Kosgoda is a small town in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka. It is located directly on the shores of the Indian Ocean and is ideal for connoisseurs of a quiet and relaxing holiday. The resort welcomes its guests with sandy beaches, which are surrounded on all sides by coconut palms. It’s a great place to relax. Local hotels offer yoga courses, there are meditation halls for those who want to retire. In numerous beauty salons there is a huge selection of rejuvenating procedures. The visiting card of Kosgoda is the Turtle Farm. To get acquainted with its inhabitants, tourists come even from the most remote parts of Sri Lanka. Kosgoda offers a large selection of entertainment for active pastime. Here you can go kayaking, go on a safari tour, explore the area on bicycles or go diving. The best place for scuba diving is located near the city of Bentota.
- 1 Turtle Farm (Victor Hasselblad Turtle Hatchery)
- 2 KOSGODA Turtle Conservation and Research Centre
- 3 Madu Ganga Lake
- 4 Goduwa Maha Viharaya
- 5 Madhuwa entrance
- 6 Sri Wickramasinghe Ancient Temple
- 7 Madhuwa Maha Viharaya
- 8 White Villa Observation Deck
- 9 Lunuganga Geoffrey Bawa’s Country Estate Garden
- 10 Attractions Kosgoda on map
Turtle Farm (Victor Hasselblad Turtle Hatchery)
The Turtle Farm in Kosgoda is one of the first such organizations in Sri Lanka. Its visit provides an opportunity to get acquainted with sea turtles, stroke them and even feed them. On the farm in Kosgoda, it was possible to collect all the species of turtles that live in the vicinity of Sri Lanka. An albino turtle lives here. It got its name because of the non-standard white color. In nature, such turtles are extremely rare, and their life expectancy does not exceed 50-70 years. Because of their bright color, they become easy prey for predators.
The second representative of the farm is a green turtle. Individuals grow up to 2 meters and can weigh up to 500 kg. In the first years of life, jellyfish and mollusks predominate in the diet of this species. And only after a certain time, the grown turtles move closer to the coast, where they mainly feed on algae and other vegetation. No less interesting will be the acquaintance with the loggerhead sea turtle. It is listed in the Red Book. It got its name due to the massive body, large head and strong beak. The fourth representative of the farm is the tortoise Bissa. She spends her whole life in the ocean, and swims up to the shores of Sri Lanka only to lay eggs. Outwardly, it looks like green, only its size is two times smaller. During the tour, guests will have the opportunity to get acquainted with the largest turtle in the world – Leatherback. Some individuals can grow up to 3 meters, and their weight is 900 kg. Another inhabitant of the farm is the predatory Olive Turtle. It feeds on jellyfish, crayfish, and sometimes plant foods. Their weight does not exceed 60 kg.
On the territory of the farm there is a real turtle incubator. Eggs are placed there, which are brought by local residents. After the turtle has laid eggs in natural conditions, they try to find them and send them to the farm. Thus, employees increase the survival rate of small turtles. After the babies are born, they are sent to their natural habitat. On the farm there are individuals whose survival in the ocean is almost impossible.
The farm is open daily all year round. Its doors are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The entrance fee is Rs 1000.
Address: Turtle Hatchery Galle Road, Kosgoda
Official website: www.srilankaseaturtles.com
KOSGODA Turtle Conservation and Research Centre
Sri Lanka and the resort of Kosgoda is the nesting place of several species of turtles. To preserve these marine inhabitants and increase their survival rate, the KOSGODA Turtle Conservation and Research Centre was opened on the island.
The project began in 1988. Its purpose is to monitor the local activity of sea turtles and preserve their nesting sites. Employees of the center are trying in all possible ways and means to convey to the public information about how important turtles are in the life of the island.
One of the most important directions of the Center is the creation of an incubator. It allows all eggs collected in nature to hatch in a safe place. This program allows you to increase the number of cubs that can independently reach the ocean. During the visit to the Center, guests can become participants in the procedure for releasing babies into the natural environment. Working hours: 8:30-17:30.
Official website: https://www.kosgodaseaturtle.org/
Madu Ganga Lake
Madu Ganga is a bay, or as it is also called a lake, located in the district of Galle. Its area is 915 hectares, most of which are in open water. The northern and northwestern coasts are covered with mangroves. It was here that one of the brightest entertainments in Sri Lanka became available – Safari.
Safari is a journey through the water on a small boat. Boarding of passengers is carried out at the boat station. Initially, tourists are taken through mangroves, and about a kilometer after the start of the trip, a small channel expands, numerous islands appear. Each island is unique in its own way. On some live monitor lizards, near others live crocodiles. During the Safari there will be an opportunity to get acquainted with several of them.
The shores of the lake are quite picturesque, on them you can see animals and unique types of vegetation. One of the stops of the Safari is a place where fish are bred. There are individuals of various sizes. The boat trip lasts 3 hours. You can rent a vehicle both independently and use the services of the tour desk. As a rule, boats are designed for a company of no more than 8 people.
Goduwa Maha Viharaya
The Buddhist temple of Goduwa Maha Viharaya (Kotduwa Maha Viharaya) is located on the isolated island of Kotduwa in the middle of Lake Madu Ganga. It is located near the coast, and an old wooden bridge leads to it. Finding a landmark will not be difficult. To get to the territory of Goduwa Maha Viharaya you need to walk along a concrete path. Even in the hot heat, the walk will be as comfortable as possible, since the path, like the whole temple, is immersed in numerous green spaces.
No one knows the exact date of the construction of this religious object. There is almost never a huge crowd of tourists, which allows you to fully enjoy Buddhist architecture, take memorable photos or just be in silence and breathe fresh air. In 2006, the temple became the residence of five priests.
According to one of the legends, even before our era, a sacred relic was kept on the territory of the temple – the tooth of the Buddha. Once this relic belonged to king Guhasiv of Kalinga. It was believed that the tooth was the cause of political upheaval for many years, giving power to those who owned it. Fearing that the object of Buddhist worship would go to one of the enemies, the King ordered him to be sent to Sri Lanka. To deliver the relic safe and sound, it was disguised as brahmin and hidden in the hair of Princess Hemamali.
Madhuwa entrance
The picturesque wooden bridge Madhuwa entrance is a kind of entrance to Madhuva. Unfortunately, today the condition of the bridge is far from ideal, it is not designed to move on bikes and even more so on cars. On it you can ride a bike or walk and enjoy the most beautiful views of the surrounding nature.
A walk on the bridge will really bring aesthetic pleasure. Tourists can see real mangrove trees up close, get acquainted with the inhabitants of these thickets. It is this bridge that leads to the wonderful Buddhist temple Goduwa Maha Viharaya.
Madhuwa entrance can be reached by any type of transport, and then leave it in a specially equipped parking lot, because then the walk becomes pedestrian. Next to the bridge there is a boat station, from which small boats go on a safari tour of Madu Ganga Lake.
Sri Wickramasinghe Ancient Temple
The Martin Wickramasinghe Folk Museum Complex provides an opportunity to experience the culture of Sri Lanka. Martin Wickramasinghe is the most famous writer on the island. He was born in 1890 in the village of Malalgama. The house in which he lived with his family went through quite harsh times. The building is more than 200 years old, it resembles a typical southern dwelling of past times, in which Dutch architectural features can be traced. During World War II, all the houses of the village and the surrounding area were captured by the Air Force. Residents were given 24 hours to leave their homes. Most of the buildings were demolished in order to build a base for naval aircraft in their place. By the way, the runway of this base is used to this day.
The writer’s house miraculously escaped the fate of other buildings, it survived. One version says that the building attracted the attention of a female Air Force officer and she decided to make it her residence, thereby ensuring its safety.
Today, the house-museum of the writer is surrounded by a real ecosystem. Hundreds of species of native trees and shrubs grow here, which in turn have become the habitat of numerous birds. Today, the museum stores not only exhibits telling about the life and work of Wickramasinghe. There are many artifacts reflecting the history of the folk culture of Sri Lanka from ancient to modern times, which makes it possible to remind the population of the island of their living roots.
Official website: http://www.martinwickramasinghe.info/english/museum/
Madhuwa Maha Viharaya
A small Buddhist temple Madhuwa Maha Viharaya is located on the banks of the river, you can see it directly from the water. This is one of the stops during the Madu Ganga Safari Tour. The temple is really small, a monk constantly lives on its territory. He gladly meets all the guests of the island on his own, leads them through the territory of his “possessions”, tells the story of the creation of the temple and many other interesting information about Buddhism.
The temple has several Buddha statues in different poses. And here is a book, whose age is more than 600 years. The temple exists on the funds from donations, everyone can contribute to the development of the local religious structure. The most interesting thing is that any amount that visitors leave is entered into the donation book. This is a real culmination, because you will not find this everywhere.
White Villa Observation Deck
The observation deck is located on a wide stone cliff, on the territory that belongs to the cozy small hotel White Villa. This place is located right on the border of two cities – Kosgoda and Akhungalla. From the observation deck offers a picturesque view of the vast expanses of the Indian Ocean, which, in combination with tropical vegetation, forms stunning views for memorable photographs.
On the left side of the observation deck, the sandy beach of Akhungalla originates. On the right there are many huge boulders, from where the picturesque beach areas of Kosgoda begin. You can visit the observation deck at any time of the year. And each period is beautiful in its own way. Especially mesmerizing views here during storms. Huge waves, breaking on the stone shore, cover the entire territory of the rocky cape. In bad weather, you need to be extremely careful here so as not to get injured.
When the sun is shining, the observation deck is an ideal place for photo shoots. Newlyweds often come here for the sake of beautiful photos.
Lunuganga Geoffrey Bawa’s Country Estate Garden
Jeffrey Bava is one of the most famous architects on the island of Sri Lanka. Work on the Lunuganga Geoffrey Bawa’s Country Estate began in 1948, when Jeffrey came to visit his brother on his estate. He was so impressed with his brother’s garden that he decided to create something that would surpass the creation of a relative.
In 1948, Bava bought a plot of land that resembled a large cape in shape. Jeffrey was immediately impressed by this place, he gave it the name Lunuganga (translated as “salt river”).
The architect worked on the creation of the garden for about 50 years and managed to turn an abandoned plot of land into a real work of art. A huge number of different plants grow here – trees, shrubs, flowers. The highlight of the garden is 14 bells hung in different parts of it. Each bell makes its own sound. With the help of these bells, Bava called out to the servants, and the sound of each of them already indicated a certain request.
A house was built in the garden. But it was not erected for a full life in it, but only for sleep. It is said that Jeffrey almost never used the dining room for meals. Breakfast and lunch were served on the terrace, and the place for dinner was the lawns in the western part of the garden. The architect also received his guests in different parts of the garden, depending on the time of day, treats were also brought there.
Website: https://www.lunuganga.com/
Despite the fact that Kosgoda is famous for its peace and tranquility, there is something to do here. The resort has many natural attractions, the combination of the ocean, rocky shores and tropical vegetation forms very beautiful landscapes.
Attractions Kosgoda on map
