Surfing tours in Sri lanka - Arugambay

Surfing tours in Sri lanka - Arugambay

ARUGAMBAY is on the list of thetop ten surf points in the world.Situated on the South East side of Sri Lanka Arugam Bay receives the same Antarctic winter swell's that hit Indonesia in the in the middle of the year. The best time of the year is between May and November when the predominant wind is offshore for at least the first half of the day. Due to its location and southerly swell direction the area is dominated by right hand point breaks. There is a beach break in front of the Stardust Hotel, which can be fun for body surfing or for beginners but that's about it. Three of the point breaks "The Point", "Pottuvil Point" and "Crocodile Rock" are within a ½ hour tuk-tuk ride from the center of line of hotels. There are several other points that are within a 1½-hour's ride or can be accessed by boat.

Arugambay, situated on the South-eastern coast of Sri Lanka , just next to Potuwil, around 320 km from Colombo , is a unique and versatile tourist destination. The uniqueness is that unlike many other coastal areas, it is unaffected by both the monsoons – South-west and North-east – which affect almost all other coastal areas for at least half the year. Even the rain during the monsoon is not continuous but intermittent, making it an year round tourist destination. The versatility of Arugambay is that, apart from being one of the Top Ten Surf Points in the world , it offers a vast clean beach, beautiful inland landscape, very rich birdlife, equally rich wildlife and even ruins of ancient Buddhist Culture. Excavations outside Potuwil have unearthed a 2000 year old Buddhist Temple named “ Muhudu Maha Viharaya” Despite being a popular Tourist Destination, Arugambay has remarkably preserved its' beauty, tranquility, charm and has remained unspoiled. This, coupled with the availability of cheap transport, low cost accommodation and its' friendly people, Arugambay is an ideal tourist destination to the ordinary tourist. However Arugambay has several star class hotels too, opening its' doors even to the high class tourist. Arugambay, only 2 km away from Potuwil which is the closest town with a population of around 12,000 inhabitants, consists of three villages, namely Ullae , Perie Ullae [ Bigger Ullae- Perie in Tamil is Big] and Sinne Ullae .[Smaller Ulle-Sinne in Tamil is small ] Though there are Sinhala and Tamil communities living in these areas, these are predominantly Muslim areas. Ullae, which is in the centre of these villages, is a very famous place among the Sinhala fishermen in the west coast. The village, being in the corner of the bay, has a very quiet sea and is an year round fishing area and is a very colourful place bustling with activity. As such, the fishermen from the west coast flock to this village during the South-west monsoon which hits the west coast. Apart from fishing, people in these areas and in Potuwil are engaged in cattle farming and paddy cultivation. The fishing boats go out around 4.00 am about one and a half hours before the sun rises. Starting a jeep drive or a walk along the lagoon towards the south a little before sun rises and between 5.00 pm and 7.00 pm, one can encounter wildlife such as elephants, boar, dear, crocodiles and many other animals in addition to bird watching. With the North-easterly wind starting to blow and temperature being lowest at around 28-30 C ,November and December is a good period for bird watching especially with the advent of lots of migratory birds. Though this is the rainy season in the east, the rain around this area is not continuous with many sunny days. The blowing of refreshing wind in January, February and March dissipates the slight increase of humidity and temperature (to about 30-32 o ) and make the weather and wave conditions very good wind surfing, swimming and fishing. This period is also the best for bird watching. Months of April and May are the hottest and most humid months. The temperature from April to August varies between 36-32 o . The changing of the wind direction to South-easterly in April/May starts the body surfing season which spans up to October. During this season, the sea in the west coast being very rough, holiday makers and surfers from these areas flock to Arugambay.

Magul Maha Viharya – Lahugala

This historical and very beautiful temple has being constructed by King Dhatusena who ruled Sri Lanka more than 1500 years ago [AD 516 – 526] According to a stone inscription which was found here ,there had being another name for this - Ruhunu Maha Viharaya. There had being a renovation to this temple in 14 th century too. There is another belief that this is the place where parents of Sri Lanka 's one of most famous kings Dutugamunu, was married.

Kutmbigala“Aranya Senasanaya” [HERMITAGE] Panam

In the historic Digamadulla in Ampara District, is the Lahugala provincial secretarial division representing a cluster of villages by the name of Panam Paththuwa. This secretarial Division constitutes of five Sinhala Buddhist villages, namely: Panama , Lahugala, Hulannuge, Bakmtiyaava and Kumana. The original occupants of these villages in the recent history were the Sinhalese people who escaped from the Uwa Wellassa during the uprising against invading English armies in the year 1818. Situated 16km southwards from the Panama village is the very important ancient “Kutumbigala Aranya Senasanaya” [Buddhist Hermitage]. This Hermitage, built with the advent of the Mihindu Maharath Thera, dates back to the early Anuradhapura period. This Hermitage, covering a vast area where, the most number of Arahath Theras dwelled is considered one of the most important ancient Sacred Lands (Pudha Bima) in the country. A Sthupa built on a rock called ‘Belum Gala' is built as a replica of the Dharmachakra Dhammika Stupa of Isipathanaranama of India and is the only such Stupa in the country. The ancient Dagoba built in the centre of the land too show great craftsmanship. The symbol on top of the rock inscription at the entrance to cave housing the great “Sudharshana” rock statue is unique in the country in its features. This ‘sacred land' has more than 200 caves with drip ledges cut into them indicating number of Arahath Theras who dwelled in this land. An area of over 11,000 acres surrounding this land was declared as the “Kutumbigala sanctuary” in 1974. At end of the Hulannuge village is the ‘Karandahela' tank. Just over this tank is situated another very important monastery called the “Tharulengala Aranya Senasanaya” (Hermitage), which is affiliated to the Kutumbigala Hermitage. This Tharulengala Monastery has a very large cave with a drip ledge 512ft long, which is the longest in the country. In addition, there is a rock cave facing the east with a drip ledge 175ft long with an ancient shrine room (Buddha Mandiraya) built into it, which houses a reclining Buddha statue. At the water's edge of this Karandewewa tank is an ancient dagoba. Next to the cultivated land below the tank is the village. This is a clear example of the ancient concept taught to our Kings by the Mihindu Maha Rahath Thera that, the tank, the dagabo, the village and the temple should be close together.

Okanda Dewalaya

This small shrine is located on the eastwards river bank of the Kumbukkan Oya [Stream] which divides Yala National park as Yala Park [Ruhunu national park] and Yala East [Kumana national park] Dedicated to the God Katharagama this shrine is worshiped by all three main religious communities of Sri Lanka …Buddhists / Hindus and Muslims. In the month of August where the annual main religious worshipping festival takes place, this jungle area becomes filled with people who come from very far places. Families comprising very old / young / infants come in Tractors [other wise it's impossible to traverse in the road] spending days and days on this pilgrimage.They will spend a day two under a tree or a temporary cover made out of polythyne doing various poojas [worshipping] to the shrine.

Murugan Kovil Hindu Tempel

This shrine dedicated to God Katharagma is located at the northern border of the Kumanaa national park, very closer to the beach. In spite of the road conditions many devotees come here for poojas [worshiping] right through out the year. In the month of August, where the main festival takes place this areas gets crowded with thousands of devotees. According to the legend, It's believed that from India , God Katharagama landed here first. But as the people who lived in this area did not take much interest of him, he converted the canoe he came in to a rock and moved more south to Katharagama and stated living there. This rock [canoe shaped] is lying in the beach even as at today. From May to October, sea in front of this rock becomes a very good location for surfing.

Habuthagala Viharaya or Tharulengala “Aranya Senasanaya” [HERMITAGE]

Hulannuge is one of the five villages in Panam Paththuwa in the Ampara District. Karandahela is a 633foot hill situated in Hulannuge with the Karandahela tank situated on the south close to the base of the hill. This Karandahela hill, having an elongated shape, and appearing to jut out of the ground like other hills in the area is the home for the famous and very important hermitage – the Habuthagala Vihara or the “Tharulengala Aranya Senasanaya”. To reach this hermitage one has to turn off at Hulannuge junction near 13 th km post along Monergala-Pothuwil road, proceed along the cart track towards Bakmetiyawa for 2km and walk by the paddy field and the bushy forest to the base of Karandahela hill. This road is traversable by vehicle only during the drought. In addition to the caves found on this hill, one can see ruins of so many buildings at various stages of the hill. Among these ruins are some artifacts hitherto unidentified. As there is no archaeological survey done here, it is not possible to date these ruins correctly. However from one or two stone inscriptions and other historic documents elsewhere in can be deduced that this hermitage is built before the 2 nd century BC. Another important feature here is that, there have been three sthupas in this sacred land: two of them on rocks on the hill and one at the base of hill. The two on rocks are completely destroyed leaving only signs of them on top and bricks can be seen fallen down. The remainder of the other, which is at the base of the hill, has a circumference of 150ft and a height of 20ft. The caves on top of the hill and on slopes are amazing creations of nature. There so many caves here with and without drip ledges. Among them the most amazing is the cave in the second circle, perhaps the largest in Sri Lanka . This cave 512ft long, 30ft broad and 82ft high at the highest point has a drip ledge cut right along. This cave has a flat outer area and the interior is in eight levels. Another important cave found here is the shrine room cave which is situated near the entrance and facing the east. This cave, 175ft long, 31ft broad and 35ft high, has in it a 41foot reclining Buddha statue, which is considerably damaged by treasure hunters.

Arugam Bay back to life event

THURSDAY, December 18, 2008 SHIRAJIV SIRIMANE

One of the most sought after destinations in Sri Lanka, Arugam Bay, will once again burst with life when it will host the international Windsurf­ing Championships and beach carnival next July.  Arugam Bay last hosted an international event of this magnitude in 2004 and it was a major intentional tourist attraction. By hosting this event Arugam Bay will once again enter to the inter­national tourist map giving value to the destination. Managing Director, Crys­tal Holidays (Pvt) Ltd, Wasana Hettiarachchi said that his company has tied up with an UK based company to host this event. "We have already spoken to the Sri Lankan  airlines  and the Tourism Authority and they have pelaged their support to assist us," he said. The event will also bring in over 200 foreign visitors to the venue and hotels around would get an oppor­tunity to earn extra revenue. The foreign press too would be in large numbers that would give the much-need­ed additional exposure to the country. He   said   that   Sports tourism is gaining populari­ty and this is why he is tak­ing a lead to promote the event. "A Veterans English Cricket tour too is on the cards for next year," he added. Director UK, Professional Surfing Tour, Dave Reed said Arugam Bay is one of the best locations in the world to host surfing events. "We have spoken to leading Surfers who are ready to come to Sri Lanka," he said. These surfers are from Aus­tralia, South Africa, London, Germany and other Euro­pean countries," he said. Since there is peace in the region the venue should be promoted more aggressively to the international market. The contest will also offer prize money totaling British Pounds 5,000.

Read More

Knuckles Mountain Range - Sri Lanka

Knuckles Mountain Range - Sri Lanka

The KNUCKLES MOUNTAIN RANGE (so-called because its appearance resembles a set of knuckles in a closed fist) is a major eco tourism venue of Sri Lanka and has been declared a conservation area, now known as the KNUCKLES NATIONAL HERITAGE AND WILDERNESS AREA. The region stretches an impressive 155 sq km that contains five major forest formations, a wide variety of rare and endemic flora and fauna and some breathtaking mountain scenery of Sri Lanka . It is a real paradise for those who love to hike or mountain bike, offering numerous mountainous trails that journey across clear rivers, through dense forests, past flowing waterfalls and lush tea plantations, and alongside terraced paddy fields and colourful Kandyan home gardens. The chance to visit traditional small mountain villages in the area gives an interesting insight into the close-knit atmosphere that such a local community fosters and provides a welcome departure from fast-paced modern day life.

KNUCKLING DOWN - WANDERLUST - Writer Lizzie Matthews discovers Knuckles Mahoora Camp.

The next day I was walking down an altogether different processional route. Small white flags lined the sandy track and every so often I passed a small poster glued to a tree trunk showing a grainy photo of an old man who had died. The funeral party had long since passed by, but there was still a sense of peace and contemplation in the air as the evening sun cast long shadows across the valley floor. I was in the up-and-down landscape 6f the Knuckles Range , a clenched-fist crumple of hazy blue mountains to the east of Kandy . It's the hill country's last great wilderness - Unesco has designated the areas above 1,000m a Conservation Area in a bid to save them from deforestation. Apart from the occasional village, the Knuckles is an untouched tangle of trees - this is the only place in Sri Lanka where you can see every different type of forest, from the dry zone slopes through montane areas to the waterfalls and lush dripping foliage of cloud forest. Unsurprisingly, the variety of wildlife1 in the area is just as impressive. "I have seen 40 species of birds before, just walking along that short path," said my guide, Dami, pointing towards a shady track as we gazed out from our campsite that evening. The sky was glowing a gentle pink and heavy mist was pouring down the valley like dry ice in an 80s pop video. "This is one of my favorite places in Sri Lanka ,"Dami continued. "It might not have the big game of Yala National Park - but then it doesn't have the tourists, either." He was right. Since leaving Kandy , we'd seen only local villagers. With its rugged hills and rediscovered beauty, the Knuckles is a trekker's delight although, with scant infrastructure, it's not the easiest place to explore. This became clear the next morning when we found ourselves thrashing through 2m-tall grass. For the fifth time that day, the path had petered out into nothing and we were relying on Dami's sense of direction. Ironically, the creation of the Knuckles Conservation Area has meant that the tracks once used repeatedly by the locals who harvested the cardamom here have quickly become overgrown, and exploring the region is trickier than it was before. In time, Dami felt sure that a proper network of trails would be maintained. In the meantime, you need a guide. And so, with my human compass leading the way, I strode past rippling fields of silvery lemongrass and showy flame trees as Dami introduced me to a never-ending list of the local inhabitants - paddy field pippets, greater coucals, tree nymphs, ablack eagle, hill-mynas and white-eyes. Our route took us through all of the forest zones, each one so clearly defined that it was like walking through the different domes of the Eden Project. We applied sunscreen, pulled on waterproofs, took them off again, put up an umbrella - first to protect from the rain, then from the beating sun - all in a matter of minutes. We sheltered from the third sudden downpour in the courtyard of an old, abandoned cardamom estate where the air was still heavy with the sweet spice. "This was one of the most famous estates," said Dami."The whole region was a huge producer of cardamom, but the forest environment suffered hugely as a result." He explained how cardamom is planted on the forest floor. When it's harvested, everything is cleared not just the cardamom itself, but the entire undergrowth of the forest, drastically affecting regeneration in the process. Cardamom cultivation and slash-and-burn agriculture is now banned in the Conservation Area. Providing alternatives to the locals who relied upon the estates for work has been a key priority for the Forestry Department, which now controls this area. The rain passed, and Dami nodded up the steep hillside behind us where the old cardamom plants were flourishing untended. He looked doubtful for a moment: "I don't suppose you've got any leech socks in that rucksack of yours?"he asked. Not a little smugly, I whipped some out and spent the next ten minutes rolling down sleeves, pulling up socks and tucking in trousers. I was going to be a tough customer for these leeches. But hell, they tried their best. I must have been the first trekker they'd seen for a long time - these were some seriously determined parasites. For the next two hours I marched as quickly as I could through the undergrowth, large, wet cardamom leaves slapping my face and thorns snagging my clothes, hungry leeches flipping through the air like pole-vaulters in my wake. Back at camp, I picked the last shrivelled stragglers from my boots as Dami and the crew fired up the large barbecue. As darkness fell over the ethereal Knuckles, small beacons started to be lit around the valley. Dami hurried past with a lantern on a pole and planted it firmly outside my tent. "Elephants,"he muttered."There's a herd around tonight. The villagers have warned us." I lay in my tent that night, ears peeled for ripping branches and trampling undergrowth. But the only ripping sound 1 heard was the sound of my flysheet being torn to shreds in an unseasonably strong gale

Read More

Belihuloya – Sri Lanka's No 1. Nature and Activity Location

Belihuloya – Sri Lanka's No 1. Nature and Activity Location

BELIHUL OYA, a very picturesque little hamlet renowned for its Eco, Adventure tourism opportunities, is situated in the “Sabaragamuwa” province of Sri Lanka, approximately 160 km from Colombo. This beautiful hillside location is a climatically transitional area, linking both the dry and wet zones and the hill and low country at an altitude of less than 1500m. As a result, the vegetation consists of moist semi-evergreen forests, tropical savanna forests, dry patana grasslands and montane temperate forests, making it one of the richest bio-diversity spots in Sri Lanka – a perfect location for nature lovers.  RIVER GARDEN NATURE & ADVENTURE RELATED ACTIVITY CENTRE - BELIHUL OYA provides an ideal base for a wide range of nature and adventure related activities. Try anything from trekking across the Horton Plains (the HORTON PLAINS mountain range is visible from the River Garden restaurant itself) to canoeing in the ‘Samanalawewa' reservoir. Whatever it is you want to do, we can help you do it! In addition to the accommodation options we offer, RIVER GARDEN  has an excellent restaurant serving Sri Lankan and International cuisine, a well-stocked bar, doctor on call, left luggage facilities, mini library, and extensive tourist information.

Client's Testimonials

Mr Yasantha Sorry for the delayed response.Im sure you have been eager to find out about my trip. Im very happy to say that i was very happy with the whole trip! Right from the start at the River garden resort to the cycling, it was thrilling to say the least! I came back with every muscle in my body hurting but all the fun made it worth the pain!The guides were all very friendly and helpful, the food was amazing,better than i'v had anyway in the city and the general overall service of you team extremely pleasant. I would not think twice about recommending your tours to anyone.Im happy to say that of the various tours that i have taken up with various agents here, Ecoteam takes the top spot and should be seeing a lot of me for more tours. I'm trying to take my whole family on a similar package .  If possible, i would like a quotation from you  as follows, Would like to know the cost of the bungalow and meals for about 10 people. Meals would be lunch, dinner and breakfast the following morning.Also the rates for the tents in case some would prefer the tents. We wont need the hiking and cycling activities as my uncles and aunts are too old for it but might try a bit of canoeing. I basically want to give them a night out in the peace and quiet.If you could give me a quote with and without transport to compare and decide. Your response would be much appreciated. Rasa Tharmaratnam

"The visit to Belihuloya was definitely a very enjoyable experience. A very frank opinion is given below. I hope it will help you to improve service Overall I will give a A+.  We all enjoyed the trek and camping. It was a new experience for the kids and some of the adults and it was a lot of fun. The staff  and the guides was helpful and friendly. The quality of food was very good, we enjoyed the Lunch at Kinhigune and the B B Q at River Garden Hotel. We all have very good memories of the holiday and we definitely plan book more adventures with you in the future"

You know guys a lot of people pass ‘Belihuloya’ as just another town on the Colombo Badulla road. The most they would do is stop at the rest house and have a dip in the cool waters of the Belihuloya that flows next to it. But how many actually realise that there is this amazing eco culture that surrounds the Belihuloya? I think we have Eco team to thank for bringing this marvellous location to the limelight. The nature trail from Kinchigune to Belihuloya was probably the best time we've had in our whole lives. The trekker was so patient with us amateur trekkers and never grumbled when we kept calling him to help take off the leeches who seemed passionate about us. We loved the walk through the shrub jungle and through the paddy fields and crossing the river at several points was sooo cool. The last crossing where we had water up to our wastes and the current was so strong was amazing. I have to admit there was a single moment where I felt scared but the trekker was obviously a Pro and calmed our fears instantly. He didn’t seem to mind going out of his way take us off the beaten track to see a small waterfall and was so patient with us when we wanted to stop at almost every mushroom to take pictures:-) By the way we found a range of mushrooms (fascinating for photography) and countless butterflies and heard a myriad of bird sounds though we could not spare the hours to sit and watch them. The fauna and flora right throughout the trek was brilliant and it’s not surprising that Dileep ended up taking more than 500 photos :-) The canoeing in the Samanalawewa Tank was another novel and super experience…and here too the trekker was so patient and nice that we were able to really enjoy the activity…at first we were blundering with oars but later caught on and managed to paddle quite well. The scenery around us was breathtaking and particular the shadow of the mountain on the water was so pretty and so reminiscent of scenes from Norway (a land of mountains and lakes). Last but not least a mention of the food at River garden Lodge is a must …it was yummy and we really ate like we’ve never eaten before:-) Well I could go on and on... but will stop now. As we spoke to you about directly there were a few hitches in the journey but overall we had a super time. So thank you to you and Eco team (for organising the trip) and especially Pradeep (the manager at the River Garden hotel) and his team for the superb hospitality and food, most specially to Jayasekera the Trekker for his patience and care. Our visit to Belihuloya in December 2009 was a wonderful and rare experience.

Read More

Bandarawela – Hill country Tours in Sri Lanka

Bandarawela – Hill country Tours in Sri Lanka The soothing climatic conditions in  Bandarawela is a major  reason why  people congregate on the location for their  holidays. Situated at an  altitude of 1230m and 10 kilometres north of Haputhale, Bandarawela is  easily accessible through the  Colombo-Badulla Main Road by vehicle and the upcountry trains that pass through. Nuwara Eliya,  the famous summer resort of the Island called  "Little England" is only 55km from Bandarawela and is  accessible through Welimada. The Dowa Rock Temple, with its  unfinished Buddha Statue of about 15ft carved onto the rock face, the Shrine Room built into  the rock cave and the entrance to the tunnel which is supposed to have linked Dowa to several distant temples underground is a major tourist attraction in the vicinity along with the many cascading waterfalls and towering mountain ranges.

The Eco team offers wildlife, nature and adventure tours all around Sri Lanka. We offer Nature and Adventure trekking, Caving,Mountain biking & Cycling, Hot air Ballooning, Nature Weddings & Honeymoon Packages, Off road 4WD adventures, Camping,Photography and filming missions, Rock climbing, Scenic rail rides, Rain forest exploration, Special Study tours of flora & fauna,Wildlife Safaris, Cultural Festivals, Kayaking/canoeing, Snorkeling and Scuba Diving, Surfing, Turtle watching, Water skiing, Whale and dolphin watching, Whitewater rafting, Windsurfing, Island and deep sea fishing tours and much more. These are all off the beaten track – reserved exclusively for the adventurous, nature loving and the wildlife enthusiast.

Read More

Nature Trails in Sinharaja Rain Forest , Sri Lanka

Nature Trails in Sinharaja Rain Forest , Sri Lanka

SINHARAJA RAINFOREST is a world heritage site and major eco tourism destination, which can also be described as a Tropical Lowland Rainforest or Tropical Wet Evergreen Forest . Whatever its 'technical' name, it is undoubtedly a rich treasure trove of nature with a great diversity of habitats and a vast repository of Sri Lanka's endemic species found no where else in the world. BIRD WATCHING in this ecosystem is particularly interesting because it is home to 95% of the endemic birds of Sri Lanka ! Named as a world heritage site in 1989, this lowland evergreen rain forest is steeped in deep legend and mystery. The word 'Sinharaja' means, Lion (Sinha) King (Raja), and it is popular belief that the legendary origin of the Sinhala people is from the union between a princess and the lion king who once lived in the forest! Read more....

Sinharaja valued at Rs. 18 billion per annum The first ever value survey on the Sinharaja forest, based on international valuation, has placed it at an annual price tag of USD 188.47 million or Rs.18.84 billion. Sinharaja which was designated a World Biosphere Reserve in 1978 and a World Heritage Site in 1998 has been given this price considering its value at key ecosystem services by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. The Services include re-creation capacity, non-timber forest product and genetic resources, among other benchmarks. The bulk of the land area in Sinharaja was declared a forest reserve in 1875 under the Waste Lands Ordinance and today it remains the last primary lowland tropical rain forest in the country. Meanwhile a similar study on ecosystem services of Mangrove Ecosystems of the country has attached a total value of USD 57.8 to them. The Ministry which has so far worked out the calculations only for these two ecosystems maintains that non-availability of data has restricted it from carrying out similar studies on other ecosystems here.

"Week Without Walls (WWW)  - OSC & Eco Team This year [2008] signaled a grand return to past OSC tradition; from the January 15 to 18 , the Overseas School of Colombo re-established its "Week Without Walls (WWW)" programme. Designed for the secondary school, WWW is an "out of classroom" experience for students that is designed to enrich them with a better knowledge of their host country and its environment. WWW an effort to develop and enhance greater social and cultural awareness. WWW emphasizes holistic learning, intercultural awareness and communication. It helps students to bond with their peer groups in environments outside of school. At the Overseas School of Colombo, WWW this year was an exciting time for all students participating. Eco Team was the obvious choice by the OSC and their appointed travel coordinator - United Holidays, to be the service provider for 2 wilderness camps in Singharaja Rain Forest and Hatton. Singharaja camp was coupled with a rainforest exploration  programme conducted by Eco Team's expert naturalists whilst the Hatton Camp coupled with an Adam's Peak expedition backed by Eco team Trekkers & Guides.

Nominate Sinharaja Forest to be among new 7 Wonders of Nature. Now we have an opportunity to nominate Sinhar­aja Rain Forest to be included among the "New 7 Wonders of Nature". Voting for nominees will continue until 31.12.08. The New 7 Wonders Panel of Experts will then select 21 finalists, from which voters worldwide will elect the New Seven Wonders of Na­ture. Please note that you need to mark vote 1 for Singharaja and 6 more for any other nominations. It's not possible to mark all 6 votes to 1 nominee or skip those 6 preferential votes.

History:

The forest steeped in deep legend and mystery. The word Sinharaja means, lion (sinha) king (raja) and the popular belief is that the legendary origin of the Sinhala people in Sri Lanka is from the descendants of the union the lion king who once lived in the forest and a princess. Sinharaja Forest Reserve is one of the least disturbed and biologically unique lowland rain forests now remaining in Sri Lanka. This forest covers an extent of approximately 11187 ha. From east to west the length of the forest is about 21 km. And its width from north to south is about 3.7 km. The Sinharaja forest was initially declared a Man and Biosphere Reserve (MAB) in 1978, as representative of Tropical Humid Evergreen Forest ecosystem in Sri Lanka and has been recognized by UNESCO as part of its International Network of Biosphere Reserves.

Subsequently it was declared a National Wilderness Area, under the National Heritage Wilderness Area Act, in 1988 and lately a World Heritage Site in 1989.It is the Sri Lanka 's first natural resource to earn this esteemed distinction. This forest is situated in the southwest lowland Wet Zone of the country at latitudes 6 21- 6 26 and longitudes 80 21- 80-34.It spans over the administrative districts of Ratnapura, Galle and Matara.

Sinharaja forest consists of a series of continuous ridges, aligned approximately in an east-west direction and lies between the tributaries of the Kalu Ganga in the north and the Gin Ganga in the south.

There are four main routes of access to Sinharaja. The Kalawana- Weddagala road from the northwest, The Rakwana-Morning side estate road from the northeast, the Hiniduma-Neluwa road from the southwest and Deniyaya-Pallegama road from the southeast. Among these roads the Kalawana-Weddagala road is shorter and more convenient for visitors traveling from Colombo .

Topography:

The elevation of the Sinharaja reserve ranges from 200m to 1300m. It has a rolling terrain consisting of a series of ridges and valleys, which assumes an east-west trend in the northwestern part of the reserve. In other parts of the reserve, the ridges and valleys assume a north-west/south-east alignment. The peak of Hinipitigala is the tallest, rising up to about 1150m.Other important ridges in the reserve ranges between 550-800m in height NamelyMoulawella (760m), Kosgulana (797m), Sinharaja (742m), Kohilearambe (575m), Dotalugala (769m), and Tibbottagala (904m).

Geology and Soils:

The Sinharaja Reserve lies within the transition zone of two important groups of rock types, the south/western group which consist of metasediments-charnokites and scapolites bering calc granulites and the highland group comprising khondalites of metamorphosed sediments and Charnockites. The most significant geological feature of Sinharaja is the presence of a "Sinharaja Basic Zone" which comprises hornblend pyriclasts, basic charnokites pyroxene amphibolites and scapolite. The soils of Sinharaja largely belong to the group of Red Yellow Podzolic soils, with clearly distinguishable horizons of varying soil depths. The soil is well drained with very little accumulation of organic matter.

Plant Life:

The vegetation of Sinharaja may be described either as a Tropical Lowland Rain Forest or Tropical Wet Evergreen Forest. Some striking characteristics of the forest are the loftiness of the dominant trees, the straightness of their bole, the abundance of regeneration and the diversity of species. The average height of the trees varies between 35m -40m. Some individuals rise even upto 50m.

Contrary to popular belief scrub growth does occur on rock shelves or gaps on the canopy created by falling of over-mature trees. The great diversity of species of Sinharaja forest makes it difficult to distinguish ecological patterns. However, some tree associations have been recognized and these are the Dipterocarpus (Hora-Bu Hora) an association confined to the lower elevations along the Gin Ganga valley and the Mesua-Doona (Shorea) association forms the matrix of the Sinharaja forest.

The vegetation of Sinharaja is that of humid wet evergreen forest type with a high degree of endemism. In fact some families such as Dipterocarpaceae show an endemism more than 90%. The untapped genetic potential of Sinharaja flora is enormous. Out of the 211 woody trees and lianas so far identified within the reserve 139(66%) are endemic. Similarly, high levels of endemism are perhaps true for the lower plants like ferns, Epiphyts as well. Out of 25 general endemic to Sri Lanka 13 are represented in Sinharaja.

The total vegetation density, including trees, shrubs, herbs and seedlings has been estimated to be around 240,000 individuals per hectare, of which 95% comprise individuals of the ground layer below 1m in height. The density of trees, lianas above 30cm girth at breast height, ranges between 600-700 individuals/ha. While the number of merchantable individuals of trees of girth greater than 150cm. Ranges between 45-55 individuals/ha.

Animal Life:

Preliminary studies on the fauna of Sinharaja have revealed that there is a high degree of endemism among the butterflies, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. In fact 95%of the endemic birds of Sri Lanka are recorded in Sinharaja. Endemism among mammals and butterflies are also greater than 50%.

Out of the larger mammals, although elephants were said to be common in the past, there have not been reports of sightings during the last 15 years. However, there have been reports of sightings of a few animals in the Eastern Sector. The most common deer species is the Sambhur.The Mouse Deer and Barking deer are also found within the reserve. Leopards are very seldom sighted, but their frequent presence has been confirmed by tracks and other signs. Brown Mongoose and the Golden Palm Civet have been occasionally sighted. The most commonly seen primate is the Purple faced Leaf Monkey.

Out of the birds recorded in the Western sector of the reserve, 72% were resident non- endemic and 13% migrants. One of the most interesting and colorful spectacles to be found in the Sinharaja is the presence of mixed species of foraging bird flocks, a phenomenon commonly found in rain forests. A total of 100 such flocks were systematically observed, and studies have revealed that some flocks contained 48 species including 12 endemic species. The rare endemic birds to be seen in Sinharaja are the Red-faced Malkoha, the Sri Lanka Blue Magpie, the Ashy - headed Babbler, the White- Headed Starling and the Green-billed Coucal the rarest of Sri Lankan birds.

The agamids are the best-represented group of reptiles, the most common being the Green Garden Lizard of special significance are the sightings of Calotes liolepis an arboreal species, the rarest of all agamids found in the island. The only tortoise recorded in the reserve is the hard- shelled Terrapin, while of the species of skinks, the spotted skink can be seen often. Among the snakes the Green Pit Viper and Hump- nosed Viper are commonly found in this forest and are endemic to Sri Lanka .

The amphibians are fairly well represented in the reserve and nine endemic species have been identified. The endemic Torrent toad and the common house toad. In most streams and marshes, the Wrinkled frog and the Sri Lanka Reed frog also found in Sinharaja. Ramanella palmate a rare endemic species is the only microhylid recorded so far while the yellow- banded Caecilian is the only apodan recorded.

It's People:

Sinharaja is surrounded by 22 villages with a population of approximately 5000 people. Only two villages, Warukandeniya and Kolonthotuwa are located within the reserve. The long history of human habitation in and around today's reserve, in fact compounds the problem of managing and conserving the forest. Most of the ancient harmless are found along the southern boundary of the reserve on the bank of Gin Ganga with a few located on the north- western side. Numerous ancient footpaths exist on the periphery of the reserve while there are three footpaths that run across the interior of the forest.

The family structure is that of an extended family with parents, children and grand parents living together. The houses have small floor area, averaging 25 sq. meters and are constructed if wattle and daub. The roof is tatched with leaves of a forest treelet called Beru or with Bamboo leaves. Lately however, coconut leaves for tatching and clay tiles have begun to gain popularity as roofing materials.

The staple food of the villagers is rice, Yams such as sweet potato and Manioc (Cassawa), Breadfruit and Jak fruit, grown in home gardens are often used as substitutes for rice. Other plants commonly found in home gardens are vines of betel (Piper betel) black pepper and passion fruit. Fruit trees such as papaya and banana are also grown. For most of their other needs the villagers depend on plants often found in the forest. The sap needed for the manufacture of Jaggery is obtained tapping the in Florence of the Kitul palm ( Caryota urens ).

Another source of income is the manufacture of baskets and mats from rattan on 'wewal'. The villagers also exploit other plant products such as wild cardamon, resinuous exudates used as fumigating agents from Nawada ( Shorea stipularis ) and other shorea species.

The exudates from Kekuna ( Canarium zelani-cum ) is used as a caulk for damaged boats and as glue for domestic purposes. Numerous plants used in the native 'ayurvedic'system of medicine are also collected and sold by the villagers, of particular significance being the stem of Weniwel ( Coscinium fenestratum ) used by most Sri Lankan as an antidote for tetanus. Beraliya ( Shorea megistophylla ) provides a fruit which is often used as a substitute for flour.

Read More