What Are The Unique Things To Do In Sapporo? Exploring The Capital Of Hokkaido  

BY  Sibashree Sep 9, 2026

When I reached the Haggala Flower Garden, the mist was sitting close to the rose beds.  It is the cool air of Nuwara Eliya that makes the roses bloom and creates a different ambiance than the Central Lowlands.  I had already spent two days wandering tea estates and colonial-era streets in the town. However, this garden ended up being the one stop I keep bringing up when people ask what surprised me most about the hill country. In this article, I will share what I saw and did at Haggala or Hakgala. I have also mentioned the practical details, including fees, timings, routes, and the best season to catch it in bloom.  A Quick Snapshot About Haggala Botanical Garden DetailInformationOfficial NameHakgala Botanical GardenLocationHakgala, near Nuwara Eliya, Central Province, Sri LankaEstablished1861, Under British Colonial RuleSizeRoughly 28 Hectares (About 70 Acres), Sri Lanka's Second-Largest Botanical GardenElevationAround 1,700 MetresManaged byDepartment of National Botanic Gardens, Sri LankaKnown forRoses, orchids, ferns, and its cool highland climateOpening Hours7.30 AM - 6.00 PMTicketing Hours 7.30 AM - 5.00 PM The Legend And History Behind Haggala Botanical Garden I knew of Haggala as “the rose garden near Nuwara Eliya.” Once I walked through it, though, I came across many signboards.  Also, the local guide shared snippets that pointed to a much longer, stranger story than that. From Cinchona Plantation To Rose Garden The garden was established in 1861 by the British. It was originally an experimental station for cinchona, the tree whose bark produces quinine, the anti-malarial drug that was essential to colonial plantation life at the time.  The focus later shifted to tea before the site was eventually converted into the ornamental botanical garden that draws visitors today.  Standing among the rose terraces, it is genuinely hard to picture rows of cinchona trees where the flowerbeds now are. The Ramayana Connection The other layer to Hakgala's history is mythological rather than colonial.  The garden has a special connection to the Ramayana, describing it as part of the pleasure gardens associated with the demon king Ravana. There is another popular version of the legend. It is the spot where Hanuman is said to have brought the Sanjeevani herb to revive Lakshmana.  I have not verified the folklore, but every local guide shares it with conviction.  What I Found Walking Through The Gardens It was the most unhurried two hours in Sri Lanka at the Haggala Botanical Garden.  These are the highlights of exploring the botanical garden.  The Rose Garden This is the section most people come for, and it is the one that stayed with me.  Terraced rose beds climb a gentle slope, and even on a visit outside peak bloom I found enough color to justify the walk up.  Locals I spoke to said mid-March through April is when the roses are genuinely at their best. The Fernery And Orchid House Past the roses, the path drops into shadier, damper terrain. It is the fernery, thick with hanging vines and the kind of quiet you only get under a heavy tree canopy.  The orchid displays nearby were smaller than what I later saw at Peradeniya, but the cooler climate here seems to suit certain varieties that don't do as well lower down. Hakgala Rock And The Nature Reserve The garden sits right at the base of Hakgala Rock, part of the wider Hakgala Nature Reserve.  I did not have time to explore the reserve itself on this trip. However, the rock face looming over the garden is a constant, dramatic backdrop while you're walking around. It is worth pausing for a photo even if you are not planning to hike further. Planning Your Visit: Fees, Timings And Getting There Visitor CategoryAdults (12+)Children (5–12)Foreign Visitors LKR 3,540LKR 1,770Local VisitorsLKR 200 LKR 30 How To Reach Hakgala The garden is about 10 kilometres from Nuwara Eliya town on the road toward Welimada and Badulla. So, I took a tuk-tuk trip from where I was staying. The tuk-tuk cost around LKR 1500. If you are combining it with Horton Plains National Park or the Pedro Tea Factory, both popular pairings, it is easy to build a single half-day loop out of Nuwara Eliya covering all three. Best Time To Visit Haggala Botanical Garden Elevation makes Haggala noticeably cooler than most of the island. That cool climate is exactly what makes the roses possible.  Here is how I would break the year down. SeasonWhat's bloomingMy takeMid-March to AprilPeak rose and orchid bloom.The single best window I would point a first-time visitor toward.May to AugustSouthwest monsoon showers likelyGreener, quieter, and the mist adds its own charm.September to NovemberDrier spells, good visibilityA dependable shoulder-season pick.December to FebruaryCool, crisp morningsChilly at this elevation, and you need to pack a light jacket. Tips From My Visit To Hakgala Flower Garden Go early. I had the rose terraces nearly to myself before 9 AM. By late morning, tour groups had filled in the main paths. Bring a light jacket even in the middle of the day. Nuwara Eliya's hill-country chill is real, and Hakgala sits even higher than the town itself. Rain can roll in quickly at this elevation. A few visitor accounts mention exploring in light rain and still finding it worthwhile, which matched my own experience with a brief afternoon shower. Set aside two to three hours if you want to walk the full garden rather than just the rose terraces. Nearby Places To Combine With Hakgala Hakgala rarely needs to be a standalone trip.  On the same day, I paired it with a walk through central Nuwara Eliya, and it would slot just as easily into a longer hill-country itinerary. Nuwara Eliya town and its colonial-era buildings Pedro Tea Factory Horton Plains National Park and World's End. You can also explore the wider Knuckles or hill-country circuit if you have more days to spare. Haggala Flower Garden Offers A Slow And Delightful Experience Haggala is not a dramatic, headline attraction the way Sigiriya or Adam's Peak is. It is a slow, cool, quietly beautiful stop and the kind of place that rewards an unhurried morning rather than a checklist visit.  If you are already spending time in Nuwara Eliya for the tea country scenery, I would treat Hakgala as close to essential.

BY  Sibashree Jul 22, 2026

My trip to Sri Lanka crossed many dramatic turns, especially in the Northern part of the country.  With Vavuniya feeling like a crossroads rather than a stopover and Mannar being a high point where the wind never stops, the next stop was Mullaitivu.  Mullaitivu was a name that I had only read about in the news archives.  Mullaitivu is even in the news today as the people of Keppapilavu have been protesting for days now for the return of their ancestral lands.  Thurairasa Ravikaran and Sivagnanam Shritharan, two Tamil parliamentarians, have shown their support and solidarity to this protest.  Nevertheless, while Trincomalee beaches and the rich culture of Jaffna dominate the conversations about Northern Sri Lanka, Mullaitivu surfaced as a place talking about the past.  In this article, I will talk about my two days in Mullaitivu, from the drive in to the lagoon that ended a war, and why I think this coastline deserves more than a passing mention on a map. Why Mullaitivu Almost Stayed Off My List The day I spent at Vavuniya, the guesthouse caretaker there, a soft-spoken man named Selvam, was the one who first brought up Mullaitivu. About Mullaitivu, he mentioned,  “The beaches were empty, the lagoon was calm, and the town had not yet learned how to perform for tourists.” This stirred me, as most travel forums I had checked mentioned Mullaitivu as a former war zone with a nice coastline and not much infrastructure. While this is not false, this is only a fragmented picture of Mullaitivu. How I Reached Mullaitivu From Vavuniya, I took A34 to reach Mullaitivu. It was a distance of around 54 kilometers, and I reached within an hour and a half.  The road narrowed past Puthukkudiyiruppu, cutting through scrubland, paddy fields, and the occasional stretch of forest before the land flattens out toward the coast. How Mullaitivu Felt At First Sight?  Mullaitivu was once a small fishing harbor.  It was a small fishing harbor and a stop for sailing vessels moving goods between Colombo and Jaffna in the early twentieth century.  Today, it also remains a fishing town, unbothered and unhurried by outsiders.  As I entered the town, my driver, Ravi, pointed out the old lighthouse. It was built in 1896, and it has lost its original iron frame.  So, when you visit the lighthouse today, you can only find a faded signboard.  Nevertheless, I spent my first evening walking along Mullaitivu Beach.  Fishing boats had gathered there, forming neat rows, and the nets were drying on the sand.  Also, it was most delightful to find children playing cricket on the sand with a tennis ball.  Being from the country where cricket is a religion, I joined them. We bonded big time talking over big names such as Kumar Sangakkara and Kusal Mendis.  A few meters away from them, an elderly woman was mending a fishing net.  It felt like a scene from a Sanjeewa Pushpakumara movie. Like his films, Flying Fish and The Venishing, it was like a scene depicting the raw portrayal of survival.  What Are The Places To Visit In Mullaitivu?  I was not prepared for the amount of Civil War history Mullaitivu offered me.  Also, the birds and the sanctuary where the beach and lagoon meet allowed me to unwind with so many things going on in my head about life during and after the Civil War in Sri Lanka.  Nanthikadal Lagoon: Where The War Ended At a glance, the Nanthikadal Lagoon looks like a shallow, sand-fringed body of water. It is on the northeastern edge of the district. Small rivers feed it, and it finally opens into the Indian Ocean.  When I reached the lagoon, I found some egrets standing motionless in the shallows. Then, a kingfisher dropped into the water and came up empty. Ravi then took me to an old man, a local school teacher called Rajan. He narrated the entire story of the Nanthikadal Lagoon to me.  What Happened At Nanthikadal Lagoon  The 26-year Civil War of Sri Lanka ended at Nanthikadal Lagoon in May 2009.  Here, the government forces cornered the last LTTE fighters. The group's leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran, was also killed.  In the weeks before that, civilians had been pushed into a shrinking strip of land along this same lagoon. They were between the fighting lines. In a report published on 17th January 2009, The Guardian wrote,  “International concern is intensifying over the fate of around 350,000 civilians trapped in a rapidly shrinking rebel-controlled pocket of land in Sri Lanka's north east, as the military steps up its campaign to end the civil war by crushing the Tamil Tiger forces. There is no specific count of the number of human casualties in these final months. A 2011 UN Panel of Experts report stated that credible sources estimated as many as 40,000 civilian deaths. Another report, published by The Times (UK) on 29th May 2009 based on confidential UN documents the paper obtained, reported that civilian deaths in the no-fire zone rose sharply from late April. The deaths averaged around 1,000 killed per day until May 19, 2009. Thus, it had put the total civilian death toll at over 20,000. (Source: Al Jazeera).  The Sri Lankan Government has shown a much lower figure.   However, in the UN Rights Council: Act on Sri Lanka Report published on 13th September 2011, Brad Adams, the Asia director at Human Rights Watch, mentioned,  “When a UN Panel of Experts report concludes up to 40,000 civilians died amid war crimes, the Human Rights Council should feel compelled to act. The council should order a full international investigation – anything less would be a shameful abdication of responsibility.” How Nanthikadal Lagoon Looks Back At Those Days Every Year Tamil families gather at Mullivaikkal, close to the lagoon, on 19th May every year to remember relatives lost in the final days.  They light lamps and plant coconut saplings in their memory.  Standing at the water's edge, with fishermen casting nets a short distance away, I found it hard to reconcile the stillness in front of me with what this ground had witnessed. The Victory Monument, The Museum, And The Submarines The Puthukkudiyiruppu Victory Monument was on the Paranthan-Mullaitivu road, which was a short drive from the lagoon.  It was unveiled in 2019, and it depicts a soldier carrying the national flag.  Furthermore, the surrounding pond and lilies represent the ocean around the island and the nation itself.  An adjoining war museum displays weapons, vehicles, and vessels used during the conflict's final phase. Entry to the museum was free, and it remains open from 8 AM to 5 PM.  Also nearby, there were rusted hulls, and it was the site where the government troops discovered an abandoned Sea Tiger boatyard in 2009.  It is where the LTTE's naval wing used to build improvised submarines and semi-submersible craft.  I want to be honest about something here. This is a site that different communities in Sri Lanka read very differently, and I do not think a two-day visit qualifies anyone to settle that.  What I can say is that visiting both the lagoon and the monument on the same day gave me a fuller, more uncomfortable picture than either would have alone. The Kokkilai Lagoon:  Where The Coastline Turns Peaceful Again On the second afternoon, I drove out to Kokkilai Lagoon.  It was a wetland sanctuary around 25 kilometers southeast of town.  It has been a protected bird sanctuary since 1951, and I could spot pelicans, herons, and occasional flamingos moving along the shallows.  The crowd of birdwatchers was small, and the overall ambiance was quiet.  Chundikulam Further along the coast, Chundikulam allowed me to relax. It was a sanctuary with no visitors.  I quietly cherished the view of the beach and lagoon blurring into one uninterrupted stretch of sand and water. Coming back from Chundikulam, I had some spicy crab curry and rice at a roadside stall. It was similar to what I had in Jaffna, but it tasted even better.  Ravi said, “It was the only reason to end the day here.”  My Two Days In Mullaitivu: The Itinerary  Day TimeActivities/Places to VisitDay 1MorningDrive from Vavuniya via the A34MiddayCheck-in and Walk through Mullaitivu TownAfternoonNanthikadal Lagoon and the CausewayEveningMullaitivu Beach at SunsetDay 2MorningPuthukkudiyiruppu Victory Monument and War MuseumMiddaySea Tiger Submarine YardAfternoonKokkilai Lagoon BirdwatchingEveningChundikulam Coastline and Seafood Dinner Mullaitivu: A Quiet Place That Asks You To Listen  Away from the grandeur of Kandy and Colombo, Mullaitivu is a place that simply exists. It tells the stories of human survival, and it is still recovering and fishing despite the stains and the lives lost in the Civil War.  So, if you are already tracing the north of Sri Lanka through Vavuniya, Kilinochchi, or Mannar, I would not leave Mullaitivu off the route.  Just go with the understanding that this is not a beach add-on. It is a place that holds two very different stories at once, and it does not owe you a tidy conclusion to either.

BY  Sibashree May 18, 2026

Tranquility, raw energy of nature, and the thrill of standing on the southernmost tip of Sri Lanka!  You get all of these when you are at Tangalle Beach. Also, with serenity and relaxation being two essential experiences here, you will get ample time to photograph the picture-perfect shoreline.  So, if you want to explore pristine beaches, have some fun spotting the turtles, and try some amazing local food, you must include a visit to Tangalle Beach in your Sri Lankan itinerary.  Why I Loved Tangalle Beach?  The quaint Tangalle Beach immediately impressed me with its stretches of golden beaches. Also, from the traditional fishing town of Ahangama to this small fishing village, it has been a lifetime experience for me to see how people here live in coexistence with nature.  Furthermore, the Rekawa Turtle Conservation Project was the biggest highlight of my Tangalle Beach visit.  Also, I could soak in the paradisiacal feel of this coastal town, unlike more prominent places such as the Hiriketiya Beach or the Kandy to Ella train, the crowd was way fewer.  That undertourism is a blessing in disguise, as in this way, the nature and wildlife of Tangalle Beach remain untouched.  Furthermore, I found a small but warm homestay on the east side. On the west, there are more high-end accommodations.  So, from backpackers to luxury travelers, everyone will enjoy Tangalle Beach, and you just need to place your feet on warm and golden sand. What Are The Things To Do In Tangalle Beach? Tangalle Beach offers a Bali vibe. As I have mentioned, it is the ultimate place to relax, and along with that, you can indulge in various adventure activities here.  You can even have a delightful wildlife experience here.  A Visit To The Udawalawe National Park At a distance of around 71 km from Tangalle Beach, the Udawalawe National Park is a must-visit.  Furthermore, as a home to around 400 elephants, it is one of the top attractions near Ella.  I loved the jeep safari here, and unlike many other national parks, spotting an elephant here on a jungle safari is almost guaranteed.  The entry fee to the national park is LKR 13,420, and the jeep safari charged me LKR 10000 during the last visit.  I was impressed with the entire conversation process, and it operated around the Elephant Transit Home (ETH).  The Department of Wildlife Conservation established it in 1995, and it runs on a strict 3-tier process.  Rescue Rehabilitate Release  This process ensures very little human interaction, and it works for the release of the orphaned elephants back into the wild.  Also, the conservation job does not end with the release of the elephants. The conservationalists keep monitoring the movement of the reintroduced elephants in the wild.  Watching Turtles At Tangalle Beach  Like Dalawella Beach, Mirissa Beach, and Mount Lavinia Beach, Tangalle is also a wonderful place for spotting endangered turtles.  The types of turtles you can see here are: Loggerheads Leatherbacks Hawksbills These turtles visit the beach when they want to lay eggs. Now, this is a huge advantage Tangalle enjoys as it is free from the impact of overtourism.  A Visit To The Rekawa Turtle Conservation Project Now, many tourists claim that if you visit the Rekawa Turtle Conservation Project between April and July, you can see the turtles hatching eggs.  However, this is not entirely true. There is no guarantee that you will see a turtle laying eggs or hatching.  There is an official announcement from the Rekawa Turtle Conservation Project. They have mentioned that there are high chances of seeing a turtle laying her eggs between 7:30 PM and 8:30 PM.  Furthermore, the conservation center offers a guided tour to the beach for spotting turtles between 7 PM and 6 AM.  Moreover, you cannot use flashlights or flash photography at this conservation center.  Whale Watching At Tangalle  During my stay in Tangalle, I booked an early morning tour that took me west to Mirissa Harbour.  We set sail at 6:30 AM into the calm Indian Ocean. About an hour out, the captain cut the engine.  Suddenly, a massive blue whale breached just seventy meters away, spraying a giant plume of water before diving and flashing its enormous tail flukes. It was breathtaking. While Tangalle itself lacks a major boat harbor, it serves as an excellent base. Most local operators provide seamless hotel pickups for the 60-to-90-minute drive to the boats. December to April is the best time for spotting whales and spinner dolphins at Tangalle Beach.  Also, if you are planning a whale watching tour, you must take sea-sickness pills before boarding.  A Visit To The Mulkiligara Raja Maha Vihara  Sri Lanka is the place where you will find the gems associated with Buddhism in every nook. The Mulgirigala or Mulkiligara Raja Maha Vihara is one such place.  It is an ancient Buddhist rock temple complex, and if you have loved the Dambulla Royal Cave Temple, you will also cherish this.  At a height of 205 meters, it also has the nickname of Little Sigiriya Rock or Punch Sigiriya.  Furthermore, this ancient rock temple complex is revered as an archaeological site. It harbors a religious history of around 2000 years.  King Saddhatissa of Anuradhapura built this Maha Vihara in the 3rd century BCE, and King Kawantissa and King Valagamba expanded it later.  Moreover, it is one of the designated temples in Anuradhapura to receive the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi sapling.  After years of abandonment, it was finally reconstructed by King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe in the 18th century.  Why I Loved Mulkiligara Raja Maha Vihara The temple complex spans across five different cave levels, and there are seven cave shrines.  The caves are home to brilliant frescoes, murals, and paintings depicting the stories of the Jataka, Lord Buddha, and other Hindu deities.  What is interesting here is that some of the artwork shows a prominent influence of the Dutch style.  Furthermore, after climbing 533 peaks, I reached the summit of the Stupa. At the summit, there is a small pagoda that houses sacred relics of Lord Buddha.  In addition, the unmarked dirt train behind the courtyard took me to a cliff ledge from where I enjoyed amazing views of the surrounding jungles and palm trees.