Kalametiya Bird Sanctuary
Southern Province
About Kalametiya Bird Sanctuary
Kalametiya, midway between Tangalle and Hambantota, protects a brackish lagoon-and-mangrove system that has held sanctuary status since 1938 - the oldest declared bird sanctuary in Sri Lanka. It earns the honour every dawn: painted storks and spoonbills wade the shallows, purple herons stalk the reeds, glossy ibis probe the mudflats, and in the northern winter the resident cast swells with thousands of migrant waders and ducks. The way to see it is by shallow outrigger canoe, poled silently along mangrove channels where kingfishers flash at arm's length and crocodiles slide off the banks - village boatmen run superb early-morning trips. Around the water, open grasslands hide rock outcrops and the odd wandering elephant, and the wild beach beyond the dunes sees turtles nesting at night. Pair it with nearby Ussangoda's red cliffs for the south coast's best nature morning.
Top Activities
- ✓Dawn canoe safari through the mangroves
- ✓Birdwatching (200+ recorded species)
- ✓Crocodile and monitor spotting
- ✓Wild beach walks
- ✓Combine with Ussangoda National Park
Nearby Attractions
Travel Tips
Book a village canoe man the day before for a 6am start.
Bring binoculars - the bird list is the point.
November–March adds thousands of migrants to the resident birds.
Quick Info
Best Time
November to March (migrant season)
Weather
Hot and dry; mornings are cool, calm and full of birds.
Estimated Daily Budget
6.0833°N, 80.9333°E
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