Yala National Park is Sri Lanka’s premier wildlife destination, famous for having one of the world’s highest leopard densities. Its diverse terrain—ranging from dense jungles to pristine beaches—is home to elephants, sloth bears, and crocodiles. A 4×4 safari here offers an unforgettable, raw encounter with nature’s finest.
The Tamarind Tree in the novel Village in the Jungle by Leonard Wolf is the tree which he used to hold the mobile court when he visited the area during 1908-1911. The tree lies hidden adjoining the main road in Meegahajandura between Udawalawe – Thanamalwila road and Hambantota, A billboard lies underneath the tree identifying the significance of the tree.
Chendugala is a small solitary hillock situated just 6 km north of Tissamaharama in a remote area. At the foothill of the hillock lies an modern temple and a pirivena named Saliyapura Vidyapradeepa Maha Pirivena.
Beralihela is a solitary hill covered in jungle situated between Lunugamvehera and Kataragama in Hambantota District. Several natural cave shelters have been discovered on the slopes be seen on the slopes and there is evidence that some of these caves were used by the Buddhist monks in the period around 250 BCE. A cave situated…
Binkemhela is a solitary mountain range lying along the south-west to north-east axis in Tissamaharama. Several naturally formed cave shelters with dripledges carved in are found on the southern slopes of this mountain. According to Paranavitana, the practice of carving the drip-ledges on the cave roofs of the natural cave shelters was a common architectural activity of the period between 300 BCE to 50 CE.
Galapitagala is a small hillock situated in Beralihela area between Lunugamvehera and Kataragama in Hambantota District. On the south-western slope, there is a cave with some signs of human habitation. In the space inside the cave, two rubble walls can be seen.
Sandagirigala Aranya is built on an ancient monastic complex of the Magama kingdom. There are about twenty-five caves on the slopes of this hillock. Some of these caves have signs of ancient human habitation.
This cave is situated on a slightly elevated terrace about 6 metres above the surrounding ground. The drip ledge caved on the brow of the cave roof furnishes precise indication about the date of early human association of the cave.
A place popularly known as Galkanuwatta is situated close to the ancient tank at Debarawewa. Several undressed and fragmented stone pillars are scattered at the site. The present state of preservation of the structural remains at the site does not permit further identification of the construction.
Today aka Amuna consists of several undressed stones scattered on the river as well as outside the waterline. Except for the remnants of the earthen wall of this construction, no other parts were visible on the ground.
Ruins of a stone pillared building have been observed at a place situated in the midst of a rice field in the village Nädigamvila on the right bank of Kirindi Oya. A large stone slab was found at the site.
Ellegala Amuna is a site of an ancient anicut built across the upper floodplain of the Kirindi Oya. The main purpose of the canal, especially during floods, was to divert excess water from the reservoir at Ellegala to Tissa Wewa situated close to the urban hub of Tissamaharama.
Weerawila Gal Amuna (Galamuna) is a site, where one of the earliest irrigation dams was built across the Kirindi Oya. This would have been a small stone built dam constructed for the purpose of controlling the floods of the main stream. At present there is no evidence of the ancient dam at the site except the large natural stones lying in the riverbed.
Ikkapallama is a village situated in the left bank of Kirindi Oya. During the survey exploration in the year 1999, one area of this village has been identified as an ancient site. This is the area around the present Buddhist monastery Sri Dakshinarama Rajamaha Viharaya of Ikkapallama.
Yodha Maha Wewa is a remote jungle region which lies on the eastern border of the Bundala National Park in the Southern Province. The site with the ancient Buddhist ruins are located about 100 meters north of the Yodha Maha Wewa reservoir.
Several stone pillars still remain at the Tissamaharama Bisowela Archaeology Site. The distribution pattern of these stone pillars is almost rectangular. A high degree of scattering of the surface artefacts can also be observed at the site.
Tissamaharama Veheragodella site consist of a ruined brick construction but the actual architectural form cannot be determined due to the destruction caused by the treasure hunters in recent times. Intensive scattering of brickbats can be seen all over the site.
“Paskema” is rocky plateau inside the block III of Yala National Park and lies about 1.7km east to the Galge Entrance to the Yala. If faces the gravel road from Galge entrance to the Kumbukkan Oya river.
Akasa Chethiya js a a stupa belonging to an monastic complex belonging to 2-3 century BC on top of the massive Elephant Rock inside Yala National Park (Block 1)
Ridiyagama Safari Park is Sri Lanka’s first 500-acre open-air zoo, where visitors are “caged” in buses or jeeps while animals roam freely. This African-style safari features distinct zones for lions, tigers, and herbivores like zebras and giraffes. It offers a safe, thrilling wildlife encounter perfect for families.
