Things To Do In Hiriketiya
Most of the things to do in Hiriketiya start at the gate. The bay is two minutes down the hill, the shala is on the roof and the spa is under the palms, so pick a morning and an evening and leave the middle of the day to the shade.
The Yoga Gallery
How A Day Here Tends To Go
Nothing is more than a few minutes away. The bay is two minutes down the hill, the shala is on the roof, and the pool sits under the coconut palms in between.
Mornings belong to the water. A yoga flow opens the day on the rooftop shala, and the bay below the hotel is breaking by the time the class finishes. It is open to complete beginners and to people who have been practising for years, in the same room, which is the thing guests write about most.
The middle of the day is for shade. The pool sits under the palms, the spa is a few steps from it, and nobody minds if you spend the afternoon with a book.
Evenings come back to the roof. A cacao and sound healing journey runs most weeks at 5pm, usually Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 75 minutes for 5,000 LKR. Reception has the week’s schedule. Then the sunset from the rooftop restaurant.
What A Day Here Usually Holds
Yoga in the morning
A juicy flow to start the day on the rooftop shala, suitable for all levels.
The bay, two minutes down
Waves all year in Hiriketiya, and lessons at $25 with all the gear included.
The spa, under the palms
Massage, ayurvedic treatments and reflexology, open 9 to 6, booked ahead.
The pool and the palms
For the hours in the middle of the day, when the sun does the deciding.
Pick a morning and an evening. The rest of the day looks after itself.
If You Do Not Surf
Hiriketiya is a surf town, and plenty of people who stay here never pick up a board. The day is still full. One of you can take the morning break while the other takes the morning class, and you are both back for breakfast.
There is the pool under the palms, the rooftop for the last hour of light, and a bay that is gentlest at its centre and western end, where the bottom is sand and the peaks are small.
For a day away from the bay, reception arranges safari trips to Yala and Udawalawe, and a fifteen minute tuk-tuk gets you to Talalla Retreat, our sister hotel, with its beachfront and its spa.
If you are still deciding which month suits you, when to visit Hiriketiya sets out the weather, the surf and the crowds. The south coast runs November to April. If you are already down the coast, reception can usually find you a room and a lesson for tomorrow morning.
For The Days You Are Not In The Water
A day in the parks
Yala or Udawalawe, arranged at reception.
The gentler end of the bay
Sand bottom and small peaks, at the centre and the western side.
Talalla Retreat
Fifteen minutes by tuk-tuk, our sister hotel on its own beach.
Nobody here has to earn their evening in the water.
The Open-Air Spa
The spa sits among the palms, open to the air rather than shut inside a treatment room. Traditional and ayurvedic massage, foot reflexology, or shirodhara if you want the slower version of the same hour.
It is open from 9am to 6pm and treatments are booked ahead, so it is worth asking at reception on the day you arrive rather than the day you want it. Two of you can be treated at the same time.
The full treatment list and prices are at reception and in your room. You do not have to be staying here either. The spa takes bookings from anyone in the bay.
The Short Version
Open 9am to 6pm
Every treatment is booked ahead, so ask at reception early in your stay.
Two at a time
Up to two people can be treated together, so it works as something you do side by side.
Massage, reflexology and facials
The full treatment list and prices are at reception and in the rooms.
Open to non-guests
You do not have to be staying at Jasper House to book a treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to do in Hiriketiya if you do not surf?
A morning yoga flow on the rooftop shala, the pool under the palms, and the open-air spa for massage, reflexology and ayurvedic treatments. There is a cacao and sound healing journey most weeks at 5pm. Reception arranges safari trips to Yala and Udawalawe, and Talalla Retreat and its beach are a fifteen minute tuk-tuk away.
Is Hiriketiya good for beginner surfers?
The centre and western parts of the bay are a softer sand-bottom break with smaller peaks, which is the beginner end. The eastern side is a consistent left-hand point and reef break, for people who already know what they are doing.
Can I hire a surfboard at the hotel?
We do not hire boards here, but there are plenty of options on Hiriketiya beach, two minutes down. Lessons are $25 and that includes all the gear.
Is there surf all year, or only in season?
There are waves in Hiriketiya all year. The best months are November to April, when the south coast is dry.
Can I book a spa treatment if I am not staying at the hotel?
Yes. The spa is open to people who are not staying here. It runs from 9am to 6pm, treatments need booking ahead and two people can be treated at the same time. The full menu and prices are at reception.
Is there yoga every day?
There is one class a day, a morning flow on the rooftop shala, suitable for all levels. The schedule is set week by week, so reception has the current one. A cacao and sound healing journey runs separately, most weeks at 5pm.