Koggala Lagoon

Koggala Lagoon Koggala Lagoon Koggala Lagoon

Koggala Lagoon (Sinhala: ?????? ????? Koggala Kalapuwa) is a coastal waterbody located in Galle District, Southern Sri Lanka. It is situated near the town of Koggala and adjacent to the southern coast, about 110 km (68 mi) south of Colombo. The lagoon is embellished with eight ecologically rich small islands.

Features and location

The lagoon has a surface area of approximately 7.27 km2 (2.81 sq mi) measuring 4.8 kilometres (3.0 mi) in length and 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) in width. The water depth ranges from 1.0 metre (3.3 ft) to 3.7 metres (12 ft). The lagoon is largely rain fed and a number of streams are connected to it. Warabokka-ela stream (Koggala-oya) that enters the lagoon from the north-west is the main freshwater supply. Kerena anicut, which was constructed combining two streams, Mudiyansege-ela stream and Thithagalla-ela stream, is the second largest freshwater inflow. Heen-ela stream contributes a minor to the freshwater inflow. In addition to above four streams, Kahanda-ela stream, Gurukanda-ela stream and Thelambu-ela stream are also contributors for freshwater inflows but are presently abandoned with overgrown vegetation. The only outlet of the lagoon is Pol-oya located at the southeast corner; a narrow 300 metres (980 ft) long canal, which connects the lagoon with the Indian Ocean. The lagoon has a hydro-catchment area of approximately 55 km2 (21 sq mi).2 Various land use practices exist in the catchment, which mainly includes small-scale fishing industry and paddy farming. The Koggala Export Processing Zone (KEPZ), is an industrial area with a surface area of 91 ha (220 acres) located within the catchment area of the lagoon.

Tourism

The Koggala Lagoon is one of the main features for tourists who visit southern coastal areas in Sri Lanka with rich bio diversities and eco systems. The Lagoon is scattered with eight small islands. The islands consist of lush mangrove swamps. Anchored in mud, the mangrove roots are coated with a variety of creatures, including barnacles, oysters and crabs. The dense, intertwining roots serve as nurseries for many fish species. There are seven islands in the lagoon, that can be reached by boat. The most famous of the islands is ‘Madol Doova' (Mangrove Island Sinhala: ????? ???)’, which is described in detail by Martin Wickramasinghe in his novel, Madol Doova. Motor boats are available to hire to travel across the lagoon. Tourists can witness the varying species of Mangrove, about ten of which are endemic to Sri Lanka. Wildlife of these islands inherited to a wide variety of flora and fauna, like monitor lizards and a number of birds. In addition to wildlife and the scenery, Kathaluwa Buddhist Temple (Kathaluwa Purvarama Maha Vihara) is one of the main tourist attractions in the lagoon with Kandyan-style paint

Sobre o Distrito de Galle

Galle é uma cidade situada na ponta sudoeste do Sri Lanka, a 119 km de Colombo. Galle é o melhor exemplo de uma cidade fortificada construída por europeus no sul e sudeste da Ásia, mostrando a interação entre os estilos arquitetônicos europeus e as tradições do sul da Ásia. O Forte de Galle é um Patrimônio Mundial da UNESCO e a maior fortaleza remanescente na Ásia construída por ocupantes europeus.

Galle é uma cidade de porte considerável para os padrões do Sri Lanka, com uma população de 91.000 habitantes, a maioria de etnia cingalesa. Há também uma grande minoria moura do Sri Lanka, particularmente na área do forte, descendente de mercadores árabes que se estabeleceram no antigo porto de Galle.

Sobre a Província Sul

A Província Sul do Sri Lanka é uma pequena área geográfica composta pelos distritos de Galle, Matara e Galle. A agricultura de subsistência e a pesca são as principais fontes de renda para a grande maioria da população desta região.
Entre os pontos turísticos importantes da Província do Sul, destacam-se os santuários de vida selvagem dos Parques Nacionais de Yala e Udawalawe, a cidade sagrada de Kataragama e as antigas cidades de Tissamaharama, Kirinda e Galle. (Embora Galle seja uma cidade antiga, quase nada sobreviveu do período anterior à invasão portuguesa.) Durante o período português, dois poetas cingaleses famosos, Andare, de Dickwella, e Gajaman Nona, de Denipitiya, no distrito de Matara, compuseram poemas sobre o homem comum.

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