Nestled next to a beautiful, breezy estuary area, Chilaw Sand Pits is a unique nearshore environment of shallow lagoons, sandbanks and dunes. Mangroves grow on these sandbanks, strengthening them structurally and sheltering birds and waders like gulls, sanderlings, crested terns, sandpipers, avocet, Whimbrel, oystercatchers, Eurasian Curlew and more. In addition, there are several marine conservatories in the Chilaw Sand Pits, such as Anawilundawa Sanctuary.