The Gal Oya National Park is located in the eastern plains of Sri Lanka and presents some of the most spectacular landscapes that any of its parks have to offer. The park was established to protect the watershed of the Senanyake Samudraya reservoir, the country’s largest, and its landscape features a mix of Patna grassland dotted with rocky outcrops and tropical evergreen forest. The highlight of the park is the reservoir and the islands that lie scattered within it, which are best experienced on a boat safari. The islands are used as a feeding ground by elephants who swim from the shore and between them in search of fodder, and can sometimes be seen making their journey across. These islands are also an important nesting ground for many of the 150 bird species found within the park. Other than elephants, other wildlife that can be commonly seen here include three species of deer, water buffalo, wild boar, and mugger crocodile.

Written by Jonathan Roelofsz for Travel Lanka Compass