Kitulgala

Kitulgala sits on the Kelani where it comes down out of the hills, in some of the wettest country in Sri Lanka, and the stretch of river below the village carries grade two and three rapids that make it the country's rafting centre. The forest around is rich in endemic birds and is a standard stop for birders; the Serendib scops owl, the most recently discovered bird in Sri Lanka, was first heard calling here. The village is named after the kitul palm, whose sap is boiled into syrup and jaggery. The Bridge on the River Kwai was filmed on this river in 1957 and the bridge site is pointed out, though nothing of the set remains.

What to look for

• The rapids - grade two and three water on the Kelani below the village.
• The rainforest birding - endemics in the wet zone forest around the river.
• The film location - the stretch of river used for the 1957 bridge scenes.
• The Kelani - a wide fast river running out of the hills.

When to go

May to December has the strongest water for rafting. The area is wet in every month; it is among the highest rainfall in the country. Birding is best early in the morning.

Before you go

Rafting safety standards vary between operators and equipment should be checked. Nothing remains of the film set and the site is a riverbank. Leeches in the forest are constant.

Nearby

Belilena cave is east, and Adam's Peak is south-east.