Things to Do in Ampara

A chaotic covered market selling fresh produce, dried fish, and textiles. The real action is the vegetable section — vendors hawk jackfruit, drumsticks, and local limes. The air smells of coriander and turmeric.

🕐 6am – 6pm, closed Sundays

💡 Buy a bag of roasted cashews from the old woman at the south entrance — she's been there 20 years and they're half the price of Colombo.

A large ancient reservoir built by King Mahasen, now a popular spot for evening walks. The bund stretches nearly 2 km and offers clear views of the water and distant hills, with benches and a small pavilion.

🕐 Always open

💡 Go at 5pm — the heat drops, and locals gather here for cricket and snacks from the few vendors who appear.

Sri Lanka's least-visited national park, known for boat safaris where elephants swim between islands. The basic ticket covers self-guided walking near the visitor centre and the short nature trail along the Senanayaka Samudra edge.

🕐 6am – 6pm daily

💡 Skip the official safari — instead, take the road to Inginiyagala at dawn; you'll often see elephants crossing for free.

Ruins of a 2nd-century BC stupa restored in the 1950s. Raised on a large square platform, it's an active pilgrimage site with crumbling dagabas and a bo tree. The setting is calm and sparse.

🕐 Daylight hours only

💡 Bring a sarong — the temple requires covered shoulders and knees. There's no shop nearby.

A short, free path through tidal mangroves on the edge of Kumana National Park. You walk on raised earth bunds between brackish lagoons, spotting monitor lizards and water birds. No facilities at all.

🕐 Always open

💡 Wear old trainers — it gets muddy after rain. Best visited at low tide to avoid mosquitoes.