De kookcool , 13-04-2013

Surf Travel is fun :) - Gonna be in Sri Lanka with few crew in June can't wait to meet these mambo "boys" and give em a good flogging sick of hearing stories about little piss weak locals getting agro on laid back travellers look forward to meeting you lil Sri Lankan Fairys!

De chelbycat , 30-12-2011

Mambo's guys are total tools - Bottom line: if you want to sleep with one of the Sri Lanka surfers at Mambo's (eww), stay here. If you are just in Hikkaduwa to surf or make friends, stay far, far away. If you're a dude, these guys will hassle you, not matter how nice you are to them!

When I first read about territorial beach boys at Mambos, I figured it was just a few disgruntled guys that they didn't get to score with a girl. But all of these negative reviews about the beach boys at Mambo's are 100 percent true. These Mambo's boys are total tools, and they are extremely territorial about girls and waves (mostly girls!).

I booked a room at Mambo's because it was known as a party spot and as a girl traveling solo, I wanted to make friends when I arrived. I was NOT traveling so that I could hook up with anyone, and especially not locals. I was just there to surf and make friends. I never once gave a remote glance or interest at a Mambo's boy. But these guys decided that they would cock-block any other tourist guy I tried to befriend.

When I was hanging out at the Mambo's Saturday nite beach party, I had just arrived and was looking to meet other travelers and get to know Hikkaduwa. I met several interesting male tourists and was just enjoying casual conversation. One by one, they were ALL threatened by a Mambo's boy and told to leave! It was a pattern, I would talk to a tourist guy for 10 minutes and then he'd tell me he was sorry but the Mambo's guys were making trouble and he had to leave! This happened three times in an hour!

By chance, I actually met and was able to talk with another solo tourist, a guy from Australia, later in the night. Maybe the Mambo's boys had their eyes on other girls at that point so they left us alone. I made plans to hang out with the Aussie the next day, and he was going to meet me at Mambo's where I was staying so we could go to dinner. When he got to Mambo's he was told he was not allowed in to see me! We got around this glitch and hung out that day together with other tourists just staying away from Mambos. The next day the Mambo's boys paddled out to him in the line up and told him to stay away from all girls at Mambo's and to pretty much get out of the water and leave Hikkaduwa! These Mambo's boys are a gang and they have a reputation of even stabbing tourists who don't oblige!

Needless to say, I checked out of Mambo's that day stayed in a much dirtier hotel and was MUCH happier meeting decent locals. Had I never left Mambo's I would have sadly thought that all guys in Hikkaduwa are creeps (turns out, there some kind ones.) It's my right to talk to whoever I want on MY vacation and I'm not going to let these guys control me, especially when I am the customer and I and paying them!

THERE ARE WAY BETTER PLACES THAN MAMBO'S IN HIKKADUWA. Places with friendly locals.

As for the surf, Mambo's isn't even in front of the main reef break. And there are at least five other places you can rent boards.

As for the party scene in Hikkaduwa, there are WAY better parties and clubs than Mambo's on a Saturday nite. Try Blue Moon on Tuesdays or Funky de Bar on Thursdays. Way better and way less Machismo!

De Anonymous , 29-06-2010

hikkaduwa - Went to Hiikaduwa for easter with my family. Quality place and people. Surf was cool no agro or anything. Surf was good 10 days out of 13. Get up early before the winds pick up. Would happily go back.