About this experience
Madu Ganga, also known as the Madu River, runs through the wet zone at Balapitiya in the Galle district, on the south-west coast of Sri Lanka. It widens into the Madu Lagoon, a wetland scattered with small islands, before it meets the Indian Ocean. The area is listed as a Ramsar Site under the international treaty on wetlands.
Mangrove swamp lines the water and covers more than 61 hectares, with 14 of 24 mangrove species present. The trees hold the soil together, and in the December 2004 tsunami the forest acted as a natural barrier for the area. Over 300 plant species have been recorded, 19 of them endemic.
Birds are what many people come for. More than 111 species have been identified, and cormorants and kingfishers are a common sight. The wetland also supports 31 kinds of reptile, among them snakes, lizards and crocodiles. Look out for monkeys and squirrels, while wild boar are the largest animals in the area. There are more than 50 types of butterfly and 25 kinds of mollusc as well.
Your ticket is sold with a guided experience, so an English-speaking local guide is with you to point out wildlife and plants. Lakpura books the entry ahead of your visit.
