Weligama Stilt Fisherman

A Unique Sight

Near the village of Weligama, you can see the stilt fisherman. Weligama literally translates as ‘sandy village’ and it has a long stretch of fine golden sand. Famous for its stilt fishermen, you can see this unique sight only in this part of Sri Lanka. No-one knows where, or even when this form of fishing originated, but it is an old tradition which lives on in this modern world. This centuries old traditional method of fishing is one of the best sustainable practices to catch the fish. The stilt fisherman spend 2-4 hours sitting on a thin plank, hoping to catch one or two fish for their family’s lunch or dinner.

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