Quick answer
The lakes around Tissamaharama, including Tissa Wewa, Yoda Wewa, Debara Wewa and Weerawila Wewa, are among the easiest places in southern Sri Lanka to see waterbirds, with spot-billed pelicans, painted storks, openbills, cormorants and black-headed ibises common, along with mugger crocodiles. The Weerawila sanctuary, roughly 15 to 20 minutes from town, protects several of them. Early morning and sunset are best, and the lakes make a good extra outing around a Yala safari in any month.
Key takeaways
- Tissamaharama is surrounded by ancient tanks, including Tissa Wewa, Yoda Wewa, Debara Wewa and Weerawila Wewa.
- The Weerawila sanctuary protects several of the lakes and is roughly 15 to 20 minutes from Tissamaharama.
- Spot-billed pelicans, painted storks, openbills and cormorants are common on the lakes.
- Mugger crocodiles are often seen along the banks.
- The lakes need no jeep or park ticket for roadside viewing, which makes them a free addition to a Yala stay.
The lakes around Tissamaharama
Tissamaharama was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Ruhuna, and its kings built tanks to irrigate the dry plains. Tissa Wewa, beside the town, is said to date from the third century BCE. Yoda Wewa, to the south-west, and Debara Wewa, to the north, are also ancient, and Weerawila Wewa lies a short drive west.
Together the lakes form a wetland landscape of open water, reed beds and paddy fields. The Weerawila sanctuary, declared in 1938, protects several of them, and they connect with the wetlands of Bundala and the scrub of Yala.
Birds of the Tissamaharama lakes
The Tissamaharama lakes are among the best and easiest places in Sri Lanka for large waterbirds. Spot-billed pelicans float in groups on the open water, painted storks and openbills wade at the edges, and little and Indian cormorants dry their wings on dead trees. Black-headed ibises, spoonbills, herons and egrets are common.
Purple swamphens and jacanas walk on floating vegetation, and kingfishers perch along the banks. In the northern winter, roughly November to March, migrant ducks and waders add to the numbers. Raptors such as the white-bellied sea eagle and brahminy kite hunt over the water.
- →Pelicans: spot-billed pelicans on the open water.
- →Storks: painted storks and openbills on the edges.
- →Cormorants: little and Indian cormorants on dead trees.
- →Ibises and spoonbills: in the shallows.
- →Migrants: ducks and waders roughly November to March.
Crocodiles and other wildlife
The Tissamaharama lakes hold mugger crocodiles, which bask on the banks or float in the shallows, and water monitors, which are common. Toque macaques and grey langurs live in the trees around Tissa Wewa, and fruit bats roost in large trees near the town.
Elephants occasionally come to Weerawila Wewa from the surrounding scrub, especially in the dry season, though sightings are not reliable.
- →Mugger crocodiles: on the banks and in the shallows.
- →Water monitors: common.
- →Fruit bats: roosting near the town.
How to visit the lakes
The Tissamaharama lakes can be viewed from roads and bunds without a jeep or ticket. Tissa Wewa is right beside the town, and a walk or tuk-tuk along its bund at sunset is a local favourite. Debara Wewa and Yoda Wewa are a few minutes away, and Weerawila is roughly 15 to 20 minutes west.
Some hotels and guides offer bird walks or boat trips on the lakes. Early morning, from around sunrise, is the best time for birds, and sunset gives the best light and atmosphere. Lankan Stays & Trails often builds a lake morning around Yala safaris, using the gap between a dawn drive and an afternoon drive.
- →Walk the Tissa Wewa bund at sunset.
- →Visit Weerawila and Debara Wewa early for birds.
- →Ask your hotel about a guided bird walk.
When to visit
The Tissamaharama lakes can be visited in any month. The south's dry season, roughly February to September, concentrates birds on the remaining water, and migrants are present roughly November to March. Water levels vary with rainfall, so some lakes may be low in very dry years.
Early mornings and evenings are best in all seasons, as the midday heat is strong.
Fitting the lakes around Yala
Weerawila and the Tissamaharama lakes fit naturally into a stay near Yala. Many visitors do a dawn safari in Yala, rest at midday and spend the evening at Tissa Wewa, or do the lakes in the morning before an afternoon drive.
The lakes also pair well with Bundala National Park, roughly 30 minutes away, for a full day of waterbirds, and with the Kataragama temple complex for an evening puja.
Frequently asked questions
What birds can you see on the Tissamaharama lakes?
The Tissamaharama lakes hold spot-billed pelicans, painted storks, openbills, cormorants, black-headed ibises, spoonbills, herons, egrets, purple swamphens and jacanas, along with kingfishers and raptors. Migrant ducks and waders join them roughly from November to March.
Where is the Weerawila sanctuary?
The Weerawila sanctuary lies roughly 15 to 20 minutes by road west of Tissamaharama, in southern Sri Lanka. It protects several ancient tanks, including Weerawila Wewa, which hold many waterbirds. The area connects with the wetlands of Bundala and the scrub around Yala.
Do I need a ticket for the Tissamaharama lakes?
No ticket is needed to view the Tissamaharama lakes from roads and bunds. A walk along the Tissa Wewa bund or a drive past Debara Wewa and Weerawila is free. Guided bird walks and boat trips can be arranged through hotels for a fee.
Are there crocodiles in the Tissamaharama lakes?
Yes. Mugger crocodiles live in the Tissamaharama lakes and are often seen basking on the banks or floating in the shallows. They are wild animals, so keep a safe distance from the water's edge and do not swim in the lakes.
When is the best time to see birds near Tissamaharama?
Birds can be seen in any month, but early morning and evening are best. The dry season, roughly February to September, concentrates birds on the water, and migrants arrive roughly from November to March. Sunset at Tissa Wewa is a local favourite.
Can you combine the lakes with a Yala safari?
Yes. Many visitors do a dawn safari in Yala, rest at midday and spend the evening at Tissa Wewa, or visit Weerawila and Debara Wewa in the morning before an afternoon drive. The lakes are a free, easy addition to a Yala stay.
Is Tissa Wewa good for sunset?
Yes. Tissa Wewa, beside Tissamaharama, is a popular place to watch the sunset, with birds flying to roost, fishermen on the water and the ancient stupa nearby. A walk or tuk-tuk along the bund in the evening is one of the town's simple pleasures.