Yala Block II - Strict Nature Reserve in Sri Lanka

YalaNational Park was initially started as a Game Sanctuary by the British in 1894 and was established as a National Park in 1938. Yala covers more than 100 hectares of wildlife. Yala is divided in to 5 areas. The most visited area is block one.

Yala Block II is the zone between the Manik Ganga and the Kumbukkan Oya which is a designated Strict Nature Reserve and access to this area is only through special permission.

Yala block- II - which was a hunters’ Motel amongst before, is known as a block of the natural resources of the site, from 1938. In 1954 it was named as a strict reserve and added to the Yala National Park.  Yala Block II is 9,931 hectares of land.

Yala Block II has a large stretch of beach as it abuts the sea. It also has large open areas with several natural water holes and man-made ones. There are several streams or ‘ara’s that flow across it. Block II is also of archaeological value and has signs that Yala was part of an ancient civilization. There are ruins of a stupa, and a few stone pillars that visitors can see.

Poththana Beach in Yala Block II was one of the major attractions in block II with sand dunes in the area which constantly shifted with the wind.

The most famous "stone man mountain", which is located in the block II and belonged to the Miocene era historic Stone Mountain is located in the shape of a man. Tips stupas of the ancient civilization of the region was, masonry, drainage systems, etc. are Lynn Stone.