Visitors to Hambantota can enjoy thrilling leopard sightings in Yala National Park and explore Bundala, a Ramsar-recognized sanctuary for birdwatching. Beyond these parks, other notable bird-watching sites include the ancient Sithulpawwa hermitage, the Debarawewa wetlands, and the scenic Palatupana salt pans. The coastline here is also a vital nesting ground for marine turtles, a protected species, making Hambantota a haven for wildlife enthusiasts and nature lovers alike.
Bundala National Park
Bundala National Park is a fantastic maze of waterways, lagoons and dunes that glitter like gold in the late-evening sun.
This wonderland shelters around 200 species of birds within its 62-sqkm area, with many journeying from Siberia and the Rann of Kutch in India to winter here. It also has a small but very visible population of elephants, as well as civets, wild boars and lots of crocodiles.
Yala National Park
Yala National Park is Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book brought to life.
One of the first National Parks of Sri Lanka (opened in 1938) and referred to by locals as Ruhunu, it is a great place to observe and photograph leopards. The reserve is also home to a large population of elephants, as well as spotted deer, sambar deer, wild buffalo, sloth bears, jackals, mongoose, pangolins and crocodiles.
Jungle River Safari
Boat rides on the Walawe River takes visitors through an area of rich biodiversity, with six varieties of mangroves, 72 bird species, 52 fish species, 38 plant varieties and 28 mammal species.
Kudawella Blow Hole
The "Hummanaya Blow Hole" is a natural fountain of sea water that is pushed upwards through an underwater cavern. Hummunaya is located in Kudawella, a southern coastal fishing village between Dikwella and Tangalle. From the rock formation, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of both the Sinharaja Forest and the Indian Ocean.
Turtle Beach
To the right of the Resort’s seaside is the suitable place for animal lovers and eco-tourism seekers - a turtle breeding beach. Guests of the resort can find five out of eight known species of turtles laying eggs here.