On the fringes of Koggala town is a small turtle hatchery that first opened in 1996. In an effort to promote responsible tourism and conservation, the hatchery buys turtle eggs off fishermen, in an attempt to discourage them from poaching & selling the eggs for food. Visitors are educated on the importance of protecting turtle life, via the hatchery’s facilities that care for newborn turtles until they are ready to be released back into the ocean, an experience that some lucky visitors may even have the opportunity to do themselves first-hand. The wide sandy beaches that exist round the island of Sri Lanka are utilized by several of the marine turtles for laying their eggs. The commonest of these are the Loggerheads and the Leathery turtle while the green turtle is less common.

The largest lake in the island, Koggala lake is an unspoilt ecological haven a few hundred meters away from the resort. The small islands scattered in the lake ideal for bird watching at sunset. This beautiful turquoise lagoon is just a couple of kilometers away from the town; dotted with rocky islands & fringed with mangroves. The lagoon teems with birdlife & supply prawns in abundance. Motor boat trips & catamaran rides take you to the smaller islands around the lagoon, each showcasing a unique experience in itself.

The Handunugoda plantation & Tea centre is very popular for visitors who wish to obtain a comprehensive knowledge of the workings of Tea – Rubber & Cinnamon Plantations. Sri Lanka was famed for its spices and the Southern Province produces the best Cinnamon in the world. Visit a spice garden at Habaradoowa which grows spices and herbs used for Sri Lankan cuisine and medication.

A stunning location and one of Koggala’s must-visits, this Folk Museum is inspired by and built upon the ideologies of Martin Wickramasinghe, one of Sri Lanka’s most renowned Sinhalese writers of the twentieth century. The museum showcases the country’s traditional cultures and was restored together with the ecosystem that surrounds it with the aim of transforming Koggala, the place that is described in most of Wickramasinghe's work, to a more tangible reality for those who have read his writings and those who are looking for a firsthand experience in the heart of the writer's stories. The legend of the house is a rather interesting one given the fact that this piece of architecture was able to survive two world wars. The establishment sits magnificently in a lush seven acre garden surrounded by several species of trees. Along with exhibits of the highly respected writer's personal collection, photographs & memorabilia & some history about the area, the museum also houses fascinating exhibits from traditional Sri Lankan life: everything from catching a fish to chasing off malevolent spirits. The exhibits are interesting & well displayed, with information in English & Sinhalese.

Around 5 km beyond Koggala lies one of the south's most absorbing temples, the Kataluwa Purvarama Mahavihara. The temple was built originally in the 13th century with additions being included in the late 19th century. This temple is renowned for its remarkable Kandyan-style paintings in the main shrine, dating from the late nineteenth century, illustrating an interesting piece of social history. Some of the Jatake tales (episodes from the Buddha's series of 550 previous lives) scenes painted here are said to be 200 years old. Cameo-style paintings of Queen Victoria & the Queen Mother too are found, in gratitude of Queen Victoria's role in ensuring the free practice of Buddhism during the British occupation of the island.

Easily recognizable by its towering dense canopy, this relatively small rainforest hosts a wide variety of exotic and endemic flora. The species are labeled to educate and the reserve makes for a wonderful excursion.

One of the finest locations in the world for surfing, Unawatuna Bay offers an idyllic bay with plenty of watersports and nightlife.

Get off the beaten track and discover Hiyare rainforest - a lush 600-acre picture-postcard rainforest located just 40 minutes drive from Koggala - a veritable paradise for wildlife enthusiasts, with over 118 bird and 77 butterfly species.

Sri Lanka offers world-class Scuba-Diving and Snorkelling tours. A multitude of tropical fish, magnificently colourful coral reefs and fascinating ship wrecks can be explored at several locations off the southern coast of Sri Lanka, providing breathtaking snorkelling and scuba diving opportunities.

The coast from the village of Ahangama to the village of Midigama, located between Koggala & Weligama Bay Beach is one of the best surfing areas in Sri Lanka & attracts the long-term surfers.

The Capital city of the Southern Province, Galle Fort was built by the Portuguese in the 16th century and is designated as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. The old part of town is compact so you can explore by foot. A tour of the fort's fortified walls is the highlight of a visit to Galle.

A few kilometers from the resort is something unique to the island, fishermen perched on sticks planted in the sea and fishing with a rod and line. This ancient form of fishing requires great skill and is practiced only in this region.

The domain of God Skanda, located in the Deep South of Sri Lanka, adjoining the popular Ruhuna Yala National Park and ancient Sithulpawwa Buddhist Monastery, is a multi-religious sacred city that contains a Buddhist temple, Hindu shrine and Islamic Mosque. Mahawamsa, the great historical chronicle of Sri Lanka reveals the participation of warriors of Kshatriyas clan from Kataragama on the occasion of the arrival of the Bo sapling of Bodhi Tree, under which Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment in Bodh Gaya (Gaya district of the modern Bihar state of India) was brought to the city of Anuradhapura 2,300 years ago.

Situated approximately 50 km away, it's the last major, undisturbed area of rainforest in Sri Lanka. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has hundreds of species of animals unique to Sri Lanka.

This reserve contains 81% of the woody plant species endemicto Sri Lanka. After an invigorating trek through the jungle you can cool down with a bath under the unspoilt waters of the Kanneliya Waterfall. Nearby Kottawa Forest Reserve is another must visit site for nature lovers. A live herbarium with plants and trees gives you the chance to learn more about Sri Lanka's floral heritage.

This is an estuary located about 30 kilometres from Koggala. A large marshland with abundant belt of mangroves and scrubforest, this reserve contains hundreds of species of birds, reptiles, butterflies and fish. Kirala Kelle area is classified as a medium status biodiversity area.

With herds of elephants, wild buffalo, sambar deer and leopards, Uda Walawe is the Sri Lankan national park that best rivals the savanna reserves of Africa, and a definite hot-stop for every tourist. The park's 30, 821 hectares centre on the large Uda Walawe Reservoir, fed by the Walawe Ganga.

One of the most visited and second largest national parks in Sri Lanka. Consisting of five blocks, two of which are now open to the public; and also adjoining parks. The park is best known for its variety of wild animals. It is important for the conservation of Sri Lankan Elephants and aquatic birds and hosts a variety of ecosystems ranging from moist monsoon forests to freshwater and marine wetlands. Yala is home to some 215 bird species including six endemic species of Sri Lanka. The number of mammals that has been recorded from the park is 44, and it has one of the highest leopard densities in the world.

Located about fifteen kilometers east of Hambantota (a similar distance west of Tissamaharama), Bundala National Park is one of Sri Lanka's foremost destinations for birdwatchers, protecting an important area of coastal wetland famous for its abundant aquatic (and other) birdlife. The park is also home to significant populations of elephants, Marsh & estuarine crocodiles, turtles & other fauna, including the leopard. Stretching along the coast east of Hambantota, Bundala National Park is ideal for instant gratification.

See local craftswomen at work using traditional 'beeralu' bobbin lace-making techniques for which the women of Dikwella village have been famous for generations. Watch the women create beautiful lace products, explore the museum, learn how important lace has been to Dikwella.

Dondra Head Lighthouse is an offshore lighthouse. It is located on Dondra Head near the southernmost point in Sri Lanka and is the tallest lighthouse in the country. Travelling south from this point you will encounter absolutely nothing until you reach Antartica.

The seas off the coast of Mirissa offers a great opportunity as it is currently a major hotspot for spotting Whales and Dolphins. The main port is Dondra Point because it is located closely to their migration path.

At Kudawela, 6 kilometres to the east of Dikwella, secreted in a beautiful beach of golden surf and turquoise sea is found the only blow hole in the country; one of the handful found in the world. This is locally known as the "Hoo-maniya" - named thus because of the sound the blow hole makes before the water spurts upward.

In close proximity to Hakmana, this vihara is known among the locals as the temple with the technical school. Situated at the foot of a hill, part of which has been flattened to build the temple, it is surrounded by lush paddy fields and a rustic village. Originally built during the Kandyan period, the image house of this vihara is very interesting architecturally since it combines two functions – an image house and that of a stupa. There are only few of these dual purpose structures in Sri Lanka. The statues and paintings now visible in the image house date from the early 20th century (1924 AD).