TV Times

TV Times

Go wild in Galapita
By Sanath Weerasuriya
‘Galapita’ is a truly a remote village in the Southeast of Sri Lanka in the jungle by the bank of Menik Ganga. Built atop a magnificent rock that soars like a huge bathing elephant out of the waters of the Menik Ganga, the Galapita Eco Lodge in Sri Lanka was, until recently, a private retreat.

Now it is like an exotic gym for adults, an ideal location for naturalist, hideout for lovers and more or less a top attraction for eco tourists, who are looking for a true treat of ecologcal base resort. Bathe in jacuzzi pools down river or go trekking through untouched jungle to find elephants or exotic fishing or adventure river cruise are some of the thing available at the Galapita Eco Lodge.

Great local rice, curries and local food are some of the attractions at Galapita. The food is fresh every day, most of it from Galapita’s garden. Thatched roofs, three large sleeping platforms made from mud, and huge tree-trunks and roots for tables and benches are the attraction of the Eco Lodge. The place can accomodate maximum of 12 people.

The forest around Galapita is rich in birds and animals - so much so that visitors can enjoy a ‘garden safari’, encountering dozens of bird species and a variety of animals, even fairly large game, within sight of the lodge buildings. Even the pool beneath the suspension bridge teems with fish and other aquatic life. A walk and discover the marvellous “tree house’ - Palu Maluwa, with a panoramic view of Galapitagala.

Galapita Eco Lodge is in close approximate to Yala Game Park and Kataragama, two of most attracted places in South Sri Lanka.“Yala’, Sri Lanka’s largest wildlife reserve, occupies most of the south-Eastern corner of the island. Yala offers some of the most beautiful jungle prospects in the country, especially in the places where the jungle meets the ocean. The reserve is home to elephant, bear, leopard, deer and sambhur, wild boar, water buffalo, crocodile, jackal and porcupine. The latest is the newly found ‘White Elephant’.

One of the most interesting nearby biomes east of Galapita is Weliara Wewa, 45 minutes drive from Galapita through the forest; Weliara Wewa offers magnificent photo opportunities as elephants graze, bathe and spar in their natural habitat. South of Galapita stretch the vast Pelawatte sugarcane plantations. Unusually these plantations are dotted with patches of forest and scrub jungle.

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