With herds of elephants, wild buffalo, sambar deer and leopards, Uda Walawe National Park is the Sri Lankan national park that best rivals the savannah reserves of Africa. In fact, for elephant-watching, Uda Walawe often surpasses many of the most famous East African national parks. The park, which centres on the 308.2-sq-km Uda Walawe Reservoir, […]
The magnificent Sinharaja rainforest and the village of Kitulgala, which is popular for white water rafting, are situated in the western foothills, sandwiched between the west coast and the central highlands. This is an area of rolling hills, tropical rain forests and winding rivers. The Sinharaja tropical rainforest is renowned as a hotspot for birdlife. […]
Kumana, also known as Yala East National Park covers an area of about 18,000 hectares and can only be accessed from Okanda which is south of Arugam Bay on the South East Coast. The villus (swamp lakes) of Kumana is nesting sites for water birds. During the nesting season which begins towards June, large colonies […]
Bundala is an important and beautiful Wetland Sanctuary combining 20km of beach, lagoons and scrub which host more than 150 bird species. These wetlands are home to winter migratory birds and large flocks of flamingoes. The lagoons prove popular with crocodiles whilst on dry land herds of up to 60 elephants can be seen, as […]
Yala, situated in the south east corner of the island, is home to the greatest variety of Sri Lanka’s wildlife. Its varying habitats, consisting of scrub plains, jungles, rocky outcrops, fresh water lakes, rivers and beaches, provides home to many species of animals including sloth bear, herds of elephants, buffalo, monkeys, sambar, deer, crocodiles and […]
Matara is a busy, booming and sprawling commercial town that owes almost nothing to tourism – which makes it a fascinating window on modern Sri Lankan life. Matara’s main attractions are its ramparts, a well-preserved Dutch fort and, most of all, its street life.
Stilt fisherman – Weligama (meaning ‘Sandy Village’) is located about 30km east of Galle and is an interesting and lively blend of international beach resort and raucous Asian fishing town. You can spend a happy day wandering around, getting a feel for local life, dipping your toes in the ocean and marvelling at the denizens […]
During the migration season in December and April, large pods of Dolphins and Blue Whales can be seen just a few miles offshore from Mirissa. Mirissa Water Sports, based in the Mirissa Harbour offers boat excursions which can take upto three hours. Mirissa Water Sports offers exciting watersports activities such as sailing, fishing, coastal cruises, […]
Scuba Diving in Dickwella – Dickwella has some of the island’s best dive spots. A PADI-approved diving centre offers diving from beginners to advanced. Spotting bright corals and exotic is easy and there is the opportunity to explore the wrecks of a steam ship and cargo ship. These two wrecks are old enough and substantial […]
Traditional masks in Ambalangoda – The traditional masks are very much a part of Sri Lanka’s culture and folklore. Kolam masks are used for dramatic purposes to enact traditional folktales and history; Thovil masks are used for exorcism rituals especially to eradicate disease. Each mask has a specific purpose. Mask crafting is an intricate skill […]