Lavinia Woolf
Sri Lanka is full of beautiful attractions from sunny beaches and wildlife to heritage sites, and Koggala has several places to see if you find yourself in the area.
Initiated to help promote "responsible tourism", the hatchery helps the conservation of turtles by buying them from fishermen. This prevents the sale of turtles and eggs for the purpose of food or poaching and discourages fishermen from selling elsewhere. The hatchery is a great place to visit and learn more about these incredible sea creatures as they are kept safe from harm until they are ready to be released. If you're lucky, you can even take part in the release program and watch the baby turtles head back into the ocean.
One of the largest freshwater lakes in Galle, the beautiful Koggala Lake offers a stunning scenic backdrop during sunset, the perfect time for a leisurely cruise. There are several Koggala Hotels around the Lake that can organise excursions for guests, like the South Lake Resort for example. Pack up a lunch and head out with an expert guide on a speed boat to explore mangrove forests and endemic wildlife or visit the fresh water fish therapy farm. Head over to Cinnamon Island for a firsthand look at how a cinnamon plantation is run or you can even drop a line and try your luck catching fish.
Away from the sandy beaches and coastal resorts, hidden away in the midst of the Sri Lankan Air Force Base at Koggala, lies Eagle's Catalina, a nine-hole golf course. The lush green fairways offers golfing enthusiasts the opportunity to experience the beauty of the south in style while indulging in a game or two.
The museum, the ancestral home of Martin Wickramasignhe, a famed Sinhalese author, displays several items that showcase the islands cultural traditions; the house provides an added bonus for readers of the author who will recognise the location, as it is featured heavily in his work. The collection on display includes several dance pieces like costumes and instruments, colourful puppets, masks, carriages and even kitchen utensils. The museum also provides a great insight into the author's life as visitors can view the personal collection of photographs, memorabilia and other interesting material on the area.
There are number of historically significant places situated down south and among them are locations that played key roles in World War 2. Among all is the Koggala air base which held a significant importance to the war. It was home to the Royal Air forces PBY Catalina's Short Sunderlands, the legendary Sea plane squadrons of WWII. The importance behind the location is due to the fact that one of them located the Imperial Japanese navy sailing towards then Ceylon. In response, the allies sent a British fleet to engage the Japanese. Great gun battles took and place and much was both won and lost. Today, the airbase has been converted into a civilian airport for sea planes.
