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Home  /  Sri Lanka  /  Bundala National Park
Ramsar wetland · Sri Lanka

Bundala National Park

A coastal lagoon wetland and flamingo haven — Sri Lanka's first Ramsar site, made for birders.
Getting there
On the south coast near Hambantota, ~1 hr from Yala
Best for
Migrant and resident waterbirds, greater flamingo, crocodile, easy birding near Yala
The land
Coastal lagoons, salt pans and scrub on the dry south coast
Good to know
Migratory waterbirds, including flamingos, peak roughly September to March
What it is
Bundala is the birder's wetland — a string of coastal lagoons where flamingos and thousands of migrant waterbirds gather each winter.
Sri Lanka's first Ramsar wetland, Bundala's lagoons and salt pans draw greater flamingos, painted storks, pelicans and a host of migratory shorebirds, with crocodile and elephant in the scrub behind. Compact and close to Yala, it is an easy, rewarding half-day of birding.
PhotoBundala National Park — ramsar wetland.
The reason to come

Lagoons and flamingos

Bundala is a focused birding stop — wetland spectacle a short drive from the leopard parks.

Flamingo flocks

Greater flamingos on the lagoons in the migrant season.

Migrant shorebirds

Waders and waterfowl from across Asia through the winter.

Crocodile and scrub

Mugger crocodile in the lagoons, elephant in the bush behind.

Worth knowing

A wetland beside the leopards

Bundala adds a rich birding dimension a short hop from Yala — easy to fold into a southern route.
PhotoGreater flamingos on a Bundala lagoon.
When to come — honestly

A winter-migrant wetland.

September – March
Best
Migrant season — flamingos and waterbirds at their peak.
April – August
Good
Resident birds and crocodile; quieter, hotter and drier.
The birding peaks with the migrants (roughly September–March); flamingo numbers vary year to year with water levels.
Context

The wetland stop

Bundala is a compact, high-value birding site that complements the big-game parks nearby.

It slots neatly into southern and birding-led itineraries close to Yala.

We add Bundala to southern routes as an easy, rewarding wetland morning.

Beyond the obvious

More to Bundala National Park.

PhotoLagoon birding

Lagoon birding

Flamingos, storks and pelicans on the water.

PhotoMigrant waders

Migrant waders

Shorebirds along the salt pans.

PhotoCrocodile watch

Crocodile watch

Muggers in the lagoons.

Why Wild Voyager

We put the right tracker in your jeep.

On an island this popular, the guide makes the trip. We pair you with top naturalist trackers and time the parks to dodge the crowds and find the leopards.

Handpicked camps

We choose the lodge and guiding that fit your dates and pace, not whatever is left.

We time it right

We build your visit around the season that delivers — cranes, whales, fruiting-season bears or breeding birds.

Journeys

Trips through Bundala National Park

12 Days · 11 Nights

Birding Sri Lanka
Where to stay

Where you’ll stay in Bundala National Park

Luxury Collection
PhotoBundala Safari Lodge
Luxury

Bundala Safari Lodge

A comfortable lodge near the wetland, an easy base for Bundala and Yala.
Classic Collection
PhotoBirds Park Bundala
Classic

Birds Park Bundala

A straightforward birders' lodge beside the lagoons.
Wildlife you may see
Birds Elephants Leopard

Plan your Bundala National Park journey.

Bird the lagoons for flamingos and migrant waterbirds. Tell us your dates and we will build the route around it.

Plan a Bundala National Park trip

Field notes, now and then.

Where to go · When to go · Wildlife in season

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