 Terrific Tangalle
The southern township of
Tangalle is situated 220 km from Colombo. It is the ideal place for a
quick weekend getaway. Reaching the home of bays and lagoons through the
winding beach road, it has a reputation of being one of the best beaches
in the Hambantota District.
Besides witnessing a number of tourists this winter season, Tangalle
is blessed with a complete activity holiday including bathing, swimming,
sun-bathing and fishing. The sandy beach of Paraiwella is located within
Tangalle city limits. This magnificent stretch runs along from the
fishing harbour to the Naval camp. You don’t have to worry about
drowning because Tangalle offers shallow waters for amateurs including
children.
 Often, those so-called Rough Guides and Lonely Planet books on Sri
Lanka look down on the quality of the food but it is not so. You can see
plenty of clean restaurants serving good quality food near the hotels
and guesthouses but you will get a feel of the freshness after you see
the environs.
Besides Sri Lankan cuisine and deliciously fresh seafood, they also
dish out tantalising Italian and Mediterranean specialities. For the
best, visit the Mangrove Garden and the Italian owned ‘Il Camino’ just
west of Tangalle at Seenimodera.
However, Tangalle offers much more than just good seafood. On any
good day, take in the sights and sounds of the ‘Hummaanaya’ blowhole
which is located seven kilometres west of Tangalle in the fishing
village of Kudawela. We were amazed by the jets of water which are
sprayed 15 metres into the air through a long crevice in the rock but
the best time to view it is at the peak of the monsoon season in June.
No visit to Tangalle is complete without a visit to Mulkirigala Rock
monastery. The monastery has a great historical significance dating back
to 2nd century B.C. The Mahawamsa records King Saddatissa (137 BC-118
BC) that built a Stupa on the summit and enshrined relics of Buddha.
Also of historical interest would be a visit to the Wewurukannala
Temple a few kilometres beyond ‘Hummanaya’. This temple is home to a
famous Buddha Statue in the country, 50 metres in height. There is also
an image house. Many people will be surprised to hear that there are
waterfalls in the semi-arid region of Hambantota. One such waterfall
starts from Rammale mountain which is just 30 kilometres from Tangalle.
The Katuwana Fortress, Bundala National Park, Ussangoda, Rammale
reservoir and the Lenabatuwa Tank are must-see places when going on a
trip to Tangalle.
Ten kilometres to the east of Tangalle at Rekawa, is an important
turtle nesting site set up by the Turtle Conservation Project (TCP). TCP
pays villagers to protect turtle eggs laid on the beach instead of
poaching and killing turtles for meat and soup.
The tsunami, however, washed away the museum and turtle nesting area
with its carefully recorded dates of delivery and number of eggs of the
five species of turtle that use the beach. It has restarted with the
kind support of donors not only from Sri Lanka but around the world.
From November to April and full moon days, you can witness the joy of a
female turtle crawling onshore to lay her eggs.
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