Overview & Experience
Pottuvil Lagoon is located 4 km from Arugam Bay with a view of Whiskey Point and Pottuvil Point. Over 200 acres in size and inside the lagoon is a small, beautiful island. The lagoon is surrounded by mangrove forests that are home to an abundance of wildlife. During the two-hour canoe tour through Pottuvil Lagoon you will experience the serenity and beauty of a mangrove ecosystem which includes:
Marine life such as fish, prawns, crabs and others Birds such a sea eagles, kingfishers, pelicans, herons, Jacana, common coots, and darters. In the trees you can see both varieties of Sri Lankan monkeys Elephants live on the small island or in the jungle Crocodiles on the shore or in the mangrove tree roots and Water monitors
LAGOON ECO – TOUR
Duration: 2 hours in the Lagoon
Morning Safari
• 5.45 am Pick up From Hotel
• 6.00 am Start Boat Ride in Pottuvil Lagoon
• 8.00 am Reture to Hotel
Evening Safari
• 3.45 pm Pick up From Hotel
• 4.00 pm Start Boat Ride in Pottuvil Lagoon
• 6.00 pm Crocodile Lake Visit
• 6.30 pm Return to Hotel
Rates (per person in US$) We Accept Card Payment also
• 01 pax-39 US$ (All included)
• 02 pax-28 US$(All included)
• 03 pax-25 US$(All included)
Please contact us for group booking or special Prices on WhatsApp
What's Included & Excluded
Included In Price
Not Included
Traveler Reviews (32)
Maurice Hitscherich ()
"We did the lagoon safari as a couple. We were picked up by tuk-tuk at 5:30 am, and the raft trip started at 6:00 am. The first highlight was an elephant on the opposite shore, followed by crocodiles and many different birds, including eagles. The boatman was very friendly and funny, and the trip was idyllic, even taking us through a mangrove forest. We enjoyed it very much and would highly recommend this experience. Thank you Ansa and Budget Arugambay Tours"
Guy Nencel ()
"Amazing people! You get to see a lot of animal. Crocodiles elephants a lot of different birds like pelicans and eagles, we also saw some monkeys. The guys are super friendly and have an amazing eye sight for the wildlife! Thank you Budget Arugambay Tours"
Eva Brombacher ()
"Very nice lagoon-tour! We saw elefants, many crocodiles and a lot of birds. Our nice guide could tell us a lot about the animals. We recommend it! Budget Arugambay Tours"
Camilla Wagner ()
"We spontaneously booked a tour in the late afternoon for a very fair price, the tour is about 2h long. Our guide was a local fisherman and you could tell that he knows the lagoon like the back of his hand. We saw crocodiles (very close!), eagles, elephants in the rice fields and lots of beautiful birds. The landscape is very impressive. Highly recommended!!! Budget Arugambay Tours"
Lizzie Cook (Italy)
"We had a lovely time this morning on our safari. We were picked up promptly and taken in a Tuktuk. The boat safari started at 5.40 and it was beautiful at dawn, so quiet and perfect for the birds. Having a boat with no motor made the experience so good. We saw crocodiles up close and lots of lovely birds! 100% recommend!! Budget Arugambay Tours"
Michael Villnow ()
"Magnificent experience for little money. Our guide navigated the boat as close to a group of elefants as possible without bothering them. We were able to watch them drinking and picking seegrass for 20 minutes. Then he showed us a lot of different birds - including a flying eagle looking for prey in the waters. Highly recommended! Budget Arugambay Tours"
Karolina KlukdeKort ()
"We had a wonderful boat tour of the lagoon, saw hundreds of birds, buffaloes and 20 elephants (females with 3 babies). Beautiful sunset- wedding the 4-6pm trip. Paid 25$ per person. The guides were lovely :) highly recommend Budget Arugambay Tours"
Eliana Matta ()
"It was recommended by my hotel, it was a beautiful tour. Enjoyed both the greenery and the wild life. Saw many birds, one elephant, monkeys and crocodiles (one big, one small). The local boatman had eagle eyes and helped me realize all the animals outthere, I would have missed a lot without him. He was also very friendly, only talked when needed which made the ride both enjoyable and meditative. Also to note that I did start the ride like 30min earlier to avoid the crowd and have a calm experience which I did😊"
Natalia Robert (America)
"We chose to do an evening lagoon safari and were picked up from our Arugam Bay accommodation. We headed out on the lagoon with our guide, a local fisherman, and saw a herd of buffalo swimming across the lagoon and an elephant nearby. We then paddled quietly downstream and saw many birds - eagles, kites, kingfishers, cormorants and more - and a crocodile who was also swimming downstream. Our guide was very good at spotting the birds and animals in the lagoon, and shared his knowledge generously. He moved the boat close for us to quietly observe and photograph the animals. On our way back, some young monkeys kept us entertained, jumping and swinging in the trees. We really enjoyed the experience and recommend it for travellers looking for something different to vehicle safaris, who appreciate peace and quiet in beautiful natural surroundings. thank you Budget Arugambay Tours"
Torsten Lofhelm ()
"Beautiful!! Depart at 6am but it worth it. We sam elephants, crocodiles, monkeys and many birds 25$ by person with transport at the hotel"
Wouter Oorts ()
"Nice visit of the conserved Urani lagoon. Lots of different birds: big population oppmf fish eagles, white and Girey herons and much more, crocodile in the water, ... Must do."
Milena Jovanovichs ()
"The boat tour was AMAZING. Very cheap comparing to other experiences, we saw two crocodiles, elephants, monkeys and my bf is a big fan of birds. The guide was able to spot EVERY animal, was crazy his eye. The views are really incredible. Was one of the best tours we did, beautiful vegetation, we were amazed!"
Danielle Williams ()
"I had such a wonderful experience. For a fraction of price that get your guide was charging I saw the same thing and arguably had a better experience. The boat rower did not speak English he was very patient with us and let us sit for as long as we wanted taking pictures. He was able to point out a lot of stuff to us as well."
Lorris Benhamou ()
"What an experience, we saw crocodile 🐊, elephants 🐘 eagles🦅, monkeys 🐒 and many birds. If you are around it is a must do, probably the most value for money experience you can have in Sri Lanka with a 2 hours trip for ~25 usd (w/o tips), dont hésitate a minute and go ! Organizer is super nice and our local guide upali was the nicest, he took time to explain and show us around. We are alone in the lagoon and it was wonderful, way different than usual touristic safari For the rest just look at the pictures :)"
Maria ()
"We had a great guide who rowed us around this large lagoon. The guide was great at spotting a whole variety of birds including kingfishers and birds of prey. We were also lucky to see crocodiles swimming in the lagoon and then elephants by the waters edge. A great experience to be done at the beginning or end of day."
Wenzel Dimroth ()
"An unforgettable mangrove boat safari! 🌿🛶 We had a wonderful experience on the mangrove boat safari. The guides were extremely friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive, and the nice scenery made the trip truly special. A special thank you to Marafi, who was exceptionally helpful and kind! We highly recommend this mangrove safari to anyone looking for a peaceful, scenic, and memorable experience surrounded by nature. Absolutely worth doing!"
Jonas ()
"Thank you Marafi for the nice boat tour on the lagoon. It was an amazing experience to float into sunset and discover crocodiles, elephants and all kind of birds. We enjoyed the quiet mood amid the most beautiful nature."
Yuwin Mestrige ()
"We had an amazing lagoon tour and couldn't have asked for a better experience! The guide was friendly, knowledgeable, and made the trip both relaxing and informative. We got to enjoy the beautiful scenery and spot plenty of wildlife along the way. What really stood out was the excellent value for money. The price was very reasonable, especially since it included transport, which made everything completely hassle-free. The entire tour was well organized, and we felt well looked after from start to finish. Highly recommended for anyone visiting Arugambay and looking for a memorable lagoon experience!"
Peter Williams ()
"Went on the Lagoon Safari with a friend and it was just the 2:of us and the Vino on the boat. Saw some great wildlife and a huge elephant. We then went to look for crocodiles but only saw the head of 1 for a few seconds. Goes to show you can't control nature. However on the way back Vino stopped where he knew they may be some crocodiles and there were probably about 10. 1 was outside of the water and was huge, others we could just see the heads, others the whole body even though they were in the water. This stop properly took 30 minutes and there was no rush or extra charge. Thank you Budget Arugambay Tours"
Michelle Evans ()
"We really enjoyed our trip along the mangrove inlet. We had a local fisherman captain the little boat. He pointed out crocodiles, herons, king fishers, parakeets, cormorants, sea eagles and grey langur. It was super relaxed and chilled. We got in contact by using the number on google and WhatsApp to arrange with them."
Priscille Laronche ()
"Hello, We went on a two-hour water safari. It was fantastic—peaceful and relaxing. It offered a real connection with nature; we were able to observe birds and eagles. We were also lucky enough to spot crocodiles in the water and elephants in the distance. I highly recommend it. Thank you for this experience 😉"
Andrew Maddox ()
"Really great tour, the guy knew I wanted to see crocodiles so very deliberately set about finding them. Loads of beautiful birds including eagles and kingfishers and even a big unit of an elephant in the distance"
Van Essa ()
"We had a very nice guide and captain, we see some crocodiles, warans and a lot of birds. Also local fishermen fishing at the lagoon. At the very end we saw an elephant far away splashing around in the water. It was very far away. Actually the tour was already over but we kindly asked to go to the elephant which was very hard work due to the wind but they make it happen. If you ask for this, please remember to give a good tip 🙏🏼 as it’s hard work. We are very happy and very lucky to see all those animals in real nature"
Gregor ()
"This was an incredible eco-tour! Our guide P introduced us to the local flora and fauna. The tour was well organized,felt very sustainable. We saw so many animals and birds. (Elephants, water buffaloes, monkeys, monitor lizards, maraboos, quite a lot of eagles and Eissvogel and herons and even a crocodile nest). A lot, thanks again. Highly recommended!"
Mark Wignall ()
"Great experience and very reasonably priced. The two fellas paddling the boat were very knowledgeable and excellent at spotting the wildlife (didn’t get their names but shout out to them). Saw absolutely everything I wanted to see (elephants, crocodiles, kingfishers, eagles and many other local birds). Definitely is an eco tour as doesn’t use a motor boat, couldn’t recommend it enough. Will be coming back if I’m town again. 10 stars."
Estela González ()
"Lovely boat safari!!!! We did it for sunrise and it was so relaxing and beautiful. Ansa was absolutely amazing and welcoming, served us nice tea and then he made sure we saw all the animals we wanted!! Spotted lots of different ones, including 🐊🐊🐊. Thanks for an amazing experience, highly recommend ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️"
Jacob (Japan)
"We had a fantastic morning on the Pottuvil Lagoon EcoTour. Our driver Ansa was punctual, kind, knowledgeable and spoke very good English! It was very peaceful on the lagoon at sunrise. The lagoon has no motorised boats and is very well cared for. A safe distance from all the animals was maintained at all times. Great ecotourism. Breakfast was included - milo and milk hoppers! We saw elephants, bats and so many wonderful birds - it was beautiful! Later Ansa also took us to see crocodiles at a river nearby."
Monika (Korea)
"Myself and my partner did the lagoon tour. This is a hidden jem in Arugam Bay! It offered a serene, quiet, yet spectacular experience only 10 minutes from town. We saw many birds such as kingfishers, eagles, herons and many flying fish. A highlight was a lone wild elephant grazing. Our guide Fainas was brilliant, a knowledgeable and warm personality. He explained the local wildlife patterns confidently. He also took us to a nearby bridge to see crocodiles, we saw so many, it was exhilarating to be so close to these huge terrifying animals. The breeze on the lagoon was a welcome escape from the heat of Arugam Bay, and the sunset added to the experience. Would highly recommend Fainas and the lagoon tour."
Venky (Singapor)
"Did the morning boat ride at the Pottuvil Lagoon in July.. The duration is approx. 2 hrs, excluding the pickup and the drop. Fin picked us up from the Hotel in Arugam Bay in his tuk-tuk and accompanied us throughout the trip, explaining the details and the relevance correlating with the environmental science perspective which is his field of study. Spotted multiple birds and a crocodile, in the scenic backdrop of the mangroves. The boat also takes you to the Kottukal Beach, where the Pottuvil Lagoon merges with the sea, where you can have the light snacks that were provided by the organisers. Highly Recommended"
Julia (Russia)
"Amazing experience. we had a chance to go on a pottuvil lagoon boat safari. It was something amazing I have done in my whole life.Elephant, birds, crocodile and fishing life. If you are planning to visit Arugambay, I recommend you should do this too.budget arugambay tours"
Jhone Elesha (Italy)
"Very good for bird watching We took our two daughters 12 and 15 on a early morning lagoon safari for 2 hours. Price is reasonable, 4500/-. The tour is on a rowing boat. You have to sit on the floor and they provide you with life jackets. My husband has a chronic back pain, but, he came out ok after sitting on the floor with stretched legs for 2 hours. The discomforts of the basic facility is well worth the experience. We saw crocodiles, so many varieties of birds including endangered, unique to the area and also migratory. Top it up, we saw the wild elephants coming out of the near by jungle. The boat will take you though the lagoon full of mangroves and water lilies. It's a fantastic experience. You need to go early in the morning to see the wild life and to avoid the harsh sun. They even recommend the evenings."
Esther (Russia)
"Went on a great morning lagoon safari, saw so many birds, two elephants, monkeys and met fisherman. Such a great experience and super professional, especially important as a solo female traveller."
Leave a Review for this Tour
- Instant confirmation via WhatsApp
- No cancellation fee up to 24h before
- Hotel pick-up & drop included
- High quality equipment provided