella is getting more and more famous with tourists for its great surf spots, yoga retreats, trendy restaurants and hotels. One of the major advantages of Dickwella is the number of small bays and beaches that are scattered around nearby.

Hiriketiya is one such beach, about a 20 minute walk or a very short ride by tuktuk away. Hirikeyita is a strong contender for the ‘most beautiful beach in Sri Lanka’ title. There are turquoise waters which are bordered by a hilly, green countryside riddled with mangroves and mysterious little paths you could get lost in.

Hiriketiya is fast gaining a reputation as a legendary surf spot. It’s waves are good for much of the year and it is a great beginner to intermediate spot for surfing. Many surfers from all over the world gather at Hiri, and the area now has a vibrant backpacker travel culture. Here you can find expert yogis and healers who will get you on wellness regimes in no time.

The area’s trendy restaurants, cafes and other chill spots are the stuff of legends. Starting from Dickwella, one comes across a range of such spaces which cater to your every imaginable need. Most of these places are also very instagram trendy, so you are guaranteed that hip holiday picture with photogenic food which will make all your friends jealous about your holiday in Sri Lanka.

Some places we particularly recommend are Verse Collective, Dots Bay House (which has great live music and local fairs), The Grove and Beach House (whose wood fired pizza is the stuff of legend). For a luxurious vacationer we’d recommend Dickwella Resort and Spa, Underneath the Mango Tree by Jetwing, and Soul Resorts.