Fantastic beasts and where to find them
Yala National Park, Sri Lanka
Destination
This park on the south-eastern coast of Sri Lanka encompasses dense forest, fertile wetlands and the ancient Situlpawwa rock temple. It’s the most visited national park in the country.
Wildlife
Yala is home to elephants, wild buffaloes and saltwater crocs, along with wetland inhabitants like the rare fishing cat. However, its biggest draw is the Sri Lankan leopard; the park has one of the highest densities of the big cats anywhere in the world.
Stay with
Ruhunu Safari Camping (ruhunusafaricamping.com) organises glamping experiences, where guests stay in luxury tents with en suite shower facilities.
Best time to visit
Located in Sri Lanka’s dry zone, the weather is pretty consistent most of the year. However, it’s best to visit between June and September.
How to get there
It’s a six- to eight-hour drive from Colombo. Or you can take a domestic flight from the capital to the nearby town of Hambantota; from there, it’s an hour-long drive.
Best for
Big cat fans and those who prefer their wilderness adventures with a dash of style.
Gunung Leuser National Park, Sumatra
Destination
This UNESCO World Heritage site is one of South-East Asia’s largest untapped areas, with diverse habitats ranging from dense tropical rainforests to mountainous regions.
Wildlife
A host of highly endangered mammals, such as the Sumatran orangutan, tiger, elephant and rhinoceros, call the park home. Other rare creatures you can spot here include the lar gibbon, the Sunda slow loris and the
Malayan sun bear.
Stay with
Family-run company EcoTravel Bukit Lawang (sumatra-ecotravel.com) offers packages that include camping in the rainforest, tube rafting and jungle trekking.
Best time to visit
This is a rainforest region, so it’s best to head down during the dry season, between May and September.
How to get there
From Medan, it’s a four-hour bus ride to the park’s Bukit Lawang entrance. Or take a 30-minute flight to the town of Kutacane for the second entrance at Ketambe.
Best for
Best for Adventurous folks who don’t mind roughing it a little for a chance to glimpse rare creatures.
SEE ALSO: Where to spot wildlife in South-east Asia
This article originally appeared in the July 2017 issue of Silkwinds magazine
