“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.”
-The Water Rat, The Wind in the Willows
Want to “mess about in boats” like the water rat? Then Sri Lanka is the perfect country for you to holiday in. This little teardrop of a nation has a multitude of freshwater veins running from its lush mountains to its sunny beaches. From all these rivers there is one that is just ideal for pleasuring, exploring and simply ‘messing about’ and that is the bubbling, beautiful Madu River.
Located in the South West of Sri Lanka, the Madu or ‘Maduganga’ River falls into the sea at Balapitiya. Calling home to this majestic shallow water body are 303 species of plants belonging to 95 families and to 248 species of vertebrate animals. Unfortunately, this precious river might be one of the last remaining tracts of pristine mangrove forests in Sri Lanka. The Madu River offers plenty of excursions such as fishing, white water rafting, swimming (in areas that are marked safe- the river is home to crocodiles too :P) , and exploring the mangroves rich in bio-diversity. If you’re the adventurous type you can also go on riverside adventures and camping. But, if you’re not that keen on spending the nights on a river bank, don’t worry there are plenty of accommodation options around. Take the River House Balapitiya for example. This boutique hotel in Sri Lanka is situated just by the river banks and guess what, they also offer kayaking and boat rides, so that’s killing two birds with one stone!
So make sure to tick off ‘exploring Madu River’ from your list of things to do in Sri Lanka. Your respect for this majestic river will increase once you learn that the Buddhist Amarapura Nikaya sector decided to have its first higher ordination ceremony on a fleet of boats anchored upon the Madu River in 1803.
Auburn Silver is a travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world. Google+