Ussangoda National Park
A patch of high ground by the sea near Ambalantota, a national park and archaeological site in the southern turtle nesting zone. Unlike the land around it, its flat top is covered only in grass and a few pockets of dwarf forest, over strikingly red soil.
- Where
- Ambalantota, Southern Province, Sri Lanka
- Grade
- Local gem
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site
- Coordinates
- 6.1000, 80.9894
Get the Ussangoda National Park stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Ussangoda National Park. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Southern Province volume with your photos and a note.
Near Ussangoda National Park
Mulkirigala Raja Maha Vihara 28 km
An ancient Buddhist temple built up the sides of a 205 metre natural rock, ringed by four smaller rocks. Stairs climb past a series of cave shrines with reclining Buddhas and murals to the stupa at the summit.
Bundala National Park 29 km
A coastal park of lagoons and scrub that is an important winter home for migratory water birds, with 197 species recorded and flocks of greater flamingos the highlight. In 1991 it became Sri Lanka's first Ramsar wetland, and in 2005 a UNESCO biosphere reserve.
Hummanaya Blowhole 31 km
The only known blowhole in Sri Lanka, said to be the second largest in the world, on the rocky coast near Kudawella. Its name comes from the hoo sound it makes, heard some way off when waves force water up through the rock.
Tissamaharama Raja Maha Vihara 39 km
One of the four great monasteries founded in Sri Lanka after the monk Mahinda brought Buddhism to the island. From the 3rd century BC to the 11th century AD it was the leading centre of Buddhist learning in the south, and its white dagoba is one of the largest stupas in the country.
Udawalawe National Park 39 km
Grassland and scrub on the border of Uva and Sabaragamuwa, set aside in 1972 as a refuge for animals displaced by the reservoir on the Walawe River. It covers some 30,800 hectares and is one of the surest places on the island to see wild elephants.
Dondra Head Lighthouse 48 km
Sri Lanka's tallest lighthouse, a white tower on Dondra Head, the southernmost point of the island. It is run by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and looks out over one of the busiest shipping lanes in the Indian Ocean.
Tenavaram Temple 48 km
A historic Buddhist and Hindu shrine at Devinuwara on the south coast, dedicated to Upulvan, guardian god of the island, known to Hindus as Tenavarai Nayanar. Kings endowed it from the 7th to the 16th century, when it was among the most celebrated temples in Sri Lanka.
Star Fort, Matara 52 km
A small star shaped fort built by the Dutch in 1765 on the east bank of the Nilwala River, about 350 metres from the gate of Matara's main fort. It was first called Redoute Van Eck, and its six pointed walls and moat are still intact.
More hidden gems in Southern Province
Questions
Where is Ussangoda National Park?
Ussangoda National Park is in Ambalantota, Southern Province, Sri Lanka. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Mulkirigala Raja Maha Vihara (28 km), Bundala National Park (29 km), Hummanaya Blowhole (31 km).
How do I get the Ussangoda National Park stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Ussangoda National Park and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Southern Province volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Ussangoda National Park before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Southern Province volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 20 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.