Top 3 Canoeing Adventures through Rural Sri Lanka

There’s nothing like charting a course through relatively uncharted waters, on a canoe, through rural Sri Lanka! The below water-based activities are the top 3 Canoeing Adventure Tours you can find all year-round locally:

Canoeing in Unawatuna

You’ve known this location for its beaches, but there’s a whole new world to explore inland! This canoeing excursion through warm lagoons and quivering mangrove forests, begins with simply wandering through the homes of water birds, bathed in timid sunlight, while exploring the impossibly beautiful lagoons and mangroves of Unawatuna. Canoeing trips here are a guided experience, usually 2 hours, with plenty of birding opportunities, and a tuk tuk ride with refreshments after you’re done.

 

Canoeing in Ratnapura

Otherwise known for its gems and low-grown teas, Ratnapura additionally owns the mystical passage through ‘Black River’! Black River or 'Kalu Ganga' is the quintessence of a magical experience for canoeing in Sri Lanka… through tender waters filled with bouts of silence interrupted by birds, river folk village life, water birdwatching and more. You’ll also get the opportunity to visit and be blessed at the sacred shrine, Saman Devale! This excursion can be done as a day programme or with a 1N / 2D option, which can be increased with each difficulty level. Speak to your rep hosting you for any Adventure Tours in Sri Lanka before booking. We recommend Sri Lanka Day Tours.

 

Canoeing in Kandy

Usually Kandy is known for its tea plantations, rainforests, lakes, cultural and religious sites including the Temple of the Tooth, but we bet you didn’t know River Canoeing can be done in Kandy as well! Join up for the intense, ‘Great Sandy River’ quest by canoe, and explore the Mahaweli River (a.k.a Great Sandy River), which holds a full length of 335km, making it the longest river in Sri Lanka! Encounter monkey tribes, river monsters and low-flying birds during your quest in Kandy. This guided, Sri Lankan canoeing excursion is a 1½ - 2 hour programme, with suggested starting times of 6:30am and 4:30pm.