Hummanaya Blowhole
Seawater forced up through a rock fissure and out in a plume that can reach 25 metres — when the swell is right. When it isn't, it gurgles.
What Hummanaya Blowhole actually is
Hummanaya is a sea cave with a hole in its roof. Waves push into the cave, air and water compress, and the pressure escapes upward through the fissure as a column of spray. The name comes from the sound — a low booming groan that arrives a second before the water does.
It is often described as the second-largest blowhole in the world. Treat that ranking loosely; nobody maintains an official list. What is true is that on a good day the plume clears 20 metres and drenches the viewing platform, and the noise is genuinely startling.
The catch is that it entirely depends on the sea. On a flat day in the calm season you will pay your entry, walk out along the rocks, and watch it splutter every few minutes. The south-west monsoon between May and September brings the biggest swell, which is the opposite of when most people are on this coast. Ask locally what it has been doing that week before you drive out.
Worth your attention
The plume
On a strong swell, a column of seawater that clears the platform and soaks everyone on it. Wait for a set rather than a single wave.
The sound
The booming that gives it its name, audible from the car park before you see anything.
The rock platform
Wave-cut shelves running along the coast, worth walking even when the blowhole is quiet.
Kudawella harbour
A working fishing harbour beside it, busiest in the early morning and entirely unconcerned with visitors.
Before you go
Do this
- Ask locally what the sea has been doing before driving out
- Go on a rising swell; a flat sea means very little
- Expect to get wet and keep cameras protected
- Combine it with Dickwella or Hiriketiya, both within fifteen minutes
- Wear shoes with grip — the rock is wet and sharp
Know this first
- On calm days it does almost nothing and people leave disappointed
- The rocks near the vent are slippery and unfenced
- Best swell is May to September, which is the wet season on this coast
- Small entry fee is cash only
Getting to Hummanaya Blowhole
Hummanaya Blowhole sits within reach of Hiriketiya, so almost everyone visits it as part of a stay there rather than as a trip in its own right. Our Hiriketiya guide covers where to stay, how long to give it and what else is nearby.
Coming straight from the airport, the relevant run is Colombo Airport to Dickwella — fixed price per vehicle, driver waiting inside arrivals with a name board.
Read the full Hiriketiya guideFrom Colombo Airport
Car up to 3 passengers; vans quoted on the route page. No night surcharge.
Hummanaya Blowhole — frequently asked
How big is the Hummanaya blowhole?
On a strong swell the spout can reach 20 to 25 metres. It is often called the second-largest in the world, though no formal ranking exists. On a calm day it may barely clear the rocks.
When is the best time to see Hummanaya?
On a rising swell, which usually means the south-west monsoon between May and September. That is the wetter season on the south coast, so it is worth asking locally rather than driving out on spec.
How much does it cost?
A few hundred rupees per person, cash only, paid at the small gate. There is a short walk out over the rocks to the viewing area.
Is Hummanaya worth visiting?
On a good swell, yes — it is genuinely dramatic and takes half an hour. On a flat sea it is a long way to watch water gurgle. Check conditions first; that single question decides it.
Other places worth the detour
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