3 National Parks to Explore in Eastern Province
Checkout places to visit in Eastern Province
The Eastern Province is the second largest province in Sri Lanka, and its capital is Trincomalee, located on the east side of the region. The province covers most of the coastline on the east coast, and its area is 9,996 km2 which is 15.2% of the Sri Lankan landmass. Its major cities are Kalmunai, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Kattankudy, Eravur, and Ampara, with a population of 1,551,381 in 2012. And, it is the most diverse province ethnically and religiously in the country.
Activities Around
National Parks to Explore in Eastern Province
Gal Oya National Park, established in 1954 serves as the main catchment area to collecting water for Senanayake Samudraya, the largest lake in Sri Lanka. An important feature of the Gal Oya National Park is its elephant herd that can be seen throughout the year.
Kumana National Park is famous for its avifauna, especially its large flocks of seasonal waterfowl and wading birds. The park lies 391 km southeast from Colombo on the southeastern coast and was closed from 1985 to March 2003 because of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam attacks. It was also affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004.
Pigeon Island National Park lies 1 km off the coast of Nilaveli in Eastern Province, containing a total area of 471.429 hectares. The island's name came from the rock pigeon which colonized it. The park includes some of the best remaining coral reefs of Sri Lanka. This place in the 17th century used as a shooting range during the colonial era. Pigeon Island was one of the several protected areas affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004.