Tissamaharama

Tissamaharama was the capital of the southern kingdom of Ruhuna from the third century BC, and what survives from that is the great white dagoba, one of the largest in the country, and the tanks: Tissa Wewa and Yoda Wewa, ancient reservoirs still holding water and still irrigating. The tank bunds at dusk fill with birds and with people walking, and the town works as the base for Yala, Bundala and Kataragama.

What you actually see

• The great dagoba - a large white stupa from the Ruhuna kingdom period.
• Tissa Wewa - an ancient reservoir still in use, with a tree-lined bund.
• The birdlife - pelicans, storks and egrets on the tanks at dawn and dusk.
• The Ruhuna remains - other stupas and ruins scattered through the town.

When to go

November to April is the drier window in the deep south. Dawn and dusk on the tank bunds are the best hours. The town is busiest as a safari base in the dry months.

Honest expectations

The town itself is a functional safari base with heavy jeep traffic. Sites are scattered and need transport. Accommodation quality varies widely.

Nearby

Yala is east, and Kataragama is northeast.