Yala

Covering an area of 979 square kilometres, home for 44 species of mammals ranging from elephants, leopards, deer, sambars and sloth bears, giving shelter to 215 species of birds, bordering the Indian Ocean is Yala National park, only smaller to Wilpaththu national park. Though the majority of the park is closed for conservation issues, the parts that are open are already filled with wilderness and wild life that will be a great experience to any wild life lover. Spotting large herds of elephants as they waddle towards the water ponds, or finding a leopard lazily basking on a rock underneath the hot sun, coming through a water buffalo soaked in water with only its head up, are scenes that you wouldn’t miss in any day at the park.

This Buddhist monastery is a creation by King Kavantissa, and as the word translates, it truly is a hill for the quite mind, still radiating a quiet, calm, relaxingly sacred environment as it did in the ancient world. Sithulpawwa has been a place of worship for devotees and a centre of Buddhist education for Buddhist monks over 2200 years ago. The Viharaya consists of a large number of stupas, Buddha statues and cave temples. Many valuable items which are rich in historical value as well as architectural value are found throughout the temple.

Famous for a wide variety of birds ranging from large flocks of vibrantly coloured migrant water fowls, wading birds, storks and more, Kumana is a park which favours birds from its environment to its vegetation and for its many water ponds. Kumana in the ancient world dates back to the earliest centuries as it was situated on the route of the annual foot pilgrimage of the Hindu temple at Kataragama. Richly filled with flora and fauna Kumana is a park filled with lagoons, tanks supporting the bird life of the park and inviting many foreign migrating birds.

Kataragama is a holy and sacred town of pilgrimage for Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim believers and sometimes even worshippers come all the way from South India to pay their respect and worship. The temple is a shrine dedicated to Kataragama God and also part of the temple complex is an Islamic Mosque. Katharagama God is given a lot of respect and reverence from people of every religion and casts as he represents a very powerful god that helps the worshipers in their personal and business issues.
Note: July and August draws a lot of pilgrims due to the Kataragama Festival.