The Madu River also known as Madu Ganga is a stunning and ecologically important estuarine ecosystem on Sri Lanka’s southern coast near Balapitiya, around 80 km south of Colombo. It spans roughly 915 hectares, including around 64 islands, of which about 15 are sizeable and some are inhabited.

• The river’s estuary includes dense mangrove forests that serve as natural coastal buffers and breeding grounds for marine life. Fourteen species of mangroves have been recorded here.
• The area is home to 303 plant species and 248 vertebrate animal species, including fish, prawns, crabs, reptiles, monkeys, butterflies, and mollusks.