Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Plan Your Trip
National Parks & Safaris
Sri Lanka is one of the finest wildlife-watching countries in South Asia. The
island may be small in size, but the variety of habitats, and the wildlife found
there, would do justice to a country many times its size. Even a visitor with
only the most casual of interest can't help but be overawed by the sight of
great herds of elephants, enormous whales, elusive leopards, schools of
dolphins, hundreds of colourful birds, and reefs teeming with rainbow-col-
oured fish.
The Sri Lankan tourism industry hasn't been slow to cotton on to the coun-
try's wildlife-watching potential, and an impressive array of national parks,
protected zones and safari options exist that allow anyone, from dedicated
naturalists to interested lay persons, to get out there with a pair of binocu-
lars and make the most of the Sri Lankan wilderness.
Wildlife by Region
West, South & East
The West is best for marine life, but Wilpattu National Park has large mammals, and
birders will like Muthurajawela Marsh. The south coast is home to whales and turtles,
and Yala National Park is one of the best places in Asia to see leopards. In the East
there are quiet national parks and bird species that prefer drier climates than the West
and South.
The Hill Country
The hills have rainforests, moorlands and savannah parks with everything from ele-
phants to endemic high country birds.
