Sri Lanka's largest coastal peat-bog wetland, a biodiverse marsh south of the lagoon best explored by boat safari.

Overview

Muthurajawela is a vast coastal wetland immediately south of the Negombo Lagoon, the country's largest saline peat bog and a haven for hundreds of species of birds, fish, reptiles and plants. Boat safaris set out from the visitor centre along the old Dutch canal into a maze of mangroves and open water, where visitors can spot kingfishers, herons, egrets, water monitors and, with luck, crocodiles. It is one of the best and easiest wildlife-watching trips within reach of Colombo and the airport.

History

The name Muthurajawela means 'supreme field of pearls', and the marsh has long buffered the coast and supported local fishing and farming communities. Recognised for its exceptional biodiversity, part of the wetland was declared a sanctuary in the 1990s to protect its rare coastal peat-bog ecosystem from encroaching development.