Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
1
Hanging ten on the endless rights of chilled-out surf mecca
Arugam Bay
2
Seeking out blue whales and spinner dolphins on boat trips from
Uppuveli
and
Nilaveli
3
Chasing a skittish leopard - or monitoring the treetops for sleeping cats -
4
Snorkelling or diving with reef sharks around
Pigeon Island National Park
5
Venturing up a lost highway past empty sandy beaches, lagoons and man-
groves
north of Nilaveli
6
Listening to the quiet ripple of the water and watching rainbow-coloured
kingfishers flit around mangroves on
Pottuvil Lagoon
7
Napping in a hammock on a hill overlooking the sea at
Lighthouse Point
8
Exploring the fortress, Hindu temples and sights in the historic port of
Trin-
Monaragala
055
If you're coming from the touristy Hill Country, then Monaragala will probably be your
first stop in the East. A bustling place with a huge Sunday market, it's a good introduction
to the region. The town nestles beneath Peacock Rock, a round-topped forest-covered
mountain.
Upgraded roads and improved transport connections means that few travellers now
break their journey in Monaragala these days, but the town's unhurried ambience and leafy
avenues have a certain appeal.
Sights & Activities
An easy but beautiful hike starts near the bus station. Walk five minutes past a colourful
little Hindu
Ganesh Temple
to the ageing rubber factory, then veer left to a rock-paved
footpath that climbs between attractive boulder fields through Monaragala's famous rubber
plantations. A much more demanding trek is the full-day round trip to the summit of the
densely forested
Maragala Rock
. There is no set trail up the mountain and you'll need a
