We have now tried a river safari in Sri Lanka, in the Madu Ganga River, which turned out to be an unexpectedly exciting trip with everything from monitor lizards to fish spas. We also visited a sanctuary and 'hospital' for sea turtles.
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River safari in Sri Lanka
After the visit to the charming city bile it was time for us to slowly make our way back to Colombo, to fly home in a few days. On the way, we had set our sights on a river safari stop in the Madu Ganga River. The trip started near Balapitiya on the south-west coast of Sri Lanka, a little south of the Bentota River. Here we paid about 300 SEK per person for a one and a half hour trip with motorboat and guide.
The Madu Ganga River connects the sea with Lake Maduganga, making the water here brackish. It is full of mangroves, and we glided the boat through dense mangrove swamps.
As the river slipped into the larger lake, we saw long bamboo fences in the water, which according to our guide were used to hold shrimp. We also saw several floating kiosks, and a Buddhist temple with a Buddha statue in front.
Animals at Madu Ganga River
The guide was very good at spotting different animals during the trip. We saw many different birds, such as eagles and cormorants, and some other birds that we can't name.
We also saw two water monitors, and a shimmering green jellyfish. According to the guide, the jellyfish is only present in the river during one month of the year, and according to him it is not really known why it is that way.
Fish spa in the lake
After a while we made a stop and then it was time for ... fish spa! In small pools in the water there were lots of so-called "massage fish". Here we were asked to put our feet down if we wanted to "feed" the fish, and at the same time get some foot treatment. The fish were hungry, we can say!
Sea turtles
After our river safari in Sri Lanka, we continued just a little bit north by car, to get to Ahungalla Sea Turtles. It works to breed the endangered sea turtles and then, when they are big enough, release them into the wild.
Adult turtles that have been injured, for example by getting caught in fishing nets, are also cared for and treated. If possible, they are also released into the wild whenever possible.
It's sad that turtles have such a hard time surviving, so it's good to give them some help. And aren't the little turtles cute? We weren't allowed to touch the smallest ones because their shells hadn't quite closed yet, but we could hold the slightly larger ones.
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Ama de casa says:
What a great trip! Delicious jellyfish and cute turtle babies 🙂 But I don't like those pedicure fish. Do not like to be chewed on ...
Have a wonderful Epiphany!
06 January 2019 - 10:08
Helena says:
It was a bit difficult to get used to those fish, but it got better and better 😉 .
06 January 2019 - 18:12
Emma, Sol som sol? says:
What an exciting journey! And oh, how cute they are the little turtles. So there are eggs underneath each sign? Looks almost a bit macabre, like a cemetery.
Did you dare to put your feet in? Does it tickle? There are those foot massage stories with fish in some shopping centres but I wonder if I would dare. How do they know when to stop munching?
06 January 2019 - 12:13
Britt-Marie Lundgren says:
Boat safaris are always cosy and I like to glide through the mangroves.
We visited a sea turtle rescue centre in Borneo. It was so cool to see them come up at night to lay eggs and to be involved in releasing little babies.
Sri Lanka certainly has a lot to offer.
06 January 2019 - 17:14
Helena says:
How cosy it sounds to be involved and let the turtle babies in! 🙂 And agree, Sri Lanka has a lot to offer!
06 January 2019 - 18:16
marina says:
What a cool jellyfish! Turtles are fantastic animals. And to see those little ones...so cosy. We also had the experience of seeing the turtles come up and lay their eggs and got to participate in releasing little babies into the sea - very cool.
I have also done a fish spa, once, and it was with horrified delight! I have a little difficulty deciding what I really liked about it ...
06 January 2019 - 17:40
Helena says:
The baby turtles are soooo nice! And yes, horrified delight was a good description 😉.
06 January 2019 - 18:16
BP says:
That tour was very much to my liking. WOW! Except the "fish restaurant" - god so disgusting;-) The jellyfish looked like a transparent octopus or an LED lamp. Incredibly delicious. Oh as I love turtles and grew up with them, I applaud the initiative of "building" a "hospital", even if it looks like a cemetery at first glance;-)
06 January 2019 - 19:22
Helena says:
Haha, LED bulb was a fun comparison 😉.
07 January 2019 - 8:23
Evelyn Palm says:
Hi, just have to say that 300 kr per person for the boat trip was way too much told my friend Sampath who I live with here in Sri Lanka (Bentota). He says he paid 3500 Sl rupees for 6 people on that particular boat. That means your driver got a lot of commission hmm. Good that you enjoyed the trip anyway ???
As a tourist, you always have to pay commission on anything someone else suggests, in this case your driver.
I came to Sri Lanka for the first time in 91 and have been here 19 times since then, now I have my own house here and enjoy it very much. Will move here permanently next year.
07 January 2019 - 1:53
Helena says:
Thank you for your comment Evelyn! Yes, it was certainly too expensive, and it's good for others to know! For our driver it was perhaps lucky that he finally got a commission 😉 After one day in the beginning when he drove us to a spice garden and then chose a hotel for us, we have constantly declined all his suggestions and booked all the hotels ourselves. But it's good to be aware of this system! Great that you are moving to Sri Lanka!
07 January 2019 - 8:26
Reiselinda says:
Lovely with a boat safari! Fun with all the animals and birds and a little spa on the purchase!
07 January 2019 - 18:51
Helena says:
🙂
09 January 2019 - 19:28
Maria/ Magnolia Magis says:
Wow, what great pictures! What is it really like to be eaten by fish? Have thought about trying...
09 January 2019 - 17:17
Helena says:
It was a mixture between being tickled, being (lightly!) chewed on, and sometimes a bit pleasant, haha. But I realised from others that these fish were bigger than usual on fish pans 😉.
09 January 2019 - 19:29
Linda says:
Hey, hey, hey, hey,
Thanks for all the great information you share about Sri Lanka! 🙂 I am thinking of going there in two weeks.
Can I go to Ahungalla Sea Turtles without having booked to go there?
/Linda
14 February 2019 - 14:10