What to do in Tangalle

Spend time with a celebrated local artist from the village of Ambalangoda, and witness how the local masks are being carved and painted. If you want you can learn the art of how to do the carving and painting as well.

Jeep safari in Udawalawe National Park & Visit Elephant Transit Home. Situated about 165 kilometres from Colombo, the Udawalawe National Park has become a popular tourist destination and the third most visited game park in Sri Lanka. It was originally built to provide a sanctuary for the wild animals displaced by the construction of the Udawalawe Reservoir in 1972 on the Walawe River. It covers nearly 30 000 hectares, and is home to herds of Sri Lankan elephants, water buffalo, monitor lizards, sambar deer, leopards and indigenous water birds. Open-top safaris led by experienced guides through the savannah-type landscape are the ideal way to view the wildlife, with most visitors being assured of enjoying a special treat of viewing young and adult elephants at the water holes.

Meet up with an expert resident in the UNESCO Galle Fort who will take you around this magical enclosed living heritage city showing you the hidden gems and explaining about the lifestyles of the people. This will be a real hands on experience where you will get a real idea about how the Portuguese, Dutch and the British have left their mark on Sri Lanka and how their descendants are living inside the Dutch Fort.

Drive to Galle fort and proceed to Cycling tour with resident host inside fort. Followed by visit White virgin tea factory. Taking place at Handunugoda Tea Estate in Ahangama in Sri Lanka, the Herman Teas Virgin White Tea Plantation Visit allows visitors the opportunity to gain insight into the tea culture. Visitors are educated and exposed to the origins and specifics of tea through a comprehensive and engaging hands-on experience, guided by highly trained staff. At dawn women wearing delicate gloves, fine pluck the imperial harvest with golden scissors, taking care not to harm the delicate tea buds and at no moment does the hands of the pluckers touch these buds. Thereafter these buds are dried using only filtered sunlight. The gloves prevent any risk of contamination leaving the tea immaculate.

Enjoy a Cinnamon Plantation Tour followed by lunch - The Top House tour is a unique cinnamon plantation experience. The resident British owners give private tours of their working estate, just inland from Weligama. They explain the history of Ceylon cinnamon and demonstrate cinnamon peeling and the making of artisan cinnamon leaf oil. This is followed by a visit up to the plantation house, offering spectacular views over the ocean and jungle, and lunch hosted by the owners. The experience lasts about two hours and involves a short ride by tractor.

The Sail Lanka Giant's Loop South in Mirissa is a half-day expedition departing from the port in Mirissa on a shared or private basis. The boat cruise is ideal for families, small groups, and friends. Visitors can enjoy a perfect balance of whale watching and watersports in a 7-hour adventure that is certain to please even the most discerning sailor. Afternoon option also available. This experience can be done on a Private or Shared basis.

In the heart of Sri Lanka’s most tropical region, Lunuganga is only about 500m long and 300m at its widest, but in its composition as a series of discrete but unified spaces, it creates the impression of an enchanted garden that can be explored for days. Guided garden tours are available and are considered the best way to fully experience the estate. The tours take place at 11:00 am and 3:30 pm. Lunch and tea can be arranged and included in the garden tour.

Mulkirigala rock temple has a history of more than 2000 years. There’re 7 painted caves which is almost identical to the Dambulla cave temple in the cultural triangle. Climb up to the caves and be amazed by the beautiful frescoe paintings and the Lord Buddha statues located deep inside. This is one of the forgotten gems that we like to take you to explore since you will have the entire location to yourself, away from the hustle and bustle of the other tourist destinations. The Dutch, who ruled the maritime provinces in the 18th century, called this rock as Adam’s Berg. They believed that the tombs of Adam and Eve were located there, and due to this reason, Mulkirigala was popular among the foreigners.

Walk through the Kanneliya Rainforest with a naturalist and understand the biodiversity of the forest. Dip in the stream and have a local lunch. Located within a 1.5-hour drive from Galle, the Kanneliya Rainforest is home to a range of endemic flora and fauna. This thick jungle is an ideal place for an extensive trek or a walk to get to know more about the wildlife in tropical rainforests of Sri Lanka. The 16km trek starts with a climb and we pass by a small waterfall on our way to the top of the mountain. Views from the mountain are breathtaking as we see the extend of the rainforest and how it blankets the surrounding area. This halfway point is a good place for our picnic lunch before we head down to reach the river and have a dip. The less strenuous 8km walk is ideal for families with younger children as it is on a flat path. We reach a stunning waterfall and learn its origin and it supports the livelihood of people in the vicinity. We make our way back to take a dip in the stream and have lunch on the river. Important to know: *There are two options: The trek and the walk. The trek is recommended for active travellers. *On the trek, lunch is a picnic style local lunch. For the walk, lunch is served on the river. * There will be leeches but they can be avoided to a great extent with leech socks and repellent