Occupying pride of place in the district of Galle Madu Ganga is not only a recreational hotspot in its hometown Balapitiya but also the southern capital of Sri Lanka. Located within a short distance of the Amba Ayurveda Boutique Hotel, a premier Ayurveda hotel in Sri Lanka the Madu Ganga is no ordinary body of water which opens up to the Madu Lagoon. In fact a cruise on the river has been a popular activity for day trippers and holidaymakers based in surrounding beach hubs in the area since time immemorial.
As a river that is famed for its biodiversity the most coveted ecological feature of the Madu Ganga are its mangrove forests. Encircled by marshlands the mangrove forest is believed to cover more than 150 acres of the river’s total surface area and serves as the verdant home to countless flora and fauna species. The mangrove varieties occupying the Madu River alone numbers well over 13. Those who are fortunate enough to experience a river safari on the Madu Ganga can look forward to spotting the more than 31 varieties of reptiles inhabiting the river including crocodiles and lizard as well as snake species. The area is also a well-known hotspot for bird watching enthusiasts as one hundred and eleven types of winged beauties are known to call this scenic river home. Butterfly fanatics will also not be disappointed as more than 50 species of butterflies and known to occupy the river in addition to 25 types of molluscs.
The plant life in Madu Ganga is equally impressive with more than 300 species of wetland plants littering the river’s surface area. Nineteen of these plant genera are believed to be endemic to Sri Lanka. The Madu Ganga is one of the few areas in the island that have been declared a Ramsar Wetland Site since 2003. Those who wish to engage in a river safari on the Madu River can book tour operators in the area online and on-site while both morning and evening excursions are both available while expeditions in to the more than 64 small islets on Madu Ganga are also popular among tourists.
Roland Lefevre is a travel writer who specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe. Google+
