KATHARAGAMA

Katharagama is a most popular and pilgrimage town sacred to Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and indigenous Vedda people of Sri Lanka. People from South India also go there to worship. It is a small town with clean, tree lined roads with rows of stalls selling garlands & platters of fruit-coconut, mango watermelon also it has a network of hotels, guest houses as well as free pilgrim rests.

• Katharagama Devalaya

This is a most important shrine. It contains the lance of the six-faced, 12-armed Hindu war god, Skanda, who is seen as identical to the Kataragama Deviyo. Followers make offerings at daily puja and outside this shrine are two large boulders, against which pilgrims smash burning coconuts while muttering a prayer.

• Kiri wehera

An impressive 29m white dagoba in the north of the sacred compound. One of the most popular Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the country, Kiri Vehera is among the Solosmasthana, the 16 most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage sites of ancient Sri Lanka. 

• Sella Katharagama

Sella Kataragama is the place where god Kataragama first met his first consort Valli Amma. The tree lined, well sheltered road makes the drive pleasant.and located 5km from Kataragama is the small town of Sella Kataragama.

• Bundala National Park

This park is an internationally important wintering ground for migratory water birds in Sri Lanka and it is a unique area. Bundala harbors 197 species of birds, the highlight being the greater flamingo, which migrate in large flocks. The thorny scrub jungle is home to spotted deer, the rare pangolin and the playful grey langur monkey. Bundala, the world at the edge where the land, the sea, and the wetlands meet.

• Mirijjawila Botanical Garden

Mirijjawila Botanical Garden is one of the five botanical gardens in Sri Lanka and also attract a large number of local visitors. The garden will also provide opportunities for ecotourism and economic development in this area and to model dry zone landscape improvement.

• Rekhava Safe Sea

Due to pollution caused by visitors as well as various activities in the surrounding beach areas, the pollution level was high and part of the programme was to reduce pollution in the area, to ensure that visitors have safe bathing places. There will be signboards in these bathing areas to indicate the safety of the location for bathing. This would be done in keeping with international standards, as most tourists too are attracted to the local beaches. This is the place to most suitable for bathing.

• Mangrove Beach

Overview of Mangrove Beach Cabanas-Tangalle. Mangrove Beach Cabanas is an eco-experience for people who want to get back to nature. And it features a sun terrace and a private beach area. You can enjoy the on-site restaurant. Free Wi-Fi is provided and free private parking is available on site.

• Thangalla Beach

It’s a nice little beach with a few restaurants. It’s a clean, intimate beach, perfectly fine to spend a lazy afternoon and this beach is amazing for swimming, body surfing and body boarding. A lot of tourists in the area, but everyone’s relaxed and peaceful which is wonderful. You can just visit any small drink and food shack on the beach and order a nice ginger beer and coconut before jumping into the calm amazing sea.

• Hummanaya Blow Hole

Hummanaya Blowhole is the only known blowhole in Sri Lanka and it is considered to be the second largest blowhole in the world. “Hummanaya” refers to the noise, “hoo”, that can be heard a distance away when the blowhole is active. Seeing it was an exhilarating experience and one that shouldn’t be missed.

• Blue Beach Island

Such an enchanting island, From the pathway that leads to this little place, to the edge of those rock boulders at the furthermost point, the views are irreplaceable. The turquoise coloured sea and countless rocks with imprinted patterns, truly match with its name, “Blue Beach Island”.

• Surfing Beach

Tangalle Surf Location is known for its luxury villas and resorts, hardly for any surfing.

Tangalle break needs the right amount of wind and tide to work, therefore frequency of breaking is not every day during the south season. Reef underneath, with rocks by the side, you can count yourself extremely lucky if you’re in the lineup in Tangalle when it’s working.

• Paravi Duwa Temple

Inside the temple you can meet a lot of people at praying, but specially on some Holidays – “Pooja” and other. Main pavement is destroyed, but You can go around. The main building. Good Seaview and best place to be real photographer. There are so many Temples in very scenic places in Sri Lanka but this is certainly one of the best for scenery and proximity to the great Indian Ocean.