Tour Overview
If you are looking to gain a unique experience of lagoon safari witnessing mangroves, various kinds of small islands, and some rare animals, then Madu River Safari is the best activity for the travelers who are in Down South and surroundings.
Madu River
In the Southern region of Sri Lanka lies the Galle district. Balapitiya is a little town in the district and would be quite unimportant; except for the location of a river. The Madu River is very rich in biodiversity. It passes through the wet zone of Sri Lanka opening up into the large Madu Lagoon on its way to the Indian Ocean. The Madu River area surrounding the river are all swampy marshlands covered in mangrove forests, and those forests cover over 61 hectares, that is over 150 acres. Fourteen of the 24 species of mangroves are found in this area.
The largest animal in the region is the wild boar. There are other smaller animals such as monkeys, a variety of squirrels, and more. When it comes to birds, cormorants and kingfishers are a common sight. For avid bird watchers, the mangrove forests are a dream come true. There are over 111 bird species identified to inhabit the region.
With most of the area being soggy wetlands, the solid landmass of the region mainly consists of islands. History states there used to be 64 islands along Madu River. However, most seem to have sunk under the water, as only 25 islands are reported today. Of these islands, only 15 have sizable landmass.
Interesting things to visit in the area include the Open-Air Fish Massage and Cinnamon Island. The fish massage is quite popular around the world, especially in East Asian countries. The unique factor about this massage is that the fish are held in their natural environment, the river. The main source of the economy for the locals of the Madu Ganga (River) region is the cinnamon industry. The freshly harvested cinnamon is brought here to be peeled. By default, this also means that the best quality cinnamon can be purchased at bargain prices here.
Key Points:
- Tour can be started anytime before 4 PM at your convenient time from the Balapitiya Bridge.
- Duration of the River Safari is around 2 hours.
