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Sunday, 18 March 2012

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Cascading beauty of Lanka's waterfalls


The mountains of Sri Lanka are plentiful with waterfalls of cascading beauty. Numbering over a hundred and many of them virtually unknown, they are hidden away mostly in forest surroundings or approachable by steps and tea plantation tracks.

Deniyaya is one of the rural cities in Sri Lanka which has hidden natural beauty. With a program by Sri Lanka Tourist Board along with the Ministry of Economic Development Deniyaya will soon be one of the main tourist zone in Southern province.

Deniyaya is a town situated in a mountainous area in close proximity to the world heritage site, Sinharaja forest a tropical forest reserve. Sinharaja Forest Reserve is one of the least disturbed and biologically unique lowland rain forests now remaining in Sri Lanka.

The Sinharaja forest is declared as a National Wilderness Area, under the National Heritage Wilderness Area Act in 1988 and a World Heritage Site from early 1990s. It is the Sri Lanka's first natural resource to earn this esteemed distinction. This forest is situated in the south west lowland Wet Zone of the country and spans over the administrative districts of Ratnapura, Galle and Matara.

The vegetation of Sinharaja is that of humid wet evergreen forest type with a high degree of endemism. The untapped genetic potential of Sinharaja flora is enormous. Similarly, high levels of endemism are perhaps true for the lower plants like ferns, Epiphyts as well.

There are four main routes of access to Sinharaja: The Kalawana- Weddagala road from the north west, the Rakwana-Morning side estate road from the north east, the Hiniduma-Neluwa road from the south west and Deniyaya-Pallegama road from the south east. Among these roads the Kalawana-Weddagala road is shorter and more convenient for visitors travelling from Colombo.

Other than Sihnharaja rain forest, many beautiful scenery, waterfalls, tea estates and religious places adorn the Deniyaya town.

'Morning Side' is one of the most adventurous sites which is situated off 'Suriyakanda' (between Rakwana and Deniyaya). According to villagers the 'Morningside Estate' was originally named by the colonial planters who came to grow tea there. Most of the tea plantation has now been replaced by cardamom and it is an interesting option for visitors to observe the entire process of cardamom production too other than observing the tea plantation which is still common in the area. In addition the site is home to many butterflies, amphibians, reptiles, Sambar Deer, Monkeys and the occasional Leopard and mammals, as well as it is an exciting location for bird enthusiasts.

Even though Sri Lanka is renowned as a major waterfall paradise, it's quite surprising to find that there are so many unknown waterfalls existing around the country. Though Nuwara eliya and Badulla districts are so familiar for waterfalls, it's interesting to learn that a few waterfalls exist in the Southern Province as well, namely 'Sathmahal Ella' and 'Batu weal Dola' which is within the Sinharaja rain forest. 'Sathmahal Ella' consists of seven levels of the waterfall which is approximately 350 feet in height. The villages said that the 'Sathmahal Ella' is fed by two half-yearly monsoons and the hard erosion-resistant metamorphic rocks provide ideal ingredient for the formation of waterfalls almost throughout the year.

 

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