The Madhu River is a shallow water body in South-West Sri Lanka, which enters the Sea at Balapitiya. The Buddhist Amarapura Nikaya sect had its first Upasampada (higher ordination ceremony) on a fleet of boats anchored upon it in 1803. The Buddhist Kothduwa Temple is situated on an isolated island in the Lake. It has being home to 303 species of plants belonging to 95 families and to 248 species of vertebrate animals. It might be one of the last remaining mangrove forests in Sri Lanka. The inhabitants of its islets produce peeled Cinnamon and Cinnamon oil. The Madhu River wetland was declared in 2003, in terms of the Ramsar convention.
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), popular for strolling. It’s famed for its sacred Buddhist sites, including the Temple of the tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa) shrine, and for its Esala Perahera annual procession.
Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is an orphanage, nursery and captive breeding ground for wild Asian Elephants located at Pinnawala village, 13 km northeast of Kegalle town in Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri lanka. Pinnawala is notable for having the largest herd of captive elephants in the world. In 2011, there were 88 elephants, including 39 males and 49 females from 03 generations, living in Pinnawala. The orphanage was originally founded in order to afford care and protection to many of the orphaned unweaned wild elephants found wandering in and near the forests of Sri Lanka. It was established in 1975 by the Sri Lanka Department of Wildlife Conservation.
Being on the Southern coast of Sri Lanka in the bay of Galle, the fort was first built by the Portuguese in 1588 before being extensively fortified by the Dutch in the mid – 1600s. Recognized by UNESCO for its cultural heritage value, the fort was declared a world Heritage site in 1988 as a unique exposition of “an urban ensemble which illustrates the interaction of European architecture and South Asian traditions from the 16th to the 19th centuries”.
Yala National park is the most visited and second largest national park in Sri Lanka. Yala was designated as a wildlife sanctuary in 1900, and, along with Wilpattu was one of the first two national parks in Sri Lanka, having been designated in 1938. The park is the best known for its variety of wild animals. It is important for the conservation of Sri Lankan elephants, Sri Lankan leopards and aquatic birds.
Yala hosts a variety of ecosystems ranging from moist monsoon forests to freshwater and marine wetlands. It is one of the 70 important Bird Areas in Sri Lanka. Yala harbors 215 bird species including six endemic species of Sri Lanka. The number of mammals that has been recorded from the park is 44, and it has one of the highest leopard densities in the world.
Nuwara Eliya is a city in the hill country of the Central province, Sri Lanka. Its name means “City on the plain (table land)” or “City of light”. The city is the administrative capital of Nuwara Eliya District, with a picturesque landscape and temperate climate. It is at an altitude of 1,868 m and is considered to be the most important location for Tea production in Sri Lanka. The city is overlooked by Pidurutalagala, the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya is known for its temperate, cool climate – the coolest area in Sri Lanka.
Udawalawa National Park was created to provide a sanctuary for wild animals displaced by the construction of the Udawalawa Reservoir on the Walawe River, as well as to protect the catchment of the reservoir. The park is 165 kilometers from Colombo. Udawalawa is an important habitat for water birds and Sri Lankan elephants. It is a popular tourist destination and the third most visited park in the country.
Sinharaja Forest Reserve is a national park and a biodiversity hotspot in Sri Lanka. It is of international significance and has been designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
The hilly virgin rainforest was designated a world heritage site in 1988. The reserve’s name translates as Lion Kingdom. It is a treasure trove of endemic species, including trees, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. The forest consists with high peaks that move towards clouds very famous Sinhagala, Pinipitigala and Mulawella peaks.
Kithulgala is a small town in the West of Sri Lanka. It is in the wet zone rain forest, which gets two monsoons each year, and is one of the wettest places in the country. The academy Award-winning “The Bridge on the River Kwai” was filmed on the Kelani River near Kithulgala.
Kithulgala specialized with white water rafting which starts a few kilometers upstream. Kithulgala white water rafting takes about a 90 minute run each for 6.5 km with five rapids graded 2 and 3. The rapids with their own distinctive characters are aptly named: Head Chopper, Virgn’s Breast, Buffer Crunch, Killer Fal and the Rib Cage. Riding modern rafts equipped with safety gear, White Water Rafting at Kithulgala is safe for even kids over 10 years in age which gives the chance to enjoy the stunning tropical scenery of the region. This adrenaline filled adventure sport is suitable for first time rafters and experts alike.
Belihuloya is a hillside location is a climatically transitional area, linking both the dry and wet zones and the hill and low country. Belihuloya, is derived from the Belihuloya (Oya being the Sinhala word for River), which flows through the area.
The area around Belihuloya contains a number of waterfalls including
Samanala Dam is the second – largest hydroelectric scheme in Sri Lanka. Based on Samanala Wewa Reservoir built the Samanala Dam to generate 405 Gwh of energy annually.
Rathnapura is a major city in Sri Lanka and is a traditional center for the Sri Lankan gem trade. It is located on the Kalu Ganga (Black River) in South Central Sri Lanka, some 101 km SouthEast of the country’s capital, Colombo. The name Rathnapura is a Sanskrit word meaning “City of Gems” from the Sanskrit words Pura (town) and rathna (gemstone). Tea grown in this region is called low-country tea. There is a well-established tourism industry in Rathnapura. Nearby Punchi Dambadiwa (Buddhist temple in a hill side location), Bopath Ella, Divaguhawa (Historical place visited by Lord Buddha), Adam’s peak and Kithulgala are specially popular among tourists.
Lotus Paradise is a mind blowing masterpiece built by nature with overlooking of the Madhu River and Mountain chain in Down South, Sri Lanka. Madhu River and its environment flows towards you with the historical importance and international recognition hence Madhu River was declared as third remaining wetland in Sri Lanka by Ramsar convention in 2004. Roof top view take you for the real mean of infinity with the mixing of quiet, calm and scenes of remarkable landscapes.
