Lahugala National Park and Kudumbigala forest hermitage near Arugam Bay worth visiting from the surf town
I am pairing wildlife with the east coast and basing near Arugam Bay I read about two lesser known spots nearby Lahugala (a small national park known for elephants and a tank) and Kudumbigala (an ancient forest monastery hermitage among the rocks with views) Are these worth visiting from Arugam Bay what is the experience at each the elephants at Lahugala the hermitage and views at Kudumbigala and how do I do them and is the east good in June People who visited these from Arugam Bay please tell me
4 Answers from travellers
East coast guide from Pottuvil (right by Arugam Bay) so these two local gems Both worth it YES both are excellent lesser known spots easily done from ARUGAM BAY and they make perfect non surfing day trips from the surf town LAHUGALA NATIONAL PARK a SMALL national park close to Arugam Bay centred on the Lahugala tank (reservoir) it is known especially for ELEPHANTS which come to feed on the beru grass in and around the tank (in the right season you can see good elephant numbers) plus birdlife and the dry zone wildlife in a compact quiet park because it is small and little visited you get an intimate uncrowded wildlife experience (a lovely contrast to the big busy parks) a short safari or even viewing from the road by the tank can yield elephants check the current conditions and season for the best elephant gathering KUDUMBIGALA the FOREST HERMITAGE an ancient forest MONASTERY (aranya hermitage) set among dramatic ROCK outcrops in the jungle near the coast (toward the Kumana side) it dates back over two thousand years a place of meditation and solitude with ancient ruins caves and stupas scattered in the forest and a CLIMB up the main rock to a small stupa at the top rewarded with SWEEPING views over the wild forest the lagoons and out to the coast it is serene spiritual and wonderfully remote a magical combination of ancient sacred history wild nature and a stunning viewpoint How to do them both are short trips from Arugam Bay (Lahugala just inland Kudumbigala toward the Kumana and Panama side) a tuk tuk or a hired vehicle or a guide gets you there easily combine them with each other or with a Kumana NP trip (the Kumana threads) for a great wildlife and heritage day off the surf go earlier in the day (cooler wildlife active better for the climb) June and the east EXCELLENT the EAST coast is in its prime DRY calm season now (the southwest monsoon soaks the west and hills while the east including Arugam Bay is dry and at its best the seasonal threads) so June is a GREAT time to be at Arugam Bay and exploring Lahugala and Kudumbigala the surf season and the dry weather align So yes from Arugam Bay visit LAHUGALA (a small quiet national park great for elephants by the tank) and KUDUMBIGALA (an ancient forest hermitage among the rocks with ruins caves and a stunning summit view) both easy rewarding day trips that pair perfectly with the surf town and June is an ideal dry season time for the east coast
Climb to the stupa at the top of Kudumbigala in the gentler light the view over the wild forest and lagoons to the sea is breathtaking and you often have the ancient hermitage almost to yourself the mix of solitude ancient ruins and that summit panorama is the real magic of the place
Lahugala a small quiet national park great for elephants by the tank and Kudumbigala an ancient forest hermitage among the rocks with ruins and a stunning summit view both easy day trips from Arugam Bay with June an ideal dry season time for the east this is exactly the wildlife and heritage pairing I wanted thank you
These quiet spots are the perfect break from surfing at Arugam Bay a morning watching elephants at little Lahugala or climbing to the Kudumbigala hermitage gives the trip depth beyond the beach and you escape the surf crowd entirely into wild peaceful nature and ancient history
Fair TukTuk Prices
Help travelers avoid overcharging!
Be the first to report a priceYou must be logged in to post an answer.
Log In to Answer