“Down south” is a popular phrase among Sri Lankans when it comes to holiday destinations and there probably isn’t a single person in the country that hasn’t been there on holiday. Must most people seem to have completely missed the opportunity to take a lovely lake safari on a boat on the Koggala Lake.
Down the River
The Koggala Lake is only a stone’s throw from Tri Koggala so you can get there early in the morning. The lake is at the southern tip of Sri Lanka, dotted with islands and thickly layered in mangroves. You can hire a boat operator and sail along the 30-km long lake. The area is home to many a boutique hotel in Sri Lanka.
What You Can See
What you will mostly feel is a burgeoning sense of calm and really get in touch with nature. The boat will slide soundlessly along the lake and if you are lucky you will see a couple of crocodiles and the kind of birdlife that inhabits the mangrove habitat.
A Pit Stop
The boatman is guaranteed to stop at two pit stops; a fish pedicure and the cinnamon peeler. At the first pit stop, where you dangle your feet into the water and fish will swim around occasionally nibbling the dead skin off your feet.
The second pit stop will be the home of a local cinnamon farmer who resides on an island with his wife. You can buy cinnamon from them if you’d like. They pick and peel it from the trees that grow in the tiny island.
In Conclusion
You can ask the boatman not to drop you off at the pit stops if you don’t want to, but it makes the whole experience extremely worthwhile.
Filled with wanderlust that seeks to explore distant shores and captivated by the colors and vibrancy of exotic cultures, Kanya Mae writes on the beautiful, exciting, and enchanting wonders of the world. She is a writer who not only has a passion for travel, but also has a background in fashion, art and media. Google+
