Tsunami Honganji Vihara, Hikkaduwa

A 30 m tall (54 ft) statue of Buddha facing the ocean at Tsunami Honganji Vihara commemorates more than 2,000 victims who perished in the 2004 tsunami. Built with the assistance of Japan's Honganji Temple of Kyoto, the statue was based on the Buddhas of Bamiyan in Afghanistan, destroyed by the Taliban in March 2001. Erected a couple hundred meters from the shore, the statue stands on a platform guarded by four lions surrounded by a pond. The location makes a nice stopover just off Bentota-Galle Road at Hikkaduwa town. Consider combining your visit with a stop at the nearby sea turtle hatchery. Using our online itinerary creator, Hikkaduwa attractions like Tsunami Honganji Vihara can form part of a personalized travel itinerary.