A Ramsar-listed inland wetland system of 900 hectares near Balapitiya on the southwest coast – a network of calm waterways, mangrove tunnels, and small islands best explored by small motorboat in a safari experience of extraordinary intimacy and natural beauty. The Madu River system includes a working cinnamon island, a Buddhist temple island, and natural fish therapy pools, and the combination of ecological richness, cultural interest, and the particular sensory experience of gliding through mangrove tunnels in the early morning makes it one of the most distinctive and memorable natural experiences on the western coast.