Batticaloa Lagoon

What?
Batticaloa Lagoon is a picturesque body of water famous for its unique “singing fish” phenomenon.

Where?
Batticaloa Lagoon is located in the town of Batticaloa and approximately 292.5km from Colombo.

When?
It can be visited all year long; early mornings and late afternoons provide the best opportunities for spotting wildlife.

Batticaloa Lagoon is the largest lagoon in Sri Lanka, being about 56 km long. It extends from Eravur of Batticaloa district to Kalmunai of Ampara district and is fed by numerous small rivers. It is connected to the sea by two narrow canals (at Batticaloa and Periyakallar) and is suitable for cultivating rice, coconut, and other crops. Between April and September, a strange noise can be heard from the depths of the Batticaloa Lagoon, which is produced by the so-called singing fish. The sound is strongest on full-moon nights. It is described as the type of noise produced by rubbing a wet finger around the edge of a wine glass, or it resembles a plucked guitar or violin string. Kallady Bridge is said to be the best place to listen to these sounds. Batticaloa Lagoon has wide mangrove swamps and some seagrass beds, which attract a wide variety of water birds.