Minneriya National Park in Sri Lanka

Minneriya National Park

Minneriya National Park is another famous tourist destination in Sri Lanka. The place is widely popular due to its largest elephant gathering. It belongs to the Polonnaruwa District of North Central Province. Minneriya National Park is the home to many wild animals. This covers 8889.4 ha.

Location

Minneriya National Park is situated 182km away from Colombo city. It needs almost 4 hours to reach the capital. The distance from Kandy is about 105km. It will take around 3 hours to reach this from there. Google Maps will help you find the location. Dambulla, Sigiriya, and Polonnaruwa are some of the most visited tourist destinations on the island. Those locations are not far from this national park. Therefore, many of them don’t miss this place to visit.

History

Minneriya Tank, or what the locals call “Minneriya Wewa,” is an ancient construction. It was made by King Mahasen in the 3rd century AD. The purpose of the tank was to supply essential water for paddy cultivation. The surrounding forest was the main water source for the tank. Apart from that, the Amban River and Elahera Canal bring water to the Minneriya Tank.

The tank and its surrounding forest were declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1938. It was further declared as a national park in 1997/08/12. The aim of the declaration was to protect the tank and wildlife of the area.

Climate

The Minneriya National Park and surrounding area receive an average annual rainfall of 1000–1500 mm. The average annual temperature is around 25–30 °C. The North-Eastern Monsoon is the main rainfall source and it is active from October until February. There is a clear dry season from May to September.

Wildlife

Minneriya National Park is home to 24 mammal species, 1600 bird species, 9 amphibian species, 25 reptile species, 26 fish species, and 75 butterfly species.

Some of the birds that you can watch here are the Sri Lankan Junglefowl, Sri Lankan Hanging Parrot, and brown-capped babbier. It is a paradise for both resident and migrant birds. Along with them, you can identify the Sri Lankan Leopard, Sri Lankan Sloth Bear, Sri Lankan Sambar Deer, Buffalo and two types of endemic monkeys.

Elephants

Minneriya is best known for its largest elephant gatherings. Group of 150 – 300 wild elephants can identify together in the dry seasons. Elephants in Matale, Polonnaruwa, Trincomalee disticts migrate to Minneriya National Park in the dry season. They gather around the Minneriya Tank because of the food and water. Therefore, May to September time period consider as the best time to visit this sanctuary.

There are many Safari service providers around this national park. So, you can pick one of them to plan your wildlife tour. As well as you, there are many hotels and lodges for tourists in Dambulla, Sigiriya, Habarana and Girithale areas. This is the National Park that you should visit if you love Sri Lankan Elephants and widlife.

Read more from our Website:

Day Tour at Polonnaruwa Ancient City

( Cover Image Credit: Stephen Blaxhall )

Victoria Park in Nuwara Eliya

Victoria Park Nuwara Eliya

Victoria Park is a popular place to visit in Nuwara Eliya. It is a public park that is situated near the Nuwara Eliya post office. The park is open all year and is managed by the Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council.

Queen Victoria Park got this name in 1897 to commemorate the 60th jubilee of Queen Victoria. Initially, this was a research field for Hakgala Botanical Garden. Oak was the first plant established here. The entire park covers 27 ha (27 acres). Annually, more than 100,000 visitors come to Victoria Park. This also includes 4,000–5,000 foreign visitors.

Victoria Park is a beautiful place with many plants, flowers, and birds. The ever-green atmosphere is superb for anyone to free their minds. This is considered a rich place for birds, which includes the Kashmir Flycatcher and Indian Pitta. There you can see different types of flowers that multiply the beauty of the park. The months of March, April, August, and September are the flower-booming seasons in Nuwara Eliya.

There is a kids’ play area and train tours for adults. It is open from 7 am to 7 pm every day. Visitors should buy tickets to enter. Ideal place for a family trip. Nanu Oya flows through the park, which has generated a few small lakes.

Nuwara Eliya is a fabulous place for tourists. The cold climate attracts tourists, and that has given the name of ‘Little England in Sri Lanka” to Nuwara Eliya. The annual rainfall is around 2500mm and the annual temperature is around 15’C. Tea is the major crop in this area, and the majority of the people are Tamil.

Other than Victoria Park, Single Tree Hills, Lovers Leap Waterfall, Horton Plains, Gregory Park, and Hakgala Botanical Garden are some of the other places to visit in the Nuwara Eliya region.

You can plan your Nuwara Eliya City Tour with Mahaweli Tours & Holidays. Just call: 0777 111 553 or drop a mail to: info@mahaweli.lk

Best places for surfing in Sri Lanka

Best Surfing Places in Sri Lanka

Do you want to have an exhilarating surfing experience and looking surfing places in Sri Lanka ? And what is more relaxing than an exciting surfing session, good food, sea breeze, and music? When surfers visit Sri Lanka, they have an exquisite experience in the sea. There is a time period for each coast. But around the island, there is always a spot for surfing. This beautiful island has so many activities to do and places to see. Water sports are one of the things Sri Lanka is famous for. Out of all, surfing is their top-notch water activity.

A little bit about surfing coasts in Sri Lanka

Generally, the southern side of the island is ideal for surfing between November and May because the waves are at their best. The best time for surfing in the eastern part of the island is between April to October.

Here’s the deal:                                                   

Let us see the best surfing places in Sri Lanka

Hikkaduwa is the most famous surfing spot in Sri Lanka. Situated in the southwest coast in the island, Hikkaduwa makes a beautiful beach. It is always full of life because of surfing, corals and many other beach activities. This coast is loved by locals and foreigners alike. Bennys, Main Reef, North Jetty, and Beach Break are the major surfing spots in Hikkaduwa.

Unawatuna Bay is another famous spot for surfing. It is more suitable for family vacations as nightlife is not so happening like in Hikkaduwa. But the waves are as good as the other ones, making it one of the famous spots. The best surfing spots in Unawatuna Bay are Dalawella Reef, Unawatuna Beach Break, Bonavista Bay, South Beach, and Kabalana Beach Break.

If you are a beginner in surfing, Weligama is the most ideal place to start from. It has suitable waves for surfing all around the year.

Arugam Bay on the east is one of the most loved surfing spots. It is best to visit this bay in April and September. These famous spots in Arugam Bay will give you an exciting surfing experience; Pottuvil and Whiskey Point, Baby Point and Main Point, and Elephant Rock.

Sri Lanka is surrounded by the Indian Ocean and the rain hits the waves in different directions throughout the year. Generally, the country always has a surfing spot available for surfers, bringing them from all around the world, throughout the year.

The Bottom Line:

Sri Lanka has surfing spots for beginners as well as experts. There are surfing places in Sri Lanka that is suitable for each category. You can experience a happening surfing experience followed by all-night entertainment in Hikkaduwa, or you can go with your family for an enjoyable surfing experience followed by amazing Sri Lankan food at Unawatuna Bay. Either way, you can experience bouncy waves and water crashing on the rocks while surfing blue waters.

Read More: Beautiful Beaches of Sri Lanka

(Cover Image Credit: TZ-Sportfotos)
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