{"id":110562,"date":"2023-03-18T04:37:26","date_gmt":"2023-03-18T04:37:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/?p=110562"},"modified":"2023-03-18T04:38:14","modified_gmt":"2023-03-18T04:38:14","slug":"makandawa-forest-reserve-wonderland-in-kithulgala-by-arundathie-abeysinghe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/makandawa-forest-reserve-wonderland-in-kithulgala-by-arundathie-abeysinghe\/","title":{"rendered":"Makandawa Forest Reserve \u2013 wonderland in Kithulgala By Arundathie Abeysinghe"},"content":{"rendered":"

Makandawa Forest Reserve \u2013 wonderland in Kithulgala – <\/strong><\/span>By Arundathie Abeysinghe<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

\"Sri<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ArundathieSri Lanka is a small island in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), similar to a droplet of water and despite being a small island, it is endowed with a diverse collection of landscapes, climates, awe-inspiring vistas which have enticed tourists for decades.<\/span><\/p>\n

Well-known as an island of magical proportions, it was known as the \u201cPearl of the Indian Ocean\u201d, \u201cSerendib\u201d and \u201cTaprobane\u201d.\u00a0 In 2019, Lonely Planet (travel guide book publisher founded in Australia, in 1973) voted Sri Lanka as \u201cnumber one country to visit\u201d and in 2020, Sri Lanka has been named \u201cthe best country in the world to visit\u201d by readers of Conde Nast Traveller (a US based travel publication).<\/span><\/p>\n

A spectacular island endowed with cascading waterfalls, breathtaking mountain ranges, verdant tea gardens, wildlife parks with endemic wildlife and stunning beaches, Sri Lanka has attracted many European and Asian merchants to the ports of ancient Sri Lanka.<\/span><\/p>\n

The breathtaking island is home to a vast plethora of hidden treasure troves with bio-diversity and nature\u2019s infinite magic. Makandawa Forest Reserve hidden in the vicinity of the scenic and serene hamlet *Kithulgala, the most popular destination in Sri Lanka for adventure seekers, hub of water sport activities including white water rafting to abseiling.<\/span><\/p>\n

A paradise for avifauna enthusiasts, Makandawa Forest Reserve is home to endemic migratory species too. A popular activity in the nature reserve is bird watching and nature trekking. To explore the forest reserve, it is necessary to travel on a wooden, handcrafted catamaran (derived from the Tamil word \u201ckattumaram<\/em>\u201d meaning logs bound together), a popular mode of transport for villagers on the opposite bank of the river. The lush jungle with a canopy of trees is thick enough to blot out harsh rays of the sun, although filtered rays of the sun is visible in certain parts of the forest that can be seen through the spaces among the branches of thick vegetation. Hence, visitors can explore the forest till midday.<\/span><\/p>\n

Spanning an area of approximately 195 hectares and home to several rare species of flora and fauna that are endemic to Sri Lanka, the forest reserve is one of the most untouched rainforests in Sri Lanka. Makandawa Forest Reserve is also where the filming of the movie Word War II epic directed by David Lean \u201c*The Bridge on the River Kwai\u201d, the award-winning 1957 British-American war film (winner of seven Academy Awards in 1958) took place.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Sri<\/a><\/p>\n

Among the many bird species in the forest, some species are unique. There are 54 rare species such as the Green billed coucal (Centropus chlororhynchos<\/em>), Yellow fronted barbet (Megalaima flavifrons<\/em>), Sri Lankan junglefowl (also known as the Ceylon junglefowl or Lafayette’s junglefowl – Scientific name- Gallus lafayettii<\/em>) Sri Lanka spur fowl (Galloperdix bicalcarata<\/em>) and Serendip scops owl (Otus thilohoffmanni<\/em>). Giant squirrel (Ratufa macroura<\/em>) and Red slender loris (Loris tardigradus<\/em>) are some mammals that can be seen in the forest reserve. The forest reserve is also home to several rare species of fish and butterflies.<\/span><\/p>\n

Apart from visiting the forest reserve, many visitors also engage in \u201cRock Pooling,\u201d another adventure that can experienced in Kataran Ella Fall located inside the reserve.\u00a0 Adventure tourists wear safety gear and take the seven-meter incline along the waterfall either on a raft by sliding or by trekking on foot and enjoy a swim.<\/span><\/p>\n

As the rainforest receives most of its rainfall during Sri Lanka\u2019s two major monsoon, the best times to visit it is from December to February or August and September when the weather is dry and ideal for exploring. During the rest of the year there is rainfall.<\/span><\/p>\n