Listly by Marti Gardner
The southern coast famous for beaches features a lot of activities and sightseeing opportunities. Here are some of the best highlights you'll expose yourself to when travelling around in Tangalle:
This temple is located 20km from Tangalle, on a boulder at a height of 660 feet. According to the ancient carvings on the rock, Mulkirigala dates back to over 2,000 years. The entire complex houses a Buddha statue and several cave temples. In 1826, a number of palm leaf manuscripts consisting of the key to translating the 'Mahawamsa' were found here. This paved way for many aspects of the country's history being translated from Pali to English and Sinhalese. When looking for a place to stay, look for hotels in Tangalle that offer comfortable accommodation and are equipped to arrange excursions in and around the area. Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort is in an excellent location, ideal to explore the South.
Located just over 20 km from Tangalle, this sanctuary is home to four endangered birds - Indian reef Heron, Glossy Ibis, Black-capped Purple Kingfisher and Sri Lankan Junglefowl. This sanctuary also consists of lagoons, rich marine life and mangroves, thus attracting many bird species.
The fortified city of Galle is located 90 minutes from Tangalle. The biggest highlight here is the Dutch Fort dating back to 1588. The fort also houses a number of restaurants and boutiques. Flag Rock, Dutch Reformed Church, Historical Mansion and Maritime Museum are other highlights here.
Visit Sri Lanka's largest wildlife park in Yala which is less than 2 hours away from Tangalle. On this amazing adventure you will see elephants, sloth bears, jackals, crocodiles, monkeys and the park's most famous residents, the leopards.
Head over to Mirissa for an experience of a lifetime. Hop aboard a cruise boat and venture into the open seas to get up, close and personal with humpback whales and sperm whales. Schools of dolphins will swim alongside your boat too. Depending on their mood, the whales perform various tricks like belly flops as well.
Located just a few kilometres from Tangalle, this beach area is known for five species of turtles that come to lay their eggs at night. The turtle watch programme here protects the nests till the eggs hatch and the turtles head to sea. The turtles that come here to nest are Green turtles, Olive Ridley turtles, Leatherback, Loggerheads and Hawksbill turtles.
Located just over an hour away, this is another interesting wildlife experience. Showcasing over 20km of beach fronts, lagoons and mangroves, Bundala is home to about 150 species of birds including large flocks of flamingos. Crocodiles and elephants are aplenty too. During the months between October and January, many sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs.