Koggala Lake (Koggala Lagoon) is a lagoon on Sri Lanka’s south coast near Koggala, east of Galle in Galle District, with mangroves along its edges. It is about 4.8 km long and 2 km wide. Small islands dot the water, and local boat trips run around them.
Is it worth visiting?
Go if you like birds, mangroves and quiet water, or want a change from the beach while you stay near Galle or Unawatuna.
Think twice if you expect untouched wilderness, because human works have changed the lagoon and local operators run the boat trips with no official prices or standards.
The lagoon and its islands
The lagoon covers about 727 hectares, and its water comes mainly from rain and the Koggala Oya. Mangroves line its small islands, which also shelter monitor lizards and a variety of birds. The best-known island, Madol Duwa, gave its name to the writer Martin Wickramasinghe’s 1947 novel Madol Doova.
The lagoon reaches the sea through a narrow canal. In the early 1990s the natural sand bar was removed and groynes went up. After that, the water became saltier and fish stocks fell. Then, in 2013, changes to the groynes set out to restore more natural flushing. Later, in 2025, a local company funded the planting of 1,000 mangrove saplings along the lagoon and its islands.
Around Koggala
- Martin Wickramasinghe Folk Museum: the writer’s ancestral home and a folk museum in Koggala, where he was born in 1890. It is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm, except during the two-day Sinhala and Tamil New Year holiday in April. Non-residents pay Rs 1,000 per adult and Rs 400 per child (museum website).
- Stilt fishermen: on the coast nearby, the famous stilt fishermen now mostly pose for photographs. In February 2025 the Sunday Times found the stilts standing almost on the beach, with no fish to catch. Instead, the fishermen were charging a foreign adult Rs 1,000 (a child Rs 500) for a photo on the stilts, with higher prices at sunset.
Getting there
- By train: Koggala and Habaraduwa stations are on the coastal line from Colombo and Galle.
- By road: Koggala is also on the A2 coast road, east of Galle.
- Boat trips: there is no official information on operators or prices, so agree the route, length and price before you set off. Choose a boat with shade for the midday sun, too.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
How big is Koggala Lake?
About 727 hectares, roughly 4.8 km long and 2 km wide.
What is Madol Duwa?
An island in the lagoon that gave its name to Martin Wickramasinghe’s 1947 novel Madol Doova.
Are the stilt fishermen real?
Mostly not any more. In 2025 the Sunday Times reported that the stilts stand almost on the beach, and that the fishermen instead charge visitors to photograph them.
How do I get to Koggala?
By train to Koggala or Habaraduwa on the coastal line, or along the A2 coast road east of Galle.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org (Koggala Lagoon), en.wikipedia.org (Madol Doova), martinwickramasinghe.com, sundaytimes.lk, dailymirror.lk (ATG TAKES THE LEAD IN…), dailymirror.lk (Koggala Revisited). Header photo: Meusays / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
