Tissamaharama — usually shortened to Tissa — is a small town in the deep south of Sri Lanka, serving as the main gateway to Yala National Park. Most visitors pass through on their way to the park, but the town itself has a quiet appeal, centred around its ancient artificial lake, Tissa Wewa, built by King Kavantissa in the third century BC.
The lake, fringed by palm trees, is home to painted storks, pelicans and egrets, and is particularly beautiful at sunset. The white Tissamaharama Raja Maha Vihara dagoba rises above the treeline nearby — this was once a major city of the ancient Ruhuna kingdom, and several stupas and ruins remain.
Yala National Park, about 20 km east of town, has the highest density of leopards of any park in the world. Morning safaris departing from Tissa are the standard way to visit. Bundala National Park, a wetland reserve known for its flamingos and migratory birds, is also accessible from here. The sacred pilgrimage town of Kataragama, 15 km north, is revered by Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims alike and worth a half-day visit.