Ambalangoda (Sri Lanka) is a small settlement in the western part of the island, located between Hikkaduwa and Bentota. In some sources, the town is called a suburb and the beach of Hikkaduwa. However, this is wrong, since Ambalangoda is an independent city with its own beach and attractions, although the map shows that one village smoothly passes into another, there is no clear border.
general information
Among tourists, Ambalangoda is known for its museum of masks. It is here that you can not only see, but also purchase not just a mask, but a real work of art made of wood. Each product is handmade, decorated with carvings and painted. In addition to masks, masters make unique dolls.
The settlement has a beach, but, of course, the infrastructure is somewhat inferior to the coasts of neighboring cities, more developed in tourist terms.
Tourists come to Ambalangoda who prefer desert places, solitude and tranquility. Some vacationers compare the town with a small village – there are few hotels and restaurants on the shore, the nature is natural, almost untouched by a human hand.
Nevertheless, tourism infrastructure is still there. You can stay in small hotels or guest houses. There are local travel agencies, cafes, shops, a small market in Ambalangod. There is a transport connection with other cities – there are bus and train stops.
sights
Among the attractions of Ambalangoda, there are museums where masks and dolls are exhibited. They are located in the central part of the city, the distance between the buildings is only a few hundred meters. Here, vacationers can not only look at the products, but purchase them as a souvenir in memory of Sri Lanka .
stands out for more interesting and expressive exhibits. Excursions are organized for visitors, they are told in detail about exhibits. True, the narration is in English.
There is a workshop next to the museum, masters work here, you can look at the process of making masks.
All items are carved from a local tree native to Kadura Island. It can be found in the swamps. The process of cutting and decorating the mask is the last stage until which the wood is specially treated – dried, smoked for a week. This is necessary so that insects do not appear in the wood. After that a master works with a tree – cuts out parts, covers with paint and varnish. Dolls are made according to a similar pattern.
At the entrance, everyone can leave a voluntary donation. The museum is open from 8-30 to 17-30.
In the town of Ambalangoda, there is the Galgoda Sailatalaramaya Maha Vihara Temple, where you can see the largest tattoo of the reclining Buddha in South Asia, its length is 35 meters. To get to the temple, you need to overcome more than 200 steps.
The temple is considered the oldest in the southern part of the island. The building was built in 1867, its entrance is decorated with the largest gate in Sri Lanka.
More than 3 thousand tropical plants grow in Sri Lanka (almost 25% of them are flowering). You can find a significant number of ferns, orchids and decorative deciduous bushes, more than 700 species of medicinal plants.
The fauna is no less diverse and vibrant – more than 400 species of birds. Some of them live on the island permanently, while others migrate annually from Scandinavia.
Related article: Where to go on a safari in Sri Lanka – 4 reserves .
How to get to Ambalangoda
First, from Bandaranaike Airport, you need to get to the bus station of Colombo by bus No. 187. You can get to the town, departing from Colombo in a southerly direction. Any buses to Halle, Tangall or Mattara will do. Look for information about the direction on the bus itself, you should not focus on the number.
The largest road artery, the Galle road, as well as the railway, pass through the resort.
- Public transport;
- Rented car;
- Taxi or tuk tuk.
The map shows that the distance between the popular Hikkaduwa and Ambalangoda is 10 km. Buses from the administrative center of Colombo to Hikkaduwa stop on request in the resort village.
It is important! The distance to Colombo is 107 km, a car can be reached in 1.5 hours, a taxi will cost 6000-8000 rupees. It takes 2 hours by train.
Beach in Ambalangod
Ambalangoda Beach is not crowded, it is a great place in Sri Lanka for a secluded holiday surrounded by local exotic.
The main advantage of the beach is the lack of a large number of tourists. Here you do not need to look for a place where you can comfortably sit on the sand and swim. There are no reefs on the beach, the slope is gentle, safe. There are no opportunities to engage in active sports on the beach, for this you need to go to Hikkaduwa.
The coastline of Ambalangoda is 2 km long. The strip of sand is wide, not pointed. The tourist infrastructure is represented by small hotels, guest houses and cafes.
Hikkaduwa Beach is 15 km away and Induruwa Beach is 20 km away.
Weather and climate
The weather in Ambalangod is very high in humidity and warm. Throughout the year, the temperature remains within +29 degrees. The water temperature in the Indian Ocean also varies slightly – from +26 to +29 degrees.
The tourist season opens in November and lasts until April.
At this time, on the entire southwestern coast of Sri Lanka, the minimum rainfall, temperature + 28-30 degrees (felt at 32-35 degrees). The weather is ideal for fans to thoroughly bask in the sun and get a good tan.
In May, the rainy season begins, which lasts through October. The wettest months are May and October; there are heavy, tropical rains.
In the remaining summer months, the amount of precipitation decreases, and it rains mainly in the afternoon. In the rainy season, surfers come to the resort most often, because the ocean is stormy.
On the map of Sri Lanka, Ambalangoda is undoubtedly a unique vacation spot, since you can relax here at any time of the year, regardless of weather.
Ambalangoda (Sri Lanka) is an exotic corner where the presence of a person is almost not felt. Here you will find silence, harmony of man with nature and absolute peace.
