Hambantota: elephants and leopards near the port

Developed in recent decades around a large commercial port, Hambantota remains above all the most convenient gateway to two of Sri Lanka's richest nature reserves.

Safaris in the parks require a four-wheel-drive vehicle with a local guide.

Bundala National Park, a protected wetland by UNESCO, hosts thousands of migratory birds, including flamingos that arrive every year from India.

Nearby, Yala National Park, the most visited of Sri Lanka, boasts one of the world's highest concentrations of wild leopards per square kilometer.

In the same park, herds of wild elephants often gather around artificial ponds, especially during the hottest hours of the day.

As evening falls, the port of Hambantota, among Sri Lanka's most modern commercial infrastructure, offers stark contrast to the wild nature of nearby parks.

The density of leopards in Yala Park is among the highest ever recorded for a single felid predator worldwide, making sightings relatively frequent compared to other African or Asian parks.

Sri Lankan elephants, a distinct subspecies from the Indian elephant, remain protected by law in the island's national parks after decades of wild population decline.