Kumana National Park

Kumana National Park, formerly Yala East, protects 35,664 hectares of dry-zone forest, mangrove lagoon, and coastal scrub at the southeastern tip of Sri Lanka. The park's Kumana Villu, a 200-hectare lagoon, hosts the country's largest concentration of nesting waterbirds: painted storks, night herons, open-billed storks, and spoonbills breed here in large numbers from April to July. Leopards are present but sightings are less frequent than at Yala West; spotted deer and wild buffalo are common. Crocodiles are regularly seen along the lagoon edges. The park is accessed via a rough track from Arugam Bay, about 35 km south. Self-drive is not permitted; hire a jeep with a licensed tracker from Pottuvil or Arugam Bay.