Fantastic Things to Do in Ahungalla - Experience Ahungalla's Enchanting Charms!

The Madu River is an intricate ecosystem with thickets of dense mangroves and islets. It is among the few extant tracts of preserved mangrove woodlands on the island. A boat safari is the best way to experience hundreds of animals and plant species. Being observant will allow you to witness monkeys eating fruit high up in the trees, while water monitors gracefully glide along the water. The bird species are incredibly diverse, with egrets, kingfishers and cormorants, patiently waiting on the river banks for their prey. A river tour will take around 1- 2 hours, while you can also visit some of the 64 islands found on the river and its lagoon. Some are specks that contain a solitary shrine, while others accommodate a whole village. You can find many hotels in Ahungalla near the estuary, and the likes of Heritance Ahungalla are among the best-known luxury hotels around the area.

Ambalangoda is the nearest village to Ahungalla and is well-known for its traditional mask-making. If you visit the mask museum, you will see a wide variety of extraordinary hand-made masks. Most of these masks are crafted from kaduru, a malleable, light wood comparable to balsa. After etching the masks, it's smoothed with coarse leaves or fish skin. Masks have several purposes in Sinhalese culture and are predominantly featured in customary dance rituals like devil-dancing (exorcism rites), theatre, pageants and parades. The masks portray intriguing characters, some are caricatures of ordinary people, while the fascinating yet eerie demon masks have fascinating village folklore behind them. The museum further exhibits puppets, which are operated with strings. The typical size of a puppet is about 4 feet, while those portraying kings and aristocrats are taller and bigger. Puppetry is a dying art form in Sri Lanka, and a spectacle worth watching if given the opportunity.

Lunuganga is the estate of the famous Sri Lankan architect, Geoffrey Bawa. This is a place where he experimented with his creative genius for over 50 years. He purchased the land extending towards the lake and bordering the peninsula in 1948. It was a rubber estate at the time, which Bawa painstakingly transformed to achieve his artistic vision. In one instance, he sliced off the summit of a cliff to enhance the sights of the lake! You won't find neat flower beds here, but a raw experimentation in space, scale and light. For example, a sequence of outdoor enclosures cleverly frames a hilltop Buddhist stupa, while Grecian statues deck the panorama. On his demise in 2003, the estate was given to a Trust, which maintains the premises to this day.

Kothduwa Purana Raja Maha Viharaya is located five kilometres from Ahungalla, towards the interior of the town. This ancient temple is a spiritual sanctuary nestled beside the Madhu River and can only be accessed by motorboat. This temple is regarded as a sacred site because it was sanctified with 32 bo-saplings (Ficus Religiosa) that were brought from India during the reign of King Great Parakramabahu (1153-1186 CE).

The Kosgoda Turtle Conservation Project is just 9 minutes from Ahungalla town. You will find a team of dedicated workers striving to protect these vulnerable animals. Several types of turtles visit the shores close to the hatchery, which is a rare occurrence! You can find Leatherback turtles, Olive Ridleys, Hawks Bill and Green turtles here. The workers patrol the beaches at night to locate nesting turtles. Once nesting is finished, the workers rescue the eggs and bring them back to the hatchery to be released once hatched.