Joanna James
As one of Sri Lanka's most popular beach hubs, Kalutara offers holidaymakers a plethora of engaging activities. Here are seven things to do during a vacation in captivating Kalutara.
Regarded as one of the southern coast's finest architectural masterpieces, Richmond Castle is a one of a kind mansion which once served as the resplendent residence of Mudaliyar Don Arthur De Silva Wijesinghe Siriwardhane. As a prominent member of the community, the Mudaliyar who held the office of the Kalutara Disawe for a time took inspiration from his trip to Britain and India to create his own luxurious residence. Featuring ornate chamber and staircases, the property is surrounded by extensive fruit gardens and is now open to the public.
Ideally nestled between a rubber plantation and a lush green forest, this milky white cascade is one of Kalutara's true natural wonders. Hidden from the view of the highway and tucked away inside an extensive rubber estate visitors will hear the gush of the Thudugala Ella before their witness this frothy waterfall with their eyes. Also known as Ella Uda Ella, the cascade appears as if two waterfalls have been combined to create a single waterfall. Having once provided hydroelectricity to the estate, using the waterfall's water for generating electricity was discontinued in the 1970s.
As the main attraction of a trip to Kalutara, the stunning beachfront in Kalutara is one of the finest in Sri Lanka. Whether it's basking in the golden rays of the sun-kissed beaches or building sand castles, there's plenty to do on a beach holiday in Kalutara. Work on your tan and play a game of beach volleyball before enjoying an evening stroll to watch the sunset from this stunning piece of paradise.
Water sports enthusiasts will need no excuse to hit the water when vacationing in Kalutara as the calm and tranquil water and weather conditions in the area are perfect for most water-bound activities. From banana boating to jet skiing the choices are endless when it comes to the thrills and spills one can enjoy in the water. Visitors based at the Mermaid Hotel & Club or any similar Kalutara hotels right on the beach will find that tour operators offering water sports packages are a common feature in the area.
Named after the famed Chinese monk and traveller of the same name, the Fa Hien Caves are a cultural and anthropological highlight in Kalutara. As the location in which the earliest evidence of a Mesolithic civilization inhabiting the island was found this massive natural rock not only contains a number of tunnels but also provided shelter for the world-renowned monk during his visit to the country. Other finds unearthed in the caves include weapons and human skulls belonging to prehistoric ancestors which were thirty-seven thousand years old according to carbon dating data.
The Kalutara Bodhiya is the first sight most travellers come across upon arrival in the area and paying homage to this historic Buddhist temple is a must not only for those who are holidaying in the beach capital but those driving to other beach hotspots along the southern coast.
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