#Hambantota, though belongs to a dry zone in Sri Lanka, it is not bereft of traveling destinations for tourists to visit.
Known as the “Salt Capital” in Sri Lanka due to the reason being the biggest contributor to national salt production, the Hambantota area does have beautiful travel destinations to go to, including several national parks and bird sanctuaries. Let Vishmi Travels take you through every nook and cranny in #Hambantota.
Hambantota: Places to Visit
Bundala National Park
This is important both as a tourist attraction and as a place where migratory water birds perch. This has earned an international value for being a home for the migratory water birds. In addition, it is home to a plethora of flora and fauna. This park has gained the title “world at the end” for the reason that it is located at a position where lands, sea, and water lands come together.
Dry Zone Botanical Garden
There are five botanical gardens in Sri Lanka. Among them, Dry Zone Botanical Garden in #Hambantota is the only botanical garden in the dry zone that is dedicated to the protection of a wide range of flora and fauna. The garden covers 200 hectares. There is a private parking area. You can walk around the garden if you prefer, but we recommend you to take an electronic golf ride for a fair charge because walking across the garden would be a little exhausting under the scorching sun. However, the beautiful scenery around you will make you forget the acrid weather. If you need a souvenir to mark that you came to the garden, there is a small shop to buy souvenirs as well. Since there are no food shops in the garden, travelers are advised to bring a bottle of water and some snacks. But, don’t ruin the environment with the leftovers.
Ridiyagama Safari Park
Though Sri Lanka is a small island, there is no shortage of safari experiences that travelers can get in this country. Ridiyagama Safari Park is the sole open-air park in Sri Lanka. The park was opened in 2016. Since then, it has been a highly rated tourist destination. It is not similar to going to the zoo because travelers are going to witness wild animals that roam freely in the park. It is going to be an adventurous and indelible experience. If you need more information on Ridiyagama Safari Park, check https://www.vishmitravels.com out for Ridiyagama Safari Park.
Agro Technology Park Hambantota
This is located at Bata Atha Hungama in #Hambantota . Traditional methods of transplanting, paddy transplanting, hand transplanting, and parachuting method of paddy cultivation are explored here and the knowledge is distributed among farmers as well. This is the first #agroTechnology park in Sri Lanka. The aim of setting up this park is to give knowledge about new technological methods of farming to farmers. Travelers will be able to see a wide range of crops cultivated in a beautiful and orderly manner. Anyone would fall in love with farming after seeing this park. One of the amazing facts about the agrotechnology park is that part of its land contains crops that grow only in upcountry cold environments. A sprinkler water system is used to maintain cold weather plants because Hambantota belongs to a dry zone.
Birds Research Center and Resort in Hambantota
This is Asia's largest bird park. If you are a bird enthusiast, don’t forget to come here because this place has around 180 varieties of birds. The estimated number of birds in the park is 3200. This is a home to both endemic and exotic bird species. This place is open for travelers and is used for ornithology purposes.
Walawe River Safari
River safaris are always an exciting activity to engage in. This boat ride would be an ideal boat ride for an enthusiastic naturalist because, along the journey across the river, you will be able to hear peacock calls, and see eagles soaring above you and crocodiles beneath the surface of the water. Halfway through, the travelers can stop by a beach and this is opulent scenery that unravels before you now. So, don’t forget to click some camera shots once you stop by this beach.
Kumana National Park
Kumana National Park has been able to gain a high tourist attraction for its density of birds. Travelers can encounter the park on the Southeast edge of Sri Lanka. It covers 18,149 hectares. This is the Eastern sector of Yala national park. One of the significant features of the park is that it contains a 200-hectare natural swamp. It is called “Kumana Villu”. The swamp is fed by #Kumbukkan #Oya. Apart from the profuse amount of birds, the park is the home to mammals like elephants and leopards as well. In addition, an open marsh area, mangroves, jumbuck, and Karan fern trees can be commonly seen in the area. Some birds that travelers can behold at this place are black-necked stork, spoonbills, pelicans, cormorants, egrets, and herons.
Mahapelessa Hot Springs
Hot springs are one of the favorite travel destinations of both local and foreign wanderers. There are three hot water springs in the country. #Mahapelessa hot water springs are also known as #Madunagala hot water springs. The people who come on pilgrimage to #Madunagala hermitage do not forget to go to the hot water springs too.
Ussangoda National Park
This park was created in 2010. Travelers can stop by the park when they travel along the Colombo-Kataragama road. The park is mainly designated to preserve the biological, archaeological, and geographical value of the site since the park is located in an area where sea turtle breeding zones exist. This is an area of high ground and there is amazing sea wind coming across the land which will give you a heavenly feeling. There are beautiful stories about this part of the land. It is said that the land is either a part of a meteor or a meteor has hit the ground somewhere nearby. The reason for this assumption is that this part of the land has a very unique soil with unique colors and minerals.
Mirijjawila Botanical Gardens
The park was opened in 2013 and this is one of five botanical gardens in Sri Lanka. We can assure the travelers that they can witness a kaleidoscopic view of this garden. What you can see here are rare and endemic plants and fertile green lands that cover 300 acres. The vegetation includes ayurvedic plants as well.
