Galle

Unawatuna Beach

Unawatuna is a coastal village in Galle district of Sri Lanka. Unawatuna is a major tourist attraction and famous for its beautiful beach and corals.

Kanneliya Rain Forest – the bio-diversity hotspot

Kanneliya Forest Reserve located in the Galle district is the largest of the KDN, or Kanneliya-Dediyagala-Nakiyadeniya, forest complex. Kanneliya is regarded as one of the most biologically diverse areas in the country (as well as in the world). The bio-diversity of Kanneliya is considered richer, even compared to the world heritage rain forest “sinharaja”.Most of Kanneliya today is a forest that had recovered from selective logging that had happened in1970s.  The water flows in the forest are now recovering with a numerous numbers of streams adding life to the diverse vegetation and some what hilly landscape. These streams create several beautiful cascades in side the forest. They also provide ideal opportunities for nice cool dip in some of the purest streams in the whole world!

Getting There

Public access to Kanneliya is allowed through the forest department managed conservation center located close to Galle-Udugama-Neliwa road at Koralegama, Panangala.

Access By Road

Route1: Colombo -> Kalutara (Katukurunda) [45km on A2] -> Nagoda [3km on B008] -> Mathugama [5km on B308 & 11km on B8] -> Horawala [5km on B3] -> Moragala [7km] -> Palewatta [8km on B3] -> Pitigala [10km on B3] -> Udugama [24km via Mapalagama] -> Panangala [6km on B156] ->Koralegama -> Kanneliya Conservation Centre [2km](approximately 125km)

Route2: Colombo -> Galle [120km on A2] ->Udugama [40km] ->Panangala [6km on B156] ->Koralegama -> Kanneliya Conservation Centre [2km](approximately 165km)

Route3: Colombo -> Kalutara (Katukurunda) [45km on A2] -> Nagoda [3km on B008] -> Mathugama [5km on B308 & 11km on B8] -> Horawala [5km on B3] -> Moragala [7km] -> Palewatta [8km on B3] -> Neluwa [30km] -> Thawalama[5km] -> Panangala [12km on B156] -> Koralegama -> Kanneliya Conservation Centre [2km](approximately 135km)

Public Transport in only up to Panangala.

Weather and Season

December to February	Lower chance of rain. Streams generally rich after rain. Good time to visit Kanneliya for waterfalls.
March to April	Less chance of rain. But water levels would also be less. Good time to visit Kanneliya for Hiking
May to July	Higher changce of rain. Time your visit after high monsoon activity to see waterfalls in full flow
August, September	Can be quite dry. Good for hiking but water levels will be low.
October, November	Higher changce of rain. Time your visit after high monsoon activity to see waterfalls in full flow

Attractions and activities

1. Hiking: There are two main trails that takes you deep in to the forest. Kabbale mountain trail takes you up to a summit point from where you can enjoy the panoramic view of the surrounding. Trail to Narangas Ella goes deep in to the forest passing several points of interest such as the Giant Navada tree.
2. Natural Bath: Streams flowing through Kanneiya offers many opportunities to take a dip in clean, cool waters. Popular natural pools include the pool in front of theKanneliya conservation center, the pool behind the conservation center and a natural pool behind the Kanneliya Forest resort.

Accommodation Options

The best option would be to stay at the forest department dormitory right at the entrance to the forest. also there are few private eco-lodges close to Kanneliya.

Because of its proximity to Galle, you can stay in Galle and drive to Kanneliya. It takes less than an hour form Galle to reach there.

Notes, Tips and Special Remarks

1. A forest department guide will always accompany you on your hikes.
2. Take only pictures, leave only foot prints
3. Water levels in the waterfalls will significantly go down during dry months. Therefore if you want to see them in full flow, time your visit just after rainy season
4. When it rains, some of the trails get infected with Leeches. Make sure that you are prepared. 

Image Gallery
Panoramic view from the Kabbale hill. Trail to Kabbale is not too tough, and will let you enjoy the beauty of this forest first hand.
After a rain in the forest in the afternoon, the sun breaks in, crating a magical feeling. Not only when light filters through the wet trees, it is also interesting to see it lighting up the fallen leaves on the ground too.
Two, easy to reach attractions in the forest. The Anagimale falls is the easiest to reach. Just 2km from the gate on a broad trail, makes it very accessible.  Just 200m more on the main trail  from the Anagimale falls, lies the giant creeper.
The forest canopy is as beautiful and diverse as what lies below. Different shades of green decorate the canopy which will look stunning when sun shines after a light rain in the rain forest
The Beautiful Cascades of Anagimale falls. The streams have lost most of their water retaining capabilities due to de-forestation in 1970′s an therefore the true beauty of these waterfalls are rarely seen today. Situation is improving with the recovery of the forest but it is a living example to show how difficult it is to restore the delicate balance of nature once disturbed.
I have met people who complain that the places like “Kanneliya” are “boring” and “Nothing much to see”. Well the truth is that there are a plenty of wonders to see but we simply ignore them in a hurry.After a good walk in Kanneliya, I would be really surprised if some one haven’t seen a few creatures like the vine snake pictured here and a plenty of beautiful formations of nature such as this “fern on the boulder”
Two other attractions of Kanneliya. You need to venture little deeper in to the forest to see the Narangas Ella. THe giant Navada tree is located at a short detour from the same trail.
Water is synonymous with life. To the forest, streams add movement and create a sense of life. Water flowing in these streams are possibly the purest in the world with no contact with humans until they leave the forest.
The Gentle Flow: A closer look at the gentle flow of a stream. While the attempt to capture the rhythm of the flow has paid off,  the feeling will never be complete without the  charming sound the water makes when it sneaks through the boulders.
The forest department dormitory at Kanneliya – This is the best accommodation option, both economy wise as well as location wise

                                                                                         Unawatuna Beach

Unawatuna Beach

Unawatuna is a coastal village in Galle district of Sri Lanka. Unawatuna is a major tourist attraction and famous for its beautiful beach and corals.

Eco-Tourism

Unawatuna Beach at Dawn

Unawatuna is rich in its biodiversity. Unfortunately, its greatest potential attraction for eco-tourism was the marsh land or mangrove called Kadolana which was partially destroyed, dredged and filled up to build a chain hotel which never got off the ground. Many locals believe it to have been cursed for being built at the doorstep of the Wella Devalaya.

Over sixty species of endemic birds, including Terns, Egrets, Herons, Sandpipers, Kingfishers, as well as rarer species such as the Lesser Whistling Duck, the Asian Palm Swift, the White Breasted Waterhen, the Turnstone Loten's Sunbird, and the Black Bittern have been sighted in the locality by the ornithologist, Clive Byers. These birds are mostly sighted in the remaining marshy area and Rumassala Hillock.

Off the coast of Unawatuna, beneath the Indian Ocean lies a number of coral reefs, shipwrecks, and a great variety of fish and turtles. The turtles still wade onto the shore to lay their nests and eggs, and at times, as if to lay first claim to the sandy shore now invaded by the tourists and dotted by restaurateurs, even go right into the beach front restaurants .

The Rumassala coral reefs at the east end of the Galle Harbor attract divers, but are now endangered due to possible port development. Eco treks in the shrub jungles of Rumassala are also available.

Dagaba

Dagoba in Unawatuna

In later years a Buduge, or House of Buddha, and the Swethamalee Chaitiya, or Dagaba, was built on the hillock abutting the Devalaya, or House of Gods. Thousands of pilgrims throng to this place of worship every month of Esala to offer poojas. This festival is a new rice offering so most cultivators bring a share of their crop and pray for timely rain and plentiful harvest. Some others save a fistful of rice from their daily meal and offer that rice, still others would purchase a few measures or even full gunnies of rice along with coconuts to offer.

This rice is pounded and mixed with coconut milk and treacle and made into a porridge which is then offered to the deities at the devalaya and given as alms to thousands of devotees who will trek to the devalaya for this alms giving or Maha Deva Dana or Kiri Dana. Fisher folk save and offer part of their earnings called "Goda kotasa" seeking protection on their forays into the ocean.