Ussangoda National Park

Ussangoda National Park is a 349-hectare plateau of brick-red, iron-rich soil on the coast near Ambalantota in Hambantota District, sitting on the largest serpentinite rock formation in Sri Lanka and gazetted as a national park in 2010. The soil's high mineral content stunts plant growth, so the plateau stays open grassland and low pygmy forest rather than the jungle that covers most of the surrounding coast, giving it a stark look that stands apart from anywhere else on the island. Local and Ramayana tradition holds that the barren red ground marks where King Ravana's flying chariot crashed or landed, an association that draws pilgrims and curious travellers alike, while archaeologists have separately found evidence of prehistoric human habitation nearby at Miniha Gal Kanda. The park has no formal gate or entry fee and is mostly walked on foot from a roadside parking area, so go in the late afternoon for the cliff-edge ocean views and softer light on the red soil.