Days at Chilaw

Year and Month	2020 December 30^th and 31^st
Number of Days	Two
Crew	Two
Accommodation	Ananthaya resort and spa-Chilaw
Transport	Car
Activities	Sightseeing, Bird watching, Photography, Archeology and Road trip
Weather	Excellent
Route	Colombo->Chilaw-> Back in same route
Tips, Notes and Special remark	Start the journey early. No need permission to visit at Anawilundawa Carry a bottle of water. Please bring back what you carried It is better to visit in early morning or late evening at Anawilundawa Best season to view migrate birds is October to April. Better to take a round trip at Anawilundawa like we did. There is a safe place for bathing at Surawila Lake. Surawila Lake bunt is a good place to fly the drone and the best season is when paddies are green. The best time to roam around Muthupanthiya beach is early morning or late evening. Road condition from Kottapitiya junction to Ananthaya hotel is manageable. Pambala Mangrove museum is also closed due to pandemic but it would be shown on request for small groups. You can discuss with Mr. Douglas-Director of the institution. He is a friendly and knowledgeable person. (Mr. Douglas-0714237694) The boat tour at Pambala lagoon can be arranged beforehand.
Related Resources	Lakpura article on Anawilundawa Amazing Lanka article on Bingiriya Dewagiri RMW. Lakdasun trip reports on Anawilundawa. Lakdasun trip report on Pambala Mangrove conservation forest and museum by Ashan.
Author	Niroshan
Comments	Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread Days at Chilaw….

I have passed Chilaw (i.e. Salapura /සලාපුර) several times on my way to Wilpattu NP and Anuradhapura. There are number of places to visit at Chilaw but I didn’t have much time for pay attention.

This was the last trip of 2020 which was a challengeable year for travelling but I could get through it somehow. I have planned to visit Ananthaya-a classy hotel situated at Chilaw and organized some places to visit around Chilaw. Ashan (his second home town is Chilaw) and Chamara (from Wennappuwa) gave me a helpful guidance in succeed this journey.

Let’s move to the attractions of Chilaw.

Attractions of Chilaw

Anawilundawa Ramsa wetland
Muthupanthiya beach
Bingiriya Tampiti Wiharaya
Kadolana Museum Pambala-Kakapalliya

Anawilundawa was in top of my list when I visited at Chilaw. Early morning we passed Chilaw town and followed the gravel road to Maiyawa Lake (මායියාව වැව) (7.697098, 79.828914). Though initial section of the road was bumpy, rest of the path was good for a low ground vehicle. I have parked the vehicle closer to Maiyawa Lake and we walked around the lake.

Anawilundawa RAMSAR Wetland (ආනවිලුන්දාව රම්සා තෙත්බිම) (7.705829, 79.811961)

Anawilundawa is a common attraction of knowledgeable travellers who pass Chilaw. It lies on the costal belt between Negambo and Puttalam. This Ramsa wetland is situated 20 km above Chilaw town covering 1397 hectares.

Anawilundawa wetland consists of six lakes surrounded by large areas of paddies. (This can be noted on Google map of Anawilundawa). These lakes are Pinkattiya, Maradansola, Anawilundawa, Maiyawa, Surawila and Vellawali. In addition there are three peripheral tanks that form a complex irrigation system. This ancient system was created in 12^th century AD in order to sustain traditional paddy fields and islets of natural vegetation in the area as the area is quite dry. They also played a major role in flood control, aquifer recharge, retention of pollutants and sediments, and nutrient export. As the waterways have now disappeared without a trace; the tanks are now fed by the floodwater from Deduru Oya which is transferred via the Sengaloya scheme.

The varied conditions caused by the tanks have given way to an ecosystem that is ideal for a large number of species of birds and mamals.

The site harbors quite a few species of threatened fish, amphibians, birds, mammals and specially reptiles. This system serves an important refuge for migratory birds especially from October to April. As resident birds are also common at Anawilundawa, it is popular among bird lovers.

There were Acers of paddies extending from Anawilundawa to costal line. Then we turned the vehicle towards Surawila Lake (සූරවිල වැව) and drover over it’s bunt. This circular road goes over Surawila Lake bunt and crosses Anawilundawa Lake to exit at Anawilundawa junction (7.702942, 79.828756). We watched birds and captured some of them. This place is good for landscape photography as well due to shady paths and greenish paddies. Small Dewalaya was noted amid of paddies in front of Surawila Lake. Arjuna wants to have a bath at Surawila Lake. There is a road from Surawila lake bunt to another beautiful travel destination called Muthupanthiya beach.

Entering to Anawilundawa

First photo of the day

A giant tree

Maiyawa Lake

Maiyawa Lake bunt

Over lake bunt

Gravel roads at Anawilundawa

Wood apple

.	These paddies extend to coastal border

Anawilundawa Dewalaya

Surawila Lake

Surawila Lake bunt

These shady paths are ideal for landscape photos.

Rest under a tree at Lake Bunt

Birds at Anawilundawa
I was not able to watch a lot of birds during my rush visit to Anawilundawa. Those who were caught to my second eye are below.

.	Purple Heron? Juvenile

Gray Heron

Purple Heron

Great Egret

Heron

Purple Swamphen

Aerial view of Anawilundawa

Anawilundawa Ramsa Wetland… This is over Surawila Lake

The bunt of Surawila Lake and paddies. Note the road extend to Muthupanthiya beach.

I have never seen such greenery….

Paddies at Anawilundawa and Muthupanthiya beach

Surawila Lake and Maiyawa Lake.

Right top on Surawila Lake

In Google map, Maradansole Wewa and Ihala Wewa are marked as above.

Towards Mundale Lagoon

Where it went up…..

It was closer to the noon when we finished the walk around Anawilundawa Ramsa Wetland. Our next attraction was Muthupanthiya beach which was situated few kilometers away from Surawila Lake.

Muthupanthiya Beach (මුතුපන්තිය වෙරළ තීරය) (7.709520, 79.796240)
The road condition was satisfactory up to the beach. The coastal line was busy with fishermen when we reached there. There were intermittent breakwaters over the beach to battle with rough waves.
The sandy beach and bluish sea were seen nicely for aerial photographs. We didn’t try to walk much along the beach as sun was just above our heads. Muthupanthiya beach is a known place for camping among travellers. We had good time for selfies at Muthupanthiya beach.

Muthupanthiya Beach.

Muthupanthiya Beach. Note intermittent breakwaters.

The road parallel goes to the beach

Sandy beach with bluish sky….

Muthupanthiya Beach

At Muthupanthiya Beach

Muthupanthiya Beach

.	Sandy beach

.	Fishermen at work

Fishermen at work

Bingiriya Tampiti Wiharaya (බිoගිරිය ටැම්පිටි විහාරය)-Temple on stone pillars (7.610144, 79.922391)
This is the largest Tampiti Wiharaya in Sri Lanka situated at Chilaw-Kurunegala road exactly at Bingiriya. It is about 16km along the Kurunegala road and another 1.6km along temple road to reach Bingiriya Tampiti Wiharaya.
Bingiriya Tampiti Wiharaya was built in Kandyan era. This two story building is 40.5 feet long and 28.2 feet wide. Nowadays it is under renovation by archeology department. Bingiriya Tampiti Wiharaya is a part of Bingiriya Dewagiri RMW which is an ancient temple built in Anuradhapura period.

Information of Bingiriya Dewagiri RMW

Entrance to Bingiriya Dewagiri RMW

Ancient boundary of RMW

Some information about Tampiti Wiharaya

Two storied Bingiriya Tampiti Wiharaya

Staircase

The temple built on pillars

Ruins

Boundary

Stupa and Tampiti Wiharaya

Stupa and old bell tower. This bell tower carries Dutch archeological features.

Mangrove Museum Pambala (7.516908, 79.826815)
Mangrove museum-Pambala is a new addition at Chilaw. Mangrove museum was built in 2016 by SUDEESA- සුදීස (Small Fishers Federation of Lanka) with foreign aids. This is an activity of Sri Lanka Mangrove conservation project (2015-2020) and it is the first mangrove museum in the world. It provides education and research facilities for the community members, school students, teachers, undergraduates, postgraduates and researches.
This museum displays important of mangrove Ecosystem, mangrove species, distribution of mangrove ecosystems in Sri Lanka, Lagoon fish species, coral species, life cycle of Crabs and Shrimps and information of world mangroves.
There is a mangrove nursery outside the museum to distribute around Sri Lanka.
It is temporary closed for large groups due to corona outbreak but will show to small number of visitors on request. Paddle boat ride at Pambala lagoon is the next activity following visit of Mangrove museum but we postponed it later.

Mangrove Museum

Mangrove distribution of Sri Lanka

Mangrove flora of Sri Lanka

Mangrove nursery

Mangrove flowers

Ananthaya resort and spa (7.641265, 79.801535)

Ananthaya resort and spa was our place of stay at Chilaw. It is a beachfront and classy hotel situated 13km from Chilaw town. Special features of Ananthaya are spacious rooms with sea and lagoon views, two swimming pools situated at sea level and water villas. Water villas are built just above water level of the lagoon. Due to current epidemic swimming pools are not operated.

We have experienced a beautiful sunset at beach in front of Ananthaya. The hotel experience at Ananthaya was different as we have been at boutique hotels before.