A wonderful area to see aquatic birds, both local and migratory, the Chilaw Sand Spits is a unique nearshore environment of lagoons, sandbanks, and dunes. On these sandbanks, plants such as mangroves and other trees and grasses grow, thus strengthening them structurally with the network of roots. They provide an excellent habitat for a variety of wildlife, least of all the birds. They include many species of tern, small delicate seabirds that resemble gulls, and a wide range of shorebirds like sandpipers, curlew, avocet, and others. There are also reservoirs in this area, including a Ramsar site known as Anawilundawa. These sites enjoy special protection under the Convention on Wetlands as a habitat for waterbirds.

Written by Vasika Udurawane for Travel Lanka Compass