Tsunami Memorial
As you travel from Hikkaduwa towards Ambalangoda, you can embrace the beauty of the gigantic and extraordinary creation of a statue of the Lord Buddha surrounded by a beautiful pond and some lion statues.
This giant statue was erected by the Japanese Government as a memorial to the nearly 1700 people who lost their lives when the tidal wave hit a train passing through this small coastal community.
A monument to remember the 35,000 people who lost their lives in Sri Lanka alone was erected after the 2004 tsunami. It was around the same spot that the tsunami washed away a packed commuter train – the world's worst-ever train disaster. This memorial is one of the places in Hikkaduwa that you should not miss.
The Tsunami Photo Museum
This Tsunami Museum in Hikkaduwa is aimed at educating communities on Tsunamis and also preserves the memories of the 2004 Tsunami. This museum is the continuation of the efforts of Third Wave Volunteers led by Dr. Alison Thompson (author of The Third Wave - A volunteer Story and the director of Film Third Wave). This museum will take you through a touching journey of science and history and render you silent with emotion.
