Bentota, Aluthgama & Induruwa
You'll find the Brief Garden 10 kilometres inland from Bentota. A barely controlled riot of a garden out of The Jungle Book, the grounds are a lovely…
Must-see attractions in The West
Bentota, Aluthgama & Induruwa
About 3km inland from Bentota, on the south bank of the Bentota Ganga, this unexpected 12th-century temple has some lovely murals and a 2500-year-old…
Negombo
Each day, fishers take their oruvas (outrigger canoes) and go out in search of the fish for which Negombo is famous. They’re a fine sight as they sweep…
Negombo
Even though it could never compete in a beauty contest against many Sri Lankan beaches, Negombo's beach, which stretches north from the town right along…
North of Colombo
Muthurajawela Marsh, which evocatively translates as ‘Supreme Field of Pearls’, is a little-known gem of a wetland at the southern end of Negombo’s lagoon…
Hikkaduwa & Around
About 2km north of Hikkaduwa is the Seenigama Vihara, perched on its own island. It’s one of only two temples in the country where victims of theft can…
Wilpattu National Park
At 1317 sq km, Wilpattu is Sri Lanka’s largest national park. Hidden in the dense, dry woodland, you'll (hopefully) find an array of wildlife that…
Hikkaduwa & Around
This ramshackle, private museum 3.5km north of Hikkaduwa tells the story through photographs and newspaper features of that dreadful day in 2004 when the…
South of Colombo
This museum, with its dioramas and explanations in English, gives an interesting insight into Sri Lankan masks and the meanings behind them. It also sells…
Negombo
The Dutch showed their love of canals here like nowhere else in Sri Lanka. Canals extend from Negombo all the way south to Colombo and north to Puttalam,…
Hikkaduwa & Around
This small monument remembers the 35,000 people who lost their lives just in Sri Lanka during the 2004 tsunami and the hundreds of thousands of others…
North of Colombo
Alankuda is the peninsula's busiest and best beach for non-kitesurfing beach bums. If you squint your eyes and blot out the string of giant wind turbines…
Hikkaduwa & Around
Right on the coast north of Hikkaduwa is this statue of a standing Buddha facing the waves with his hands in the abhaya mudra (Buddha pose conveying…
North of Colombo
Kalpitiya Beach at the northern end of the peninsula consists of a long spit of sand most easily reached by boat across the Kalpitiya lagoon. It's a…
Negombo
Across the lagoon bridge is Negombo's second fish market. If you can stagger out of bed at 6am, it’s a good place to watch big fishing boats return with…
Tsunami Education Centre and Museum
Hikkaduwa & Around
This locally run centre focuses on tsunami education for locals, but also has some dramatic and harrowing photos of the 2004 tsunami, including some of…
Bentota, Aluthgama & Induruwa
Aluthgama has a bustling market every Monday, located across the train line, towards Dharga Town.
Negombo
Close to the seafront near the lagoon mouth are the ruins of the old Dutch fort, which has a fine gateway inscribed with the date 1678. Also here is a…
Hikkaduwa & Around
Have you ever wondered where that pretty little moonstone on your finger actually comes from? Head inland 7km to Mitiyagoda and you can descend (not…
Galigoda Shailathalaramaya Vihara
South of Colombo
This peaceful Buddhist temple, 5km inland from Ambalangoda, sits on a hill surrounded by cinnamon plantations. The temple has a 35m-long sleeping Buddha…
Bentota, Aluthgama & Induruwa
The first recorded Muslim settlement on the island took place at Beruwela, 6km north of Aluthgama, in 1024. The Kechimalai Mosque, on a headland north of…
Hikkaduwa & Around
Hikkaduwa Lake, with its monitor lizards and numerous birds, makes for a pleasant excursion away from the beach. Boat tours can sometimes be organised on…
South of Colombo
Between Ambalangoda and Iduruwa the muddy Madu Ganga dances around the coastline forming a complicated network of lagoons and off-shoots. It’s fantastic…
Hikkaduwa & Around
Hikkaduwa’s marine park stretches along the northern end of the beach and is an easy way to get a glimpse of some of Sri Lanka's undersea life…
Bentota, Aluthgama & Induruwa
This impressive Buddhist complex features a sacred bodhi tree and a huge hollow dagoba (stupa) with an interesting painted interior depicting scenes from…
South of Colombo
Ariyapala Traditional Masks is a small ground-floor museum starring a life-sized statue of the last king and queen of Kandy. It also has a shop selling…
Negombo
Foreign tourists can normally access the beach in front of most big hotels even if you're not staying, but for a more colourful (and noisier) scene join…
Hikkaduwa & Around
This interesting Buddhist temple has lots of popular educational paintings that are the work of one man over nearly a decade. The monks are happy to show…
Negombo
East of the town centre the Angurukaramulla Temple, with its 6m-long reclining Buddha, is worth seeing; take a three-wheeler for around Rs 200.
North of Colombo
The remains of this 17th-century Dutch fort are impressive, but are currently occupied by the Sri Lankan navy, so the interior is off limits.
Negombo
The fading pink chamber of St Mary’s Church, in the town centre, has some thunderous religious ceiling paintings covering the nave.
North of Colombo
About 7km south of Chilaw, this roadside Hindu shrine has building-sized statues of Vishnu and Hanuman.
