Ambalantota is a coastal town in southern
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
. It is located in Southern Province in
Hambantota District
Hambantota District ( si, හම්බන්තොට දිස්ත්රික්කය ''hambantoṭa distrikkaya''; ta, அம்பாந்தோட்டை மாவட்டம் ''Ampāntōṭṭai māvaṭṭam'') is a district i ...
between
Matara and
Hambantota
Hambantota ( si, හම්බන්තොට, ta, அம்பாந்தோட்டை) is the main town in Hambantota District, Southern Province, Sri LankaThe prominent Malays (මැලේ) most part of the population is to be partly de ...
.
The
Valave River meets the sea near Ambalantota.
The Ambalantota is famous for its ancient ruins of the
Kingdom of Ruhuna
The Principality of Ruhuna, also referred to as the Kingdom of Ruhuna, is a region of present-day Southern and Eastern Sri Lanka. It was the center of a flourishing civilisation and the cultural and economic centres of ancient Sri Lanka. Magama, T ...
. After his many conquests abroad King Gajaba returned to the country from the port of
Godavaya Godavaya or Godawaya is a small fishing hamlet located at the mouth of the Walawe river, between Ambalantota and Hambantota in the Hambantota District in southern Sri Lanka.
It received its name, originally ''Goda Pavata Pattana'' or ''Gota Pabbat ...
that is within sight of Ambalantota.
History
Ambalantota played an important role in past Sri Lanka as the major city of the
Kingdom of Ruhuna
The Principality of Ruhuna, also referred to as the Kingdom of Ruhuna, is a region of present-day Southern and Eastern Sri Lanka. It was the center of a flourishing civilisation and the cultural and economic centres of ancient Sri Lanka. Magama, T ...
. It was called 'Manaulu Pura'. The great king Vijayaba, the great warrior Therapuththabhaya, Divisional king Mahanagha made Ambalantota flourish and Ridiyagama was the commercial hub in those days.
Attractions
There are many remarkable places in Ambalantota.
* Ussangoda Beach - Nonagama
* Ochchama Beach - Nonagama
* Godawaya Beach - Godawaya (Dehigahalanda, Ambalantota)
* Godawaya ancient port - (Dehigahalanda, Ambalantota)
* Ridiyagama Lake
* Safari park - Ridiyagama
* Kalamatiya Bird Century - Hungama
* Madunagala Temple - Koggalla
* Walawe River Mouth - Ambalantota
* Mangrove forest - Ambalantota
* Karadhulena Temple - Koggalla
* Liyangastota Amuna - Barawakubuka
* Lunama kalapuwa-lunama
* Ussangoda National Park-Lunama, Nonagama
* Nonagama water park - Nonagama
* Kirala Kele Forest - Malpeththawa
Valuable ancient temples
* Ramba Raja Maha Vihara
* Madhunagala Raja Maha Vihara
* Karadhulena Raja Maha Vihara
* Girihandu Raja Maha Vihara
* Wilgamvehera Raja Maha vihara
* Galvila Raja Maha vihara
* Uswella Raja Maha Vihara
* Godavaya Raja Maha vihara
* Therapuththabhaya Raja Maha viharaya
* Rangiri Raja Maha viharaya
Transport
The town is served by public and private buses. The
Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport
Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) ( si, මත්තල රාජපක්ෂ ජාත්යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළ, translit=Mattala Rājapakṣa Jātyantara Guvantoṭupaḷa; ta, மத்தல ரா ...
(MRIA) (also known as the Hambantota International Airport) (IATA: HRI, ICAO: VCRI) is the closest international airport serving the town from nearby
Hambantota
Hambantota ( si, හම්බන්තොට, ta, அம்பாந்தோட்டை) is the main town in Hambantota District, Southern Province, Sri LankaThe prominent Malays (මැලේ) most part of the population is to be partly de ...
.
Education
Theraputtha National School is the leading and popular mixed school in Ambalantota. The other leading schools are Vijayaba Central College (mixed) - Hungama and Ambalantota Maha Vidyalaya (mixed) - Malpeththawa.
Surrounding Ambalantota, the other leading schools are Bolana Maha Vidyalaya (mixed) – Bolana and St Mary's Central College, Hambantota (mixed).
The
Open University of Sri Lanka
"The Open University of Sri Lanka" (OUSL; si, ශ්රී ලංකා විවෘත විශ්වවිද්යාලය, ta, இலங்கை திறந்த பல்கலைக்கழகம்) is a national universit ...
has opened a Study Centre for Ambalantota in Rajasaranagama Road,
Lunama South, Ambalantota which will play an important role in improving the knowledge for Hambantota students. They offer a wide variety of Higher Education programmes in Management, Language, Education, Engineering, Information Technology, Human Resource Management, etc.
Development
The area is part of the southeastern region of Sri Lanka experiencing extensive investment in new infrastructure and services. The new Hambantota Port (
Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port
The Hambantota International Port (used to known as the Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port or the Magam Ruhunupura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port) is a deep water port in Hambantota, Sri Lanka. It was opened on 18 November 2010, and is Sri Lanka's second l ...
) is situated near Ambalantota. A new botanical garden is also proposed for Ambalantota.
A
Safari Park
A safari park, sometimes known as a wildlife park, is a zoo-like commercial drive-in tourist attraction where visitors can drive their own vehicles or ride in vehicles provided by the facility to observe freely roaming animals.
A safari park ...
is being constructed in Ridiyagama, Ambalantota. The Safari Park is scheduled to open in April 2014
Work on Safari Park completed
, news.lk, 6. January 2014
References
External links
HambantotaZone- Hambantota District Travel information
Ambalantota Travel Guides and Place to Visit, News, Photos
Ambalantota Divisional Secretariat
* ttp://www.ou.ac.lk/index.php/component/gmapfp/article/21-ambalantota-study-centre
{{coord, 06, 13, 30, N, 80, 03, 24, E, region:LK_type:city, display=title
Populated places in Southern Province, Sri Lanka