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Experience the best of Hambantota

Hambantota is a town on the dry south-east coast of Sri Lanka, with salt pans, lagoons and national parks close by, including Yala.

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Hambantota lies on the dry southern coast of Sri Lanka, among scrub, salt pans and shallow lagoons. The town grew around fishing and salt-making, and the region remains one of the island's main salt-producing areas. Inland, the towns of Tissamaharama and Kataragama are the local centres, with ancient lakes and shrines.

Bundala National Park, a wetland of lagoons and sand dunes, draws flamingos and other migratory birds in the cooler months. Yala National Park, about fifty kilometres east, is known for its leopards, elephants and sloth bears. Tissamaharama has an ancient white dagoba beside a lake, Kataragama is a pilgrimage site sacred to Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims, and Kirinda has a temple on a rock above the sea.

The south is known for buffalo curd served with palm treacle, as well as fresh prawns, crab curry and tuna. Rice and curry arrives with coconut sambol, and this dry south-east coast sees little of the south-west monsoon rains that soak the island's south-west.

  • Free cancellation on 95% of experiences
  • 4.8 across the top 19

Top experiences in Hambantota

Day trips from Hambantota

36

Guided tours in Hambantota

14

Nature and wildlife tours in Hambantota

18

Desert and safari experiences in Hambantota

9

Shore excursions from Hambantota

12

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