Gal Oya National Park

Gal Oya National Park is built around the Senanayake Samudraya, a large reservoir lake that sets it apart from Sri Lanka’s other parks. Safaris here run by boat rather than jeep, drifting close to elephants that swim between islands, a sight rarely seen elsewhere in the country. The park sees a fraction of the visitors of Yala or Udawalawe, and that relative quiet is very much part of its appeal for those who have already done a safari or two.