Attractions
Madu Ganga
Madu ganga is situated in Balapitiya city. There are totally 64 islands in Madu Ganga. Get a chance to see crocodiles, water snakes, tree snakes & wild boars in their natural habitat. Visit the old Buddhist temple on one of the islands that dot the river liberally. Stop by another of the islands, which are the source of the cinnamon industry of Sri Lanka. Purchase some fresh, high-quality cinnamon to take home as a souvenir. Make sure to visit the outdoor fish massage parlour, where you can dangle your feet into a fenced part of the river to get treated by the massage fish. This tour takes you on a boat safari through the primitive depths of the mangrove marshes in Madu River.
Moonstone Mine
Moonstone’s are in the semi-precious category & an important component of the Sri Lankan gem industry. Meetiyagoda is just a couple of kilometres from the coast, midway between Ambalangoda & Hikkaduwa, sitting over the earth’s largest pegmatite vein of moonstone the world’s primary source of blue moonstones. Moonstone’s ethereal gleam is caused by an optical effect called adularescence, which happens when light is scattered between the microscopic layers of the gemstone’s structure. In the highest quality moonstones, you’ll see this beautiful phenomenon when you view the stone from any angle.
Bentota Water Sports
Bentota is a favoured destination in Sri Lanka for all adventure enthusiasts. Water sports have brought Bentota to the forefront of the tourist map of Sri Lanka, and it has more than just enough to make your holiday an adventurous one, these water sports have something for everyone in Bentota. The hoteliers in the area actively promoting water sports from adrenaline filled speed boat and jet ski riding, wind surfing, boogie boarding, water skiing, kite surfing, to a leisurely ride on a banana boat for the family. All you have to do is carefully consider your options and go for the ones that will give you the greatest delight.
Hikkaduwa
The beach of Hikkaduwa is situated in southwestern Sri Lanka. This fun coastal town, 14km away from Galle was the first(1960’s) of Sri Lanka’s beautiful beaches to be discovered by tourists. Snorkelling & diving in the clear waters are a major past-time along this stretch & is the most environmentally friendly way to see the colourful fish that dart around. The coral sanctuary found along the coast of Hikkaduwa is a large shallow body of water enclosed by a reef, decorated with layers of multi coloured corals, and is home to countless numbers of vibrantly coloured fish.
Galle Fort
The Galle Fort or Dutch Fort as it is also known, is a fortification first built by the Portugese on the Southwestern coast of Sri Lanka. The initial fortifications, which were built in the late 16th century, were quite basic. However, the fort underwent extensive modifications in the 17th century by the Dutch, making it one of the most important archaeological, architectural and historic monuments to illustrate the European influence in South East Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. The heritage value of the fort has been recognized by the UNESCO and the site has been inscribed as a cultural heritage UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Yala National Park
Yala National Park is the most visited and second largest national park in Sri Lanka. The park consists of five blocks, two of which are now open to the public. It is situated in the southeast region of the country. Yala was designated as a wildlife sanctuary in 1900, and along with Wilpattu was one of the first two national parks in Sri Lanka. The park is best known for its variety of wild animals. It is important for the conservation of Sri Lankan elephants, leopards and aquatic birds. The area around Yala has hosted several ancient civilizations. Two important pilgrim sites, Sithulpahuwa & Magul Vihara, are situated within the park.
Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
The golden-roofed Temple of the Sacred Tooth houses Sri Lanka’s most important Buddhist relic – a tooth of the Buddha. Locally known as the Sri Dalada Maligawa, this place of worship was constructed in the 16th century AD. Situated adjacent to the Royal Palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy, the shrine overlooks the vast expanse of the Kandy Lake. During puja (offerings or prayers), the heavily guarded room housing the tooth is open to devotees and tourists. However, you don’t actually see the tooth. It’s kept in a gold casket shaped like a dagoba (stupa), which contains a series of six dagoba caskets of diminishing size.
Nuwara Eliya
Nuwara Eliya is a city in the hill country of the Central Province, Sri Lanka. It is at an altitude of 1,868 m and is considered to be the most important location for tea production in Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya is known for its temperate, the coolest area in Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya’s climate lent itself to becoming the prime sanctuary of the British civil servants & planters in Ceylon. Many of the buildings retain features from the colonial period. Nuwara Eliya, called Little England, was a hill country retreat where the British colonialists could immerse in their pastimes such as fox hunting, deer hunting, elephant hunting, polo, golf, cricket & Sri Lanka’s tea industry.
Anuradhapura
The ruins of Anuradhapura are one of South Asia’s most evocative sights and It’s one of the most ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, which makes it no surprise that it’s gained a UNESCO world heritage site title. The city was the centre of Theravada Buddhism for many centuries and It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The sprawling complex contains a rich collection of archaeological and architectural wonders, enormous dagobas (brick stupas), ancient pools & crumbling temples, hostels, hospitals & cemeteries, built during Anuradhapura’s thousand years of rule over Sri Lanka.