Koggala Lake

Koggala Lake lies just behind the coast road east of Galle, shallow and brackish, about 4.8 by 2 kilometres and only 1 to 3.7 metres deep, with eight or so islands in it. Boats run out to Madol Duwa, the island of Martin Wickramasinghe's novel, to a temple island, and to a small island where cinnamon is grown and the peeling demonstrated. Birdlife is good along the margins and the water is calm. The writer's house museum stands nearby at Koggala village.

What you'll find

• The islands - eight or so in the lake, several visited on the boat route.
• Madol Duwa - the island of the Sinhala novel, a fixture of Sri Lankan schooling.
• The cinnamon island - peeling demonstrated on one of the small islands.
• The Wickramasinghe museum - the writer's house and folk museum at Koggala.

When to go

November to April is the drier window. Early morning is best for birds and calm water. Boats run through the day.

Good to know

The cinnamon demonstration is a commercial stop and the tip expectation is heavy. Boat prices vary and should be agreed first. The lake is shallow and can smell in dry periods.

Nearby

Galle is west, and Handunugoda tea estate is east.

Key facts