Randenigala Dam View Point

Randenigala is one of those pull over and just stare spots. You are high up in Sri Lanka's central hills, on the road that runs along the top of an endless feeling dam, and below you a huge reservoir spreads out between forested hillsides. The dam wall is a long stretch of stone with the spillways and tumbling water. This viewpoint has an incredible view up the valley where the water winds into the hills and the ridges stack up in layers behind each other. Early morning has an amazing peaceful vibe where the mist hangs low over the reservoir and the whole scene feels incredibly soft and quiet for such an industrial feeling area Late afternoon is lovely too as the light warms the hills. Since the reservoir sits inside a large wildlife sanctuary keep half an eye on the shoreline and the roadside because you might get lucky and spot elephants just going about their day. A mid range zoom (around 24-70mm) handles the broad valley and the dam perfectly, and if you want to reach across and pull those layered ridges in tight make sure to have something longer in your kit. The road takes you right to the viewpoint and looking out over the water from the edge costs nothing, though actually walking out onto the dam needs permission from the Mahaweli authority that runs it. Getting up here is a beautiful winding mountain drive but there is almost no services up here, so bring what you need. That empty, remoteness translates beautifully into the vast compositions this viewpoint creates. (Randenigala, Central Province, Sri Lanka)