Situated in the lush highlands of Belihuloya, the Samanalawewa Reservoir is a visually stunning man-made lake and one of Sri Lanka's most important hydroelectric dams built across the Walawe River, offering a peaceful, uncrowded natural escape surrounded by misty mountains and rich birdlife.

Why visit Samanalawewa Reservoir

• Second Largest Hydropower Project: Samanalawewa is one of Sri Lanka’s major hydropower projects (third-largest by installed capacity after Mahaweli complex and others), generating 405 GWh of energy annually
• Continuous Major Water Leak: The reservoir has a continuous water leakage of approximately 1,800–2,300 litres per second
• Leak Supports Downstream Agriculture: Despite the controversy of the leak, the escaping water is actually beneficial. It supplies about two-thirds of the target water volume required for agriculture in downstream areas.
• Geologically Complex Construction: The dam was built in an area of karst formation within the . This made successful long-term remediation of the leak an "impossible task" due to the unique geological conditions.
• High Security and Limited Access: The power station premises require prior booking/permission for visits (via Ceylon Electricity Board/Samanala Complex), and photography/video is strictly prohibited inside the power station for security reasons. Reservoir viewpoints are more accessible publicly.