Visitors to Sri Lanka will touch down at Bandaranaike International Airport, which is half an hour from the capital, Colombo. City hotel properties that have cropped up in recent times have all the conveniences to suit a modern traveller. Colombo as a whole has been given a facelift with high end restaurants, upmarket galleries and boutiques as well as entertainment venues being established. A cluster of large scale hotels are under construction near Galle Face Green, a popular urban park that overlooks the ocean. The trendy precinct already boasts a shopping complex, several restaurants and a few charming hotels like The Steuart by Citrus.
An hour and a half by road will take you to Kalutara. This gateway seaside town welcomes you with an enormous, gleaming white stupa that stands at its entrance. The Gangatilake Stupa is an important religious symbol not only for local residents but to the entire country’s large Buddhist community. A row of donation boxes have been placed on the outer wall of the temple and it has become customary for passing motorists to offer some change and pray for a safe journey.
Kalutara is also home to a large community of basket weavers. Hand woven baskets and other items are sold in small shops that line the streets. Visitors can even observe the weavers working long palm fronds into purses, hats, floor mats, purses, lampshades, bags or baskets. Head away from the beach to Richmond Castle that dates back to the British colonial period, an era that shaped much of the Sri Lanka you see today. South of Kalutara is the iconic Lunuganga Estate, which was the home of renowned architect, Geoffrey Bawa. The beautifully landscaped garden is open to the public; lunch and tea can be arranged with prior notice, as well as a guided tour.
Catalina Forbes is a travel writer who bases her content on many thrilling escapades experienced across the world. Google+
