Madu River Safari

In the Southern region of Sri Lanka lies the Galledistrict. Balpitiya is a little town in the district and would be quite unimportant; except for the location of a river. The Madu River is very rich in biodivesity. It passes through the wet zone of Sri Lanka opening up into the large Madu Lagoon on its way to the Indian Ocean.

A Look into Madu River

The Mangroves and their Ecology – Facts

• The Madu River area surrounding the river are all swampy marshlands covered in mangrove forests.
• The forest covers over 61 hectares, that is over 150 acres. 14 of the 24 species of mangroves are found in this area.
• It is interesting to note that mangroves play a huge part in preventing erosion.
• The value of the mangroves was understood in December 2004, during the devastating tsunami, when forest acted as a natural barrier protecting the region.
• The large growths of mangrove trees have caused a chain of ecological gain. The soil protected by the mangrove trees is very fertile. This has caused a rich growth of other wetland plants.
• Over 300 species, 19 of which are endemic, have been discovered so far.
• The region continues to be a treasure trove to biologists and ecologists with many undiscovered species in the unreachable depths of the mangrove forests.
• The plantlife in turn have supported a large number of wildlife that depends on them.
• The largest animal in the region is the wild boar. There are other smaller animals such as monkeys, a variety of squirrels, etc.
• When it comes to birds, cormorants and kingfishers are a common sight. For avid bird watchers, the mangrove forests are a dream coming true. There are over 111 bird species identified to inhabit the region.
• There are 31 types of reptiles, namely snakes, lizards and crocodiles.
• There are also over 50 kinds of butterflies and 25 kinds of molluscs found in the Madu River zone.

The cycle of ecology continues with relatively undisturbeda in this region. The region is protected as a Ramsar Wetland Site since 2003. Here is the excerpt from the official Ramsar site that describes the Madu River zone:

NUWARA ELIYA

Nuwara Eliya meaning “city on the plain or “city of light” is a town in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. It is one of the major tea producing areas in the world. The tallest mountain in Sri Lanka “Pidurutalagala” oversees this beautiful city. It is the most visited hill country.             

History

Nuwara Eliya is said to have been founded by a couple of British officers who apparently got lost while elephant hunting. The British governor Sir Edward Barnes was notified about the town and he himself decided to reside at Nuwara Eliya and subsequently creating a health resort that was internationally renowned. The town was later the ultimate destination for English pastimes such as golf, fox hunting, polo, etc. Nuwara Eliya also has an archeological importance as well in which pre-historic human remains are found. The city is has a good reflection of the colonial period even new hotels are furnished according to the colonial era                                

Modern Day Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya is now a modern, busy city with department stores, fast food chains. Nevertheless the further away you are away from the busy town the more you will be revisiting the past. Tourists will find a variety of recreational activities to do in this beautiful city, Nuwara Eliya is known to have the best 18-hole golf course in Asia and that’s not all horse-riding, boating, bird-watching and hiking are few of the many fun things you can do                                                                                                                       

Tea Production

Sri Lanka is produces a significant share of the world’s best tea and in the mean time is also one of the world’s largest exporters of tea. Since the introduction of tea to Sri Lanka in mid 19the century Nuwara Eliya has been the capital of the tea industry–                                                                                 

Waterfalls

Little England” is also home to some beautiful waterfalls such as Ramboda Falls, Devon Falls, and Laksapana Falls. Trekking and hiking expeditions usually evolve around these land marks                                                                                                                

Climate

Natives usually tend to visit the hill country during the summer time, just to escape the excess humidity that accompanies with the heat since Nuwara Eliya has a average temperature of 16 degrees and sometimes can decrease to extreme conditions such as 3 degrees due to the high altitudes                                                                                          

Seetha Eliya

Seetha Eliya is a village in which the Seetha Kovil is located (Hanuman Kovil) and is found on the way to Badulla. The Temple is said to be built where the king Ravana hid princess Seetha from Rama                                                                                                            

Horton Plains

Horton Plains is yet another national park in Sri Lanka located at the highest plateau in the island. The park is very famous among nature lovers. However within Horton Plains are the World’s End exhibiting an abrupt drop of 1000m offering a breath-taking view of land including tea estates.

TRINCOMALEE

Trincomalee is a port city on the east coast of Sri Lanka. The city is located on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours.Trincomalee is an anglicized version of the Tamil word Tirukonamalai (which means “lord of the sacred hill”); it is a hill situated in the end of a natural land formation that resembles an arc. It is one of the main where Tamil is spoken at large scale. Historically referred to as Gokanna or Gokarna it has been a sea port that has played a major role in maritime and international trading history of Sri Lanka.

The Bay of Trincomalee provides security and is openly accessible to all types of sea crafts in all weathers. The beaches are used for recreational purposes such as surfing, scuba diving, fishing and whale watching. The city is renowned for housing the largest Dutch fort in Sri Lanka. It is home to major Sri Lankan naval bases and a Sri Lankan Air Force base.

Religious Significance

Trincomalee is considered a very sacred place by the Tamil and Sinhalese. Trincomalee and its surroundings have both Hindu and Buddhist sites of historical importance. These sites are sacred to the Hindus and Buddhists.

It has been said that King Mahasena destroyed the Sivan Temple and on top of it built a Mahayana temple. Despite the historical rivalries between the two ethnic groups initiated by kings such as Mahasena the Theravada Buddhists have maintained a remarkably peaceful relationship with the Hindus.                             

Trincomalee during the colonial era

Trincomalee strategic importance has shaped its recent history. The great European powers vied for mastery of the harbor. The Portuguese, the Dutch, the French, and the English, each held it in turn, and there have been many sea battles nearby.                                                                                                                                                

Harbour

The Trincomalee boasts a record as the fifth largest natural harbor in the world In the map Trincomalee isn’t quite populated a lot and is less developed. However it is used as a commercial seaport.                                                                                                      

Rare hot spring wells ; a major tourist attraction

The hot springs in Trincomalee is always a major tourist attraction. There are the seven hot springs of Kanniya on the way to Trincomalee. The seven springs are enclosed by a high wall, each of which is again enclosed and bound by smaller walls to make up wells. The use of the springs for bathing however is under strict control.

Yala National Park

Yala National Park is situated in the south-east region of Sri Lanka and is the 2nd largest National Park in the island, situated some 300 km away from Colombo. It was at first established in the early 1890s as a game sanctuary . The park is located in the dry-zone region where the drought season is very long .The day time average temperature is over 30 degrees which is not uncommon in the region. The parkland makes up most of the reserve but also includes lakes, beaches, jungle, rivers and scrubland. This variety in habitats provides an excellent range in wildlife. The largest concentration of Leopards can be seen in this region though the chances of seeing this animal are very low, and the creature is said to be one of the most endangered species. About 32 species of mammals, 125 species of birds and many reptiles and lagoon fauna species have been recorded in the park. The Yala National Park is famous among visitors as the best place to view large mammals within one territory.

History

The Yala National Reserve was a part of the Ruhuna Kingdom. The Situl Pahuwa temple housed more than 12000 inhabitants. The Magul Mahavihara, which is also another temple within the park was the place where King Kawantissa and Vihara Maha Devi were married

Cultural Significance

Yala was where Ravana established his kingdom. The many mane-made tanks show that yala was used as an agricultural center with an intensive irigation system. The temple Situlpahuwa is within Yala and was built during the 87 BC and the Akasa Stupa in 2 BC. During the colonial era Yala was used as a place to hunt down game. Even today more than 400,000 pilgrims visit the stupas within the confinements of thepark.                                                                                                                                                          

Tooth relic temple Kandy

Kandy is a large city in central Sri Lanka. It’s set on a plateau surrounded by mountains, which are home to tea plantations and biodiverse rainforest. The city’s heart is scenic Kandy Lake (Bogambara Lake), which is popular for strolling. Kandy is famed for sacred Buddhist sites, including the Temple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa) shrine, celebrated with the grand Esala Perahera annual procession.

Near the Temple of the Tooth is the National Museum, housed in a former palace, with exhibits showcasing Kandy’s role as the last kingdom of Sri Lanka. In the nearby Peradeniya suburb, the Royal Botanic Gardens is known for its orchid collection and massive palm trees. The Ceylon Tea Museum, in a former tea factory, has a library and exhibits that explore Sri Lanka’s history as a major exporter of the beverage. Kandy is also a gateway to the Knuckles Mountains, a popular destination for hiking and camping.