This sanctuary can be approached from Colombo on the following route.

Colombo – Negombo – Chilaw – Puttlam – Anuradapura – Medawachchiya – Settikulam – Murunkan – Mannar (6 hours)

This is one of the most important areas located in the north of the country for the migrating waterfowl. 4,800 hectares of this very important habitat was protected and declared as a sanctuary on 9th September 2008 upon a proposal presented to the Department of Wild Life Conservation after a four year study conducted by the members of the Ceylon Bird Club. During the study the members discovered that the Indian Spot-billed Duck, a species which was considered a very rare migrant with a history of only a handful of records breeding in this area. This is an arid locality with seasonal water bodies, marshes, lakes, mudflats, thorny scrub, salt marshes, swamps, mangroves, coastal lagoons and sea grass beds. Some of the migrant water fowl species which are commonly seen here are seldom seen in the south of the country. The CBC  proposal that Vankalai is also given Ramsar status as it supports a very large population of migrant waterfowl during the season has been accepted and Vankalai sanctuary has now been declared a Ramsar site.  A good spotting scope is of immense value to the avid birder who wants to study the many species of waders found at the causeway as well as the many water bodies in Mannar. There are no hotels yet for over night stay. The over night accommodation available is mostly the rooms of the houses rented out by the owners.

BIRD STATISTICS OF VANKALAI 2003-2010 WITH RAMSAR REQUIRMENT
 

• 80,000+ WATER BIRDS DURING 3 RECENT SEASONS

• GREATER FLAMINGO -        RAMSAR 1% REQUIRMENT 2,400 COUNTED   5,000 

• EURASIAN WIGEON -          RAMSAR 1% REQUIRMENT 2,500 COUNTED   56,000

• NOTHERN PINTAIL -             RAMSAR 1% REQUIRMENT 20,000 COUNTED 95,000

• BLACK TAILED GODWIT  -   RAMSAR 1% REQUIRMENT 1,500  COUNTED  4000

Birds to look for

Indian Spot-billed Duck, Eurasian Wigeon, Avocet, Common Teal, Northern Shoveller, Pintail, Gargany, Greater Flamingo, Crab Plover, Oystercatcher, Red Knot, Great Knot, Ruff, Indian Grey Partridge, Lesser Crested Tern, Great Crested Tern, Caspian Tern, White-winged Black Tern, Little Tern, Great Black-headed Gull, Heuglin’s Gull, Brown Headed Gull, Common Coot, Bar-tailed Godwit, Kentish Plover, Black Drongo, Rufous Rumped Shrike, Collared Dove, Hoopoe, Montague’s Harrier, Pallid Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, Golden-backed Woodpecker and many more.