The beautiful island of Sri Lanka is famed for its amazing collection of flora and fauna. For all nature enthusiasts craving for some fantastic eco-tourism, the Wipattu National Park is a definite must visit attraction. Famed for its exciting leopard population, this protected area offers one of the most intriguing adventures amidst all the amazing things to do in Sri Lanka.
“Willu Pattu” is literally translated to ‘Land of Lakes’ and the park is named as such due its large collection of ‘Willus’ or natural lakes which make excellent habitats for crocodiles, buffaloes and other species. It is also a haven for a number of endangered populations which includes sloth bears, Asian elephants, water buffaloes and the Sri Lankan leopard. There is also a perfect array of bird and reptile species such as the painted stork, beautiful jungle fowls, owls, eagles, gulls, common cobras, Indian python, a number of turtle species, crocodiles and many others. Wilpattu National Parks stands as one of the oldest parks in the island which was recognized as a wildlife sanctuary in 1905 and was upgraded to the National Park status in 1938.
Among other things, the Wilpattu National Park is a historic place with a cultural significance. In the ancient books of Mahavensa there are records that in the year 543 BC a prince named Vijaya came ashore at Kudrimalai Point (translated to Horse Point), married the famous Kuweni and founded the now majority Sinhalese race. Today the park stands as a popular tourist attraction as it houses a fantastic collection of flora and fauna over a total area of 131,693 hectares making it the largest park in the whole of Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka is a perfect destination for fantastic eco-tourism and has a number or beautiful relaxing spots throughout the island. The Wilpattu National Park is located somewhere in between the historic city of Anuradhapura and the city of Puttalam and would fit right in on a fulfilling tour of Sri Lanka. Stay at Club Palm Bay Marawila to enjoy the best of both worlds. With excellent service and picturesque surroundings, this is one of the best Marawila hotels and is also one of the finest beach hotels Sri Lanka proudly boasts as its own.