Dodanduwa & the Island Hermitage
Southern Province
About Dodanduwa & the Island Hermitage
Dodanduwa, a fishing village south of Hikkaduwa, folds a world-historical secret into its mangrove lagoon: on the islet of Polgasduwa in Rathgama Lake, the German monk Nyanatiloka - the first Continental European ordained a Buddhist monk in the modern era - founded the Island Hermitage in 1911, and through it flowed the pioneering Western scholar-monks (Nyanaponika, Ñāṇamoli and their successors) whose translations carried Theravada Buddhism to the world. The hermitage remains a working monastery of strict simplicity; respectful visitors may arrange the short paddle across with village boatmen to its jetty and chapter house when the community receives guests. Even without landing, the lagoon rewards: mirror-water kayaking between mangrove islets, kingfishers and water monitors, and the village's own historic temples - including one whose murals scandalised and delighted colonial-era visitors. It is the thinking traveller's detour on the Hikkaduwa strip.
Top Activities
- ✓Lagoon kayaking and boat rides
- ✓The Island Hermitage story
- ✓Village temples and murals
- ✓Birdlife of Rathgama Lake
- ✓Combine with Hikkaduwa
Nearby Attractions
Travel Tips
Hermitage visits are at the monks' convenience - ask boatmen to enquire first.
Dress and behave as for any monastery; silence is the island's rule.
Morning kayaks get glass water and the best birdlife.
Quick Info
Best Time
November to April
Weather
Warm; the lagoon is calmest in the morning.
Estimated Daily Budget
6.0658°N, 80.1600°E
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