The story of Hambanthota, which is presently blossoming as an Indian Ocean marine hub, starts with its name. Malay sailors who tried to follow the westerly winds out of the Straits of Malacca today found sanctuary in the port city. The Silk Route, an ancient sea route, brought Malay explorers to their Sampans. The town continues to have the largest Malay population, whose ancestors took their wives with them as they searched for a permanent vacation home in Sri Lanka.
The fortunes of this latest deep-water port city, catering to the perpetual movement of maritime vessels between the Straits of Malacca and the Arabian Sea, have once again been altered by the tides of trade in a new world order. The dry zone that expands up into the plains of the shrub jungle is marked by Hambanthota as the boundary between the wet and dry zones. With an international airport currently being built, the geography of the southern part of the island is undergoing a significant shift.
The fortunes of this latest deep-water port city, catering to the perpetual movement of maritime vessels between the Straits of Malacca and the Arabian Sea, have once again been altered by the tides of trade in a new world order. The dry zone that expands up into the plains of the shrub jungle is marked by Hambanthota as the boundary between the wet and dry zones. With an international airport currently being built, the geography of the southern part of the island is undergoing a significant shift.
About 40 minutes from Hambanthota lies Tissamaharama, which gets its name from the towering, massive stupa built in the third century BC. You can take 4X4 safaris to the Yala National Park from the ancient town. You might be enticed to take a boat tour around the man-made lake by its enormous egret flocks, moderate winds, and pleasant weather.
The renowned Skanda shrine, dedicated to the son of Shiva and the god of war and knowledge, is located a half-hour away at Kataragama. The history of the current shrine's beginnings is shrouded in folklore because it is so remote in time. Both Hindus and Buddhists hold the temple in high regard. Fascinatingly, there is an ancient pilgrim route that runs from Jaffna in the north of Sri Lanka to the shrine that is just a few miles from Kirinde, a beach resort on the island's southernmost tip.
Buddhist and Hindu religious traditions, which have co-existed on the island for at least two millennia, come together in Katharagama in a unique way. The incredible opportunity to dive at the Little Basses reef and the famous "Great Basses" wreck, which are both located in the ocean, is what attracts attention. On the ocean floor off the Great Basin, a 24-cannon battleship that was dispatched to the Far East by Moghul Emperor Aurangzeb is lying in peaceful repose. Do you want to look for Moghul coins while on vacation in Sri Lanka?
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