Attractions in Unawatuna are not very much. In the city, however, there are several small temples - this is a common thing for Sri Lanka. The temples are very different and find information on them is difficult, so if you hang on such, ask the locals, anyone know. I will not write about the sights of neighboring Galle - read in a separate article. There's only full-way. As for the attractions of the Unawatuna itself, then they are:
Japanese Mira Pagoda
This is definitely the most important attraction of the town. A little bit of history so that it was clear, and then the Japanese. The so-called pagoda of the world is a Buddhist stup, the initial goal of which is to combine people of all races and religions and help them gain peace and calm. Most of such pagodas were erected under the leadership of Nitidatsa Fuji, the famous Japanese Buddhist monk. It all started with his meeting with the Great Indian ideologue of Mahatma Gandhi in the 30s of the last century - after that, inspired by Fuji decided to carry in the masses of the ideology of non-violence and erect "stupes of the world" throughout the world. Such such pagodas in Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the first to be erected in memory of the terrible nuclear bombing of these settlements.Already 60 years after the first stupas in Europe, States and Asia, about 80 pagodas were erected. One appeared in Unavatun, by the way, relatively recently. Pagoda snaps on the cape between Galle and Unvatatuna. It was built by members of the religious movement Nipponzan-Myōhōji-Daisanga (Nippondzan Möhodisi), which founded Fuji (essentially it is a branch of Nitiren-sh, one of the main Buddhist schools of Japan). But rather facts.
Before the beautiful pagoda, you can easily walk from Unawatuna Beach - True, you will have to go along the hot jungle, but you can take a Tuk-Tuk about 400 rupees. The place where Pagoda is located, very calm, peaceful, with a beautiful view of the ocean and Fort Galle. You can climb at least for this. The snow-white stope on the rock is seen from afar, and, if you live in a hotel or at the villa nearby, then every day you will hear the sound of drums that have been coming from the cliff - this is some kind of particular charming atmosphere.
In Pagoda, you can go up, get around the circle, admire the views. On the approach you need to go out and follow the path of barefoot. Therefore, it is better to capture spare socks, because the pebbles are unpleasantly torn legs. From four sides of the stupas, you can see different Buddha sculptures; Some tourists sit down to meditate next - everything has everything.
At the entrance of tourists is benevolently meets the monk and offers a mini-excursion in English. At the end, he may ask for a donation - a little, maybe rupees 50-100 (although there are inspirations, which for photos on the background of the stupas require under a thousand rupees!). In the temple near Paroda at 6 o'clock in the evening, a service is held on which you can also attend a quiet. After a small service, ten minutes long, a monk tells in several languages about the history of Pagoda (for those who have not yet had time to listen - useful). In general, impressive, yes. Not all, but impressive. By the way, there are rumors that at the base of this stage there is a fragment of a meteorite.
Stupa next to the Beach of Unawatuna
It is much less popular compared to the Japanese Pagoda. White neat stupa less and more modest, but it is equally colorful and deserves a visit.
Temple Yatagal Raja Maha Vihara
The temple is located about 4 kilometers from Unawatuna Beach. Quiet modest temple in the mountains is famous for its 9-meter Buddha statue; Also in the complex there is a stupa and the sacred tree of Bodhi. The walls of the temple are painted in a typical style of the Candy period - pictures from the epic (most likely, once updated, but still look very old).
The monks lived here at least 1500 years old! There are rarely crowds of tourists - and in general tourists - but this is a huge plus, because it is a temple, and not the amusement park, you will agree. To climb to the entrance to the temple, you need to overcome several dozen steps (rather tedious), but you will be rewarded with gorgeous views of rice fields. Also impressive in this ancient temple relying on each other stone blocks. By the way, many Lankans have no idea about this temple. Such is the hidden pearl.
Turtle farm
This farm is about three kilometers from the center of the town, on the road Matara Road, if you go to the south. You can on a tuka, you can on the bus (Turtle Hatchuary nameplate, it seems like). Tukers know where to carry, and the buses in the buses are rather talking to all questions "Yes", and therefore sometimes it is not very clear where it is specifically to go.
This center was opened in 1986, and today more than 500,000 turtles have been released into the ocean! Impressive, right? There are several people in the center (4-5) who care about the turtles.
The main task of the farm is the preservation of marine turtles for the next generation. Because of the constantly developing tourism and poaching, the nests on the beaches are often destroyed, and therefore it has to take such measures to at least somehow preserve these amazing creatures.
On the territory of the complex you can see various tanks with sea water, where the bugs float before they are released into the ocean. Eggs often bring fishermen (collect and sell these guys to several rupees for the egg). Farm workers bring turtles and produced into the ocean - otherwise the eggs would go to completely different goals. Also on the farm there are no time wounded by fishing networks of turtles and patients with turtles, which are treated and after released into the ocean. Some types of sea turtles live in tanks as exhibits - they are fed and produced in the ocean in several 5 years.
The entrance to the farm is about 400 rupees, but the owners are Europeans, so, most likely, the funds collected and the truth goes to take care of the turtles. Especially for Russians even wrote on the wall: do not touch. AN-No, still hand pulls in general, in order to donate to go to the farm - a good thing. And so - funny, of course, children - admire the turtles in the pool. And adults probably like to randomly meet the turtle during diving or snorkeling.
