Hiriketiya Blue Beach Island: Our Honest, First-Hand Review

Hiriketiya Blue Beach island isn’t really an island in the traditional sense. It’s just a rocky, wildly overgrown outcrop, with a tiny sandy lane about 10 meters from the mainland. While we expected more, the reality is that it’s prettier from the drone than from land. However, you can’t skip this while in Hiriketiya.

Although we say that, it is worth passing by, maybe swim and get some photos to document your trip. In all honesty, don’t get all this overhype on Instagram, but you have to admit our drone footage might make you mistake it for one of these dreamy beaches not so far from there.

If you are in Hiriketiya for a few days, pass by the blue beach, but head to other nearby beaches. Turtle Beach is our favourite, but Dickwella Beach is great at sunset too.

Is Blue Beach Island Hiriketiya worth the detour?

Well, yes and not! We took our scooter for a spin around, which included Kudawella Beach, the blowhole, and honestly were surprised by the Kudawella Harbour. We drove our scooter all the way to the viewpoint.

The island and the beach itself aren’t a big deal. However, once we saw the drone, from about 30 metres high, we loved what we saw. It looks better from above than from the human perspective on the ground.

That’s not to lower your expectations, as we still had a great time. However, I built up too many expectations, which were a bit disappointing. Also, when we visited, the sea was rough on one side. Currents and high waves made it difficult to get into the water.

How to get to Blue Beach Island

We hopped on our motorbike and headed east from Hiriketiya toward Nilwella. The ride is half the fun, passing through quiet villages where life moves at a much slower pace. It’s in the direction of Tangalle, and I have done this road dozens of times. It can get pretty scary if you catch it at the wrong time. AKA – When the route is filled with red crazy buses.

We didn’t speed up this time; it was all about soaking in the wild experience. The cows often take the whole carriage, or other times hang out at a bus stop. They look like they are waiting for the next ride to Tangalle.

The blue beach island walk: Tides and safety

One thing nobody tells you is that the blue beach island walk is entirely dependent on the tide. We arrived around 12 PM – when the tide was low, and the sandbar was wide and easy to cross.

However, if the tide is high or the sea is rough, that sandbridge can disappear entirely. While we could still see sand, our ankles were in the water. It was safe, though, and fun indeed.

The waves were crashing from both sides of the tombolo. It was spectacular, but honestly made us think twice about swimming here. Actually, nobody who was there tried. Another French couple spent about an hour just sunbathing with sporadic runs to the shore for some water splash.

I can still feel the water meeting right in the middle. My ankle got the first freezing feeling, then the water from the other side caught up, and it was warm instead. Don’t know if I’ve given the idea, but the two different temperatures are something strange, but nice.

Flying the drone gave us a different perspective.

We were disappointed; it wasn’t what we expected, but.. flying the drone gave us a completely different perspective of Blue Island. We pulled up to 30 mt high, the maximum I could reach before getting warnings, either wind or restrictions.

There are no sights around, so it’s safe and easy to fly the drone here. From the top, we could see the symmetry.

The waves hitting the sandbar from opposite directions are mind-blowing. It really highlights why it’s called “Blue Beach”—the water transitions from a pale turquoise to a deep, royal blue.

It was very windy, and while I launched the drone from the island, I really suggest doing it from the shore instead. You’ll have a better view, plenty of shade, and perhaps avoid big manoeuvres where there is the rocky part.

What to do near the Blue Beach Island

Don’t just go to Blue Island and return to Hiriketiya. Plan, instead, a day trip around to make the day worth it. We planned to go to the blowhole, hit a beach, perhaps surf. Down there are some activities and places to visit nearby Hiriketiya, worth a stop.

Skipping the Hummanaya Blow Hole

On our way back, we considered stopping at the famous Hummanaya Blow Hole. Honestly, we skipped it. It’s an interesting sight, I was excited to check out, as it’s the world’s second-largest and the only known one in Sri Lanka. But the reality of this place checked with us before we even reached it.

As soon as we got close, locals were aggressively trying to lure us into their “private” parking spots, demanding a 1,000 LKR fee.

It felt too hyped and transactional for our taste. From my experience, when the “hustle” becomes that loud, the destination loses my interest, and it’s only a tourist trap. I would do that instead: skip the tourist traps and find a quiet corner of the coast for a fraction of the stress.

On a motorbike on Kudawella harbour

Instead of the blowhole, we continued our ride to the Viewpoint in Kudawella, right on the harbour. This was a much better choice. We watched the brightly colored fishing boats bobbing in the water and felt like we had found a slice of the real Sri Lanka.

We sneaked into the harbour. There was no sign of unauthorized entry, either; many locals drove on the docks. We did the same; the wind was blowing strong, barely keeping our motorbike stable.

We reached the end of the concrete docks that protect the harbour from the waves. The rugged coast is in front of us, and the waves are crashing, creating small blowholes. So, technically we didn’t miss the Hummanaya skip. It was our unplanned detour, but much more appreciated than a 1,000 LKR touristy scam.

Stops on the way: Coconuts and coffee

Our days on the south coast were the best memories we have from our last trip to Sri Lanka. Honestly, we can resume the whole trip in “coconut and coffee”. 

We found a small stand on the side of the road, just behind the corner that leads to the village near the blue beach island. The vendor hacked open two fresh king coconuts for 200 LKR (£0.50). Coconuts in Sri Lanka are so cheap and fresh, and you’ll find them everywhere.

While we had one cafe on our map – OLA Cafe – It was within the boundaries of the blow holes, so we couldn’t access it without paying the 1K LKR mafia fee. So we skipped it, but if you can make that far, it’s worth the stop. For better coffee back in the bay itself, see our roundup of the best cafes in Hiriketiya.

For our caffeine fix, we waited till Binal Juice Bar on Kudawella beach. It’s a small shack, where we actually got juice instead. This is the main alternative beach for beginner surfers. Softboards with instructors are just 1,000 LKR – You’ll get just board rental with that price in Hiriketiya Bay.

It’s cheaper down here. It’s a sandy beach, with white waves. We planned to come one day just for surfing, but had to skip, because there were too many attractive places in Hiriketiya that we ditched some.

Is it worth going to Hiriketiya Blue Beach Island?

Definitely, Blue Beach Hiriketiya is worth visiting. It’s one of the best side trips from Hiriketiya if you want to escape the crowds. I definitely recommend going early in the morning to have the island to yourself and enjoy side adventures too.

Things to do near Hiriketiya

• Visit Nilwella Harbour: Watch the local fishermen bring in their catch.
• Explore Dikwella Market: For a truly local shopping experience away from the boutiques. It’s only happening on Saturday. The other days are just front roads and smaller.
• Surf Hiriketiya: Obviously, but try to go during the “off” hours to avoid the surf schools.
• Sunset at Pehebbiya: A quieter beach nearby that we think is underrated.

FAQ | Blue Beach Island