Amazing Lanka – A photo Journey to the Island Nation in the Indian Ocean
site search
SRI LANKA HAS A DOCUMENTED HISTORY THAT SPANS OVER 2,600 YEARS, BUT THERE ARE FACTS TO SUGGEST THAT SRI LANKA HAD PREHISTORIC HUMAN SETTLEMENTS DATING BACK TO AT LEAST 125,000 YEARS. ITS GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION AND DEEP HARBORS MADE IT OF GREAT STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE FROM THE TIME OF THE ANCIENT SILK ROAD THROUGH TO WORLD WAR II. SRI LANKA IS A DIVERSE COUNTRY, HOME TO MANY RELIGIONS, ETHNICITIES AND LANGUAGES. IT IS THE LAND OF THE SINHALESE, SRI LANKAN TAMILS, MOORS, INDIAN TAMILS, BURGHERS, MALAYS, KAFFIRS AND THE ABORIGINAL VEDDA. SRI LANKA HAS A RICH BUDDHIST HERITAGE, AND THE FIRST KNOWN BUDDHIST WRITINGS OF SRI LANKA, THE PĀLI CANON, DATES BACK TO THE FOURTH BUDDHIST COUNCIL IN 29 BCE .
THE PURPOSE OF THIS SITE IS TO CREATE A DEEPER AWARENESS OF ALL THE ATTRACTIONS OF SRI LANKA THUS DEVELOP A RICHER APPRECIATION OF WHAT OUR ANCESTORS AND NATURE HAS PROVIDED US WITH.
SRI LANKA IS HOME TO ONE OF OLDEST CIVILIZATIONS IN THE WORLD WITH A WRITTEN HISTORY COVERING THE LAST 2600 YEARS.
SRI LANKAN CIVILIZATION WAS NATURED AND NOURISHED BY BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY THROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY AND WAS BUILT ON A THEME KNOWN AS “WAWAI DAGOBAI, GAMAI PANSALAI” WHICH SIMPLY MEANS EVERY VILLAGE CONSISTED OF A IRRIGATION TANK, A BUDDHIST TEMPLE AND A STUPA.
SEVEN PLACES IN SRI LANKA HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED AS WORLD HERITAGE SITES UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF WORLD CULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HERITAGE ADOPTED BY UNESCO ON NOVEMBER 16, 1972. SRI LANKANS ARE PROUD TO HAVE SEVEN WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN SUCH A SMALL COUNTRY.
SRI LANKAN CIVILIZATION WAS NATURED AND NOURISHED BY BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY THROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY AND WAS BUILT ON A THEME KNOWN AS “WAWAI DAGOBAI, GAMAI PANSALAI” WHICH SIMPLY MEANS EVERY VILLAGE CONSISTED OF A IRRIGATION TANK, A BUDDHIST TEMPLE AND A STUPA.
SEVEN PLACES IN SRI LANKA HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED AS WORLD HERITAGE SITES UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF WORLD CULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HERITAGE ADOPTED BY UNESCO ON NOVEMBER 16, 1972. SRI LANKANS ARE PROUD TO HAVE SEVEN WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN SUCH A SMALL COUNTRY.
Heritage of Sri Lanka (New Additions)
Mavadivembu Archaeological Ruins in Batticaloa – මඩකලපුව මාවඩිවෙම්බු පුරාවිද්යා ස්ථානයThe Mavadivembu Archaeological site was discovered by the Ampara Archaeology team in 2017. The circumference of the stupa is 32 meters. 7 more buildings in addition to the stupa has been identified at the site. In 2019, it was reported that a person has bulldozed the stupa, and the surrounding ruins of the ancient temple complex to plant coconut, chilies and other vegetables. […]
Ruins of Puliyankulama Pabbata Viharaya in Anuradhapura – අනුරාධපුර පුලියන්කුලම පබ්බත විහාරය පුරාවිද්යා නටබුන්Puliyankulama (Puliyankulam) is an ancient Buddhist monastery made in the form of a pabbata vihara architecture lying on the outskirts of Anuradhapura on the Anuradhapura - Rambewa road (towards Jaffna),. […]
Omalpe Purana Tampita Viharaya – ඕමල්පේ පුරාණ ටැම්පිට විහාරයThe Tampita Viharaya at the Omalpe Purana Viharaya is similar in structure of the Walalgoda Tampita Viharaya which lies few kilometers away. The structure is built on nine 6 feet 6 six inch high granite stumps. The lower area is built as a ground floor creating a two storied building. The complete structure is house is 65 feet 7 inches long and 40 feet 8 inches wide. […]
Pacina Tissa Pabbata Viharaya Ruins in Anuradhapura – අනුරාධපුර පාචීන තිස්ස පබ්බත විහාරය නටබුන්Ruins of the Pacina Tissa Pabbata Viharaya (Pachina Tissa Pabbata Viharaya) lies hidden from view beside the high level sluice of the Nuwarawewa Reservoir. Until recently this site was referred to as the Palace of Prince Saliya due to lack of understanding of the significance of these buildings. […]
Yathuru Pokuna (Key Pond) at Ruwanweli Maha Seya Monastery – රුවන්වැලි මහා සෑය අසළ යතුරු පොකුණYathuru Pokuna at Ruwanweli Maha Seya is quite large and made of stone blocks. Perfectly carved blocks of stones have been tightly fitted together to create the pond. The pond gradually enlarges itself from the bottom to the top. No historical information is found of the pond […]
Waterfalls
Hewainna Ella WaterfallHewainna Falls is a wide but small waterfall. The fall is evenly spread along the full length of the river and drops in 2 steps. The first one is about 1 meter in height and the second one is about 2 meters in height. […]
Upper Galdola Ella Waterfall on the Rakwana Soriyakanda Road – රක්වාන සූරියකන්ද මාර්ගයේ ගල්දොළ ඇල්ලUpper Galdola Ella is a small and beautiful waterfall lying on the picturesque Rakwana - Sooriyakanda road in Ratnapura District. This rather unknown waterfall lies just beside the road before the famous 10 elbow bends traveling from Rakwana. […]
Mulatiyana Kak Ella Waterfall hidden in the Maha Dola Forest Reservation – මහදොල රක්ෂිතයේ සැඟවුණු මුලටියන කාක් ඇල්ලKak Ella (Kaak Ella) is a small and beautiful waterfall lying in Mulatiyana Divisional Secretariat of Matara District in the village of Gammedagama. This rather unknown waterfall hidden in patch of forested area has become a recent attraction to the local as well as foreign tourists. […]
Beragala Chandani Ella Waterfall – බෙරගල චාන්දනී ඇල්ලChandani Ella is a small but beautiful waterfall lying in Bathgoda the Badulla District close to the Beragala town. Although this lies very close to Beragala, this is rather unknown little jewel as there is no proper road or path to waterfall. […]
Gedaramada Ella (Ellegala Ella) Waterfall – ගෙදරමඩ ඇල්ල (ඇල්ලේගල ඇල්ල)Gedaramada Ella (Ellegala Ella) Waterfall is an 10 meter high quite wide waterfall hidden in the jungles off Thalagune. You need to find your way through the jungle paths to reach this fall. […]
ALTHOUGH THE LAND AREA OF SRI LANKA IS RELATIVELY SMALL, IT HAS A WIDE DISTRIBUTION OF ECOSYSTEMS DUE TO DIFFERENT CLIMATIC CONDITIONS AND TOPOGRAPHY AND HAS A LARGE VARIETY OF FLORA AND FAUNA. THE FORESTS ARE ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE THE BIODIVERSITY OF LANKABE IS AT ITS MAXIMUM BECAUSE OF THE RARE FLORA AND FAUNA ENDEMIC TO SRI LANKA. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT SRI LANKA IS ONE OF THE 34 BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOTS IN THE WORLD.
Wildlife and Biodiversity of Sri Lanka (New Additions)
Whale Watching in Sri LankaWhile the world was counting whales elsewhere a small population of whales around Sri Lanka, was growing unseen and unchecked by everybody due to the 30 years of old terrorist war. […]
Hiyare Reservoir Rainforest and Biodiversity Research Center – ගාල්ල හියාරේ රක්ෂිතයHiyare is a secondary lowland rain forest with a high diversity and endemism of species. There are 12 species of dragonflies and 3 butterfly species endemic to this area. […]
Pigeon Island National Park – පරෙවි දූපත් ජාතික වනෝද්යානයPigeon Island National Park consists of two small islands off the east coast north of Trincomalee and is popular destination for scuba diving and snorkeling. […]
Lunugamvehera National Park – ලුනුගම්වෙහෙර ජාතික වනෝද්යානයThe Lunugamvehera National Park was established for protection as a corridor for elephant migration from the Yala National Park to the Uda Walawe National Park's Western region […]
Lahugala Kitulana National Park – ලාහුගල කිතුලාන ජාතික වනෝද්යානයThe Lahugala Kitulana National Park lies in the eastern boarders of Sri Lanka is most popular for its free roaming Elephants and the abundance of local and migratory birds. […]
Attractions
Memorial of Nuwarawewa Bandara near Ruwanweliseya – රුවන්වැලිසැය අසල නුවරවැව බණ්ඩාර සිහිවටන එලකයThe memorial of the last direct descendent of the prince Bodhiguptha lies in view of Ruwanweliseya and reads - Memorial of Nuwarawewa Bulakulame Bandara, the custodian of the Atamasthana and the son of Anuradhapura Nuwarawewa Bulankulame Sooriyakumara Vannisinghe, The Nilame of Sathpatthu Mahavanni - at Ruwanweliseya premises […]
Ridiyagama Safari Park in Hambantota – හම්බන්තොට රිදියගම සෆාරි උද්යානයRidiyagama Safari Park is 500 acre safari park, zoo in Ridiyagama area of Hambantota District, Sri Lanka. The park was opened to the public on 28 May 2016. Although the park reservation is 500 acres in size, only about 200 acres are currently been developed and is been gradually enlarged. […]
Hambantota Birds ParkThe Bird Park at Hambantota boast of being the Asia's largest Birds Park and Research Centre and is home to endemic and exotic birds with over 180 varieties and around 3200 birds. […]
Hambantota Dry Zone Botanic Gardens – හම්බන්තොට වියළි කලාපීය උද්භිද උද්යානයThe Dry Zone Botanic Gardens in Mirijjawila, Hambantota consist of plants, trees and herbal plants that are grown in the dry zone. Areas for a butterfly garden, a plant nursery, a student park, a plant conservation unit, a flower garden, and ornamental bushes have been separately developed. […]
Ancient Niloluwa Bridge over Gurugoda Oya in MabopitiyaThe Niloluwa bridge has been built in the Government Factory by a British engineer named E. C. Davies in 1897. This engineer has been instrumental in building number of bridges in Sri Lanka during this time. […]
CONSIDERING ITS SIZE, SRI LANKA PERHAPS HAS THE LARGEST DENSITY WATERFALLS IN THE WORLD. THERE ARE CLOSE TO 500 KNOWN WATERFALLS NAMED AND UNNAMED, SEASONAL AND PERENNIAL WITH THE TALLEST BEING 241 METERS AT BAMBARAKANDA
Waterfalls of Sri Lanka (New Additions)
Hewainna Ella WaterfallHewainna Falls is a wide but small waterfall. The fall is evenly spread along the full length of the river and drops in 2 steps. The first one is about 1 meter in height and the second one is about 2 meters in height. […]
Upper Galdola Ella Waterfall on the Rakwana Soriyakanda Road – රක්වාන සූරියකන්ද මාර්ගයේ ගල්දොළ ඇල්ලUpper Galdola Ella is a small and beautiful waterfall lying on the picturesque Rakwana - Sooriyakanda road in Ratnapura District. This rather unknown waterfall lies just beside the road before the famous 10 elbow bends traveling from Rakwana. […]
Mulatiyana Kak Ella Waterfall hidden in the Maha Dola Forest Reservation – මහදොල රක්ෂිතයේ සැඟවුණු මුලටියන කාක් ඇල්ලKak Ella (Kaak Ella) is a small and beautiful waterfall lying in Mulatiyana Divisional Secretariat of Matara District in the village of Gammedagama. This rather unknown waterfall hidden in patch of forested area has become a recent attraction to the local as well as foreign tourists. […]
Beragala Chandani Ella Waterfall – බෙරගල චාන්දනී ඇල්ලChandani Ella is a small but beautiful waterfall lying in Bathgoda the Badulla District close to the Beragala town. Although this lies very close to Beragala, this is rather unknown little jewel as there is no proper road or path to waterfall. […]
Gedaramada Ella (Ellegala Ella) Waterfall – ගෙදරමඩ ඇල්ල (ඇල්ලේගල ඇල්ල)Gedaramada Ella (Ellegala Ella) Waterfall is an 10 meter high quite wide waterfall hidden in the jungles off Thalagune. You need to find your way through the jungle paths to reach this fall. […]
Ancient Irregation Wonders
Ancient Wilewewa Amuna Across Yan OyaBuilt on a natural rock foundation, the Wilewewa Amuna is 42 meters long and 9.5 meters wide. It is difficult to get an idea of the height of the amuna as the top surface is completely destroyed. […]
Ancient Ilukwewa Amuna on Yan OyaThis ancient Ilukwewa Amuna is located below the Hurulu Wewa, which is located about 500 meters away from the main road of the Ilukwewa village on the Galenbindunuwewa - Kahatagasdigiliya road […]
Ancient Kokebe Amuna across Yan OyaThis amuna is located in the Anuradhapura District of the North Central Province bordering the Kahatagasdigiliya Divisional Secretariat. Remains of this ancient stone weir can be seen across Yan Oya which flows from the edge of the village of Ethalawetunuwewa on the Dachchahalmillewa - Kekirawa road. […]
Ancient Wahalkada Amuna on Yan OyaThis amuna is found across the Yan Oya in the jungle about 3 km from the D2 zone of the Wahalkada farming colony bordering the Anuradhapura and Trincomalee districts. […]
Buit by the Demons : Ancient Yakabamma Amuna on Kala Oya of King MahasenKing Mahasen (276-303) is said to have been able to work even with demons (Yakas) and the villagers call it the Yakabemma Palama as it is believed that this structure was built by the Yakas. […]
CONSIDERED THE LOST PARADISE BY ANCIENT TRAVELERS DUE TO WHAT NATURE HAS OFFERED IN FORM OF PRISTINE BEACHES TO ROMANTIC LANDSCAPES GOVERNED BY RISING MOUNTAINS, LUSH FORESTS, TANKS AS LARGE AS OCEANS AND ROAMING ANIMALS, SOME MUSLIMS AND CHRISTIANS WHO FIRST LANDED IN SRI LANKA BELIEVED THAT THEY HAVE DISCOVERED THE ORIGINAL GARDEN OF EDEN.
Attractions of of Sri Lanka (New Additions))
Memorial of Nuwarawewa Bandara near Ruwanweliseya – රුවන්වැලිසැය අසල නුවරවැව බණ්ඩාර සිහිවටන එලකයThe memorial of the last direct descendent of the prince Bodhiguptha lies in view of Ruwanweliseya and reads - Memorial of Nuwarawewa Bulakulame Bandara, the custodian of the Atamasthana and the son of Anuradhapura Nuwarawewa Bulankulame Sooriyakumara Vannisinghe, The Nilame of Sathpatthu Mahavanni - at Ruwanweliseya premises […]
Ridiyagama Safari Park in Hambantota – හම්බන්තොට රිදියගම සෆාරි උද්යානයRidiyagama Safari Park is 500 acre safari park, zoo in Ridiyagama area of Hambantota District, Sri Lanka. The park was opened to the public on 28 May 2016. Although the park reservation is 500 acres in size, only about 200 acres are currently been developed and is been gradually enlarged. […]
Hambantota Birds ParkThe Bird Park at Hambantota boast of being the Asia's largest Birds Park and Research Centre and is home to endemic and exotic birds with over 180 varieties and around 3200 birds. […]
Hambantota Dry Zone Botanic Gardens – හම්බන්තොට වියළි කලාපීය උද්භිද උද්යානයThe Dry Zone Botanic Gardens in Mirijjawila, Hambantota consist of plants, trees and herbal plants that are grown in the dry zone. Areas for a butterfly garden, a plant nursery, a student park, a plant conservation unit, a flower garden, and ornamental bushes have been separately developed. […]
Ancient Niloluwa Bridge over Gurugoda Oya in MabopitiyaThe Niloluwa bridge has been built in the Government Factory by a British engineer named E. C. Davies in 1897. This engineer has been instrumental in building number of bridges in Sri Lanka during this time. […]
SRI LANKA IS THE ONLY COUNTRY IN THE ANCIENT WORLD WHO INVENTED AND PERFECTED THE VALVE PIT SYSTEM CALLED BISO KOTUWA WHICH ENABLED THEM TO CREATE GIGANTIC IRRIGATION RESERVOIRS STARTING FROM 3RD CENTURY BC. THE EUROPEANS DISCOVERED AND USED THIS TECHNOLOGY IN THE 20TH CENTURY AND BY THIS TIME, SRI LANKA HAD ALREADY BUILD OVER 30,000 TANKS WHICH USED THE BISO KOTUWAS TO MANAGE PRESSURE CREATED BY THE GIGANTIC WATER VOLUMES
Water Heritage of Sri Lanka (New Additions)
Ancient Wilewewa Amuna Across Yan OyaBuilt on a natural rock foundation, the Wilewewa Amuna is 42 meters long and 9.5 meters wide. It is difficult to get an idea of the height of the amuna as the top surface is completely destroyed. […]
Ancient Ilukwewa Amuna on Yan OyaThis ancient Ilukwewa Amuna is located below the Hurulu Wewa, which is located about 500 meters away from the main road of the Ilukwewa village on the Galenbindunuwewa - Kahatagasdigiliya road […]
Ancient Kokebe Amuna across Yan OyaThis amuna is located in the Anuradhapura District of the North Central Province bordering the Kahatagasdigiliya Divisional Secretariat. Remains of this ancient stone weir can be seen across Yan Oya which flows from the edge of the village of Ethalawetunuwewa on the Dachchahalmillewa - Kekirawa road. […]
Ancient Wahalkada Amuna on Yan OyaThis amuna is found across the Yan Oya in the jungle about 3 km from the D2 zone of the Wahalkada farming colony bordering the Anuradhapura and Trincomalee districts. […]
Buit by the Demons : Ancient Yakabamma Amuna on Kala Oya of King MahasenKing Mahasen (276-303) is said to have been able to work even with demons (Yakas) and the villagers call it the Yakabemma Palama as it is believed that this structure was built by the Yakas. […]
IT IS VERY LIKELY THAT THE FIRST SETTLERS FROM INDIA HAD REACHED SRI LANKA AT LEAST AS EARLY AS ONE MILLION YEARS AGO – PERHAPS EARLIER.
BY ABOUT 125,000 BP IT IS CERTAIN THAT THERE WERE PREHISTORIC SETTLEMENTS IN SRI LANKA FROM THE EVIDENCE DISCOVERED AT BUNDALA. NUMBER OF CAVE SITES HAS BEEN DISCOVERED WITH EVIDENCE OF PREHISTORIC SETTLEMENTS HAS BEEN FOUND AROUND THE COUNTRY.
BY ABOUT 125,000 BP IT IS CERTAIN THAT THERE WERE PREHISTORIC SETTLEMENTS IN SRI LANKA FROM THE EVIDENCE DISCOVERED AT BUNDALA. NUMBER OF CAVE SITES HAS BEEN DISCOVERED WITH EVIDENCE OF PREHISTORIC SETTLEMENTS HAS BEEN FOUND AROUND THE COUNTRY.
Pre Historical sites of Sri Lanka (New Additions)
- Yapahuwa Megalithic Burial Site (Gal Sohon Kanatta) – යාපහුව මෙගලිතික ආදි මානව සුසාන භූමිය (ගල් සොහොන් කනත්ත)The prehistoric and historic heritage in the surrounding area of Yapahuwa has been preserved in the stone caves, rock shelters, inscriptions, graves and other ruins.. This rather unknown stone cist burial site in Yapahuwa called "Gal Sohon Kanatta" (stone tomb cemetery) by locals lies just 720 meters south to the popular Yapahuwa rock. […]
Kokebe Megalithic Burial Grounds in Yan Oya Valley – කොක්ඇබේ මෙගලිතික සුසාන භූමියKokebe is a remote village in the Kahatagasdigiliya Divisional Secretariat Division in the Anuradhapura District. Konwewa is the nearest village to Kokebe. […]
Mayakkai Prehistoric Limestone Caves in Jaffna – යාපනය මායක්කායි ප්රාග් ඓතිහාසික හිරිගල් ගුහාA couple of limestone caves in Mayakkai, Jaffna peninsula from which prehistoric stone hand axes have been discovered. No proper scientific research has been carried out at this site yet. […]
Waulpane Limestone Caves – වවුල්පනේ හුණුගල් ගුහාවWaulpone Caves ulpone, the 'legendary Rock Cave' with the unexpected archaeological evidence of a civilisation, tens of thousand years old, runs back to the time of the "Balangoda Man". […]
Agbopura Megalithic (Sumerian) Ancient Burial Site – අග්බෝපුර මෙගලිතික (සුමේරියන්) ආදි මානව සුසාන භූමියThe Megalithic Burial Ground at Agbopura in Vavuniya district was first discovered in 1970s and it was reported at almost 100 burials have been discovered spread over an area of 25 acres. […]