There is plenty to see and do in the small island of Sri Lanka. Start with the commercial capital, Colombo has undergone a major facelift following the close of a thirty year civil war in 2009. It is easy enough to get about the city, the most convenient way is a cab service in Colombo. Sri Lanka is also known for ‘tuk tuks’, which can be fun way to travel. The city has several upmarket restaurants, five star hotels, exclusive boutique shops and upscale shopping malls.
Venture into the central and eastern portions of the country, using the leading car rental services of Malkey Rent A Car, and you will encounter the gushing, heaving Mahaweli River. Mahaweli translates into English as ‘Great Sandy River’ and at three hundred and thirty five kilometres, it is the longest in Sri Lanka. This mammoth river originates from the Hatton Plateau and flows through a large area that grows tea and rubber, two of the country’s main export crops. It then turns east and heads for Kandy, a prominent city in Sri Lanka’s history that is located in the hill country. Next there is a turn north towards the lowlands where it meets its principal tributary, the Amban Ganga and then flows past the ancient city of Polonnaruwa. Finally, it makes its way to Koddiyar Bay, eleven kilometres south of the coastal Trincomalee, and empties into the Bay of Bengal.
The waters of this river are a key source for power generation. Damns have been built at several strategic points to run hydro-electric power plants that create electricity for much of the country. The existence of the mighty Mahaweli is the reason Sri Lanka uses hydro-electricity as its primary source of power. The country’s agriculture industry also relies on the river for sustenance. Plantations located around the river draw water from it for irrigation purposes.
Chandrishan Williams is a travel writer who writes under the pen name, Caleb Falcon. He specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers.