Joanna James
The primary attractions in Ahungalla are truly authentic as it is still relatively up and coming. Tourists interested in ecotourism will be relieved to know that it is quite simple to observe a lifestyle that takes into account the needs of the environment while preserving the local culture.
The town of Ambalangoda is well-known as a mask and antiquities hub. The fascinating masks on display there at Mask Museum are sure to spark some creativity. The vast majority of them are constructed from kaduru, a soft, lightweight wood that may be worked similarly to balsa. Traditionally, the masks were sanded with rough leaves and shark skin after carving.
There are also other string puppets in the museum, all crafted from the same sort of wood. While most conventional puppets stand at roughly 4 feet tall, the puppets used to portray royalty and nobility are typically much taller and heavier.
Mangrove forests and islands make up the diverse coastal environment of the Madu Ganga river's estuary. There is a chance that this area of Sri Lanka is home to one of the country's last untouched mangrove forests. A boat ride is a great chance to see some of the thousands of plant and animal species found in the area.
Monkeys snack on fruit from the trees, a lizard slides quietly through the water with egrets, and kingfishers patiently wait on the banks, examining the water for food. About sixty-four islands, ranging in size from a little speck with a solitary shrine to an island with two hundred and fifty families and a very lengthy footbridge to the mainland, may be found in the stream and lagoon.
Bevis Bawa was the sibling of the late, eminent architect Geoffrey Bawa, whose portfolio included the landmark Heritance Ahungalla. Bevis Bawa, equally gifted to his sibling, transformed an abandoned rubber estate into a beautiful garden complex.
You will be guided through a succession of tableaux, nooks and bowers, all created by skilful use of plantings and screening. It's not just the minimalist home that's decorated with statues and paintings, either. Many are originals by Bawa, and others are by Donald Friend, an Australian painter.
Geoffrey Bawa spent nearly 50 years at his estate Lunuganga experimenting with space, light, and size. In 1948, he purchased a rubber estate on a headland that extended into a lake. Bawa spent years carefully reshaping the land and vegetation to realise his vision, even chopping off from the crest of a hill to better see the lake.
Over the course of his life, Bawa kept the spaces and buildings evolving and experimenting. The garden was donated to the Lunuganga Trust after his death in 2003 and is now accessible to the general public.
You will have to get up early since you will be required to depart Ahungalla at approximately 4 in the morning to make it to Mirissa in time to take a boat at 6:30. After being at sea for almost an hour, you should start to see whales. Blue whales are the most common, but killer whales have been spotted here as well. While going out and coming back, dolphin sightings are usual. Wear a hat and apply liberal amounts of sunscreen; carry a camera & binoculars.
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A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
