A Ramsar-listed inland wetland system of 900 hectares near Balapitiya on the southwest coast – explored by small motorboat through mangrove channels, past a working cinnamon island, a Buddhist temple island, and natural fish therapy pools in an ecosystem of remarkable biological complexity and sensory beauty. The Madu River gives the southwest coast a natural dimension completely removed from its resort strip, and the combination of mangrove ecology, cultural interest, and the particular gentle quality of moving through a living wetland by boat creates one of the most distinctive half-day experiences available on any Island Pulse Travels itinerary.
