Journeying along the Southern coast of Sri Lanka you will be treated to sandy beaches that lie parallel to the main road and stretch on endlessly, views of the mighty Indian Ocean rolling in, leafy palms swaying in the warm tropical breeze and more. A mere two hour’s drive from the capital city of Colombo is the most popular beach of all, Hikkaduwa. Hotels on the beachfront offer spectacular views and direct access to the beach. Hikkaduwa Beach has earned a reputation as a popular party venue with Tiki style bars and restaurants. To be close to the action and soak up all the sun, sea and sand your heart desires, book a stay at the Citrus Hikkaduwa.
A stone’s throw away, in Koggala, is the Martin Wickramasinghe Folk Museum. Martin Wickremesingheis revered as one of Sri Lanka’s greatest writers. During his lifetime he wrote several novels that depict the culture and lives of people in Sri Lanka. He cleverly wove elements of natural and social sciences, literature, linguistics, the arts, philosophy, education and Buddhism that exited at the time, into his work. Wickremesinghe was born in the Southern village of Koggala and spent his early life there growing up with his sisters. The village is placed between the sea on one side and a large lake dotted with islands on the other. An idyllic setting, which he recreated for his readers.
Martin Wickramasinghe’s ancestral home, which stood the test of time and was even taken over by the Royal Air force during World War Two, has now been converted as part of a folk museum by the Martin Wickramasinghe Trust. The museum was opened in 1981 with a collection of objects of folk culture acquired during the aurthor’s lifetime; the Trust has since grown the collection of artifacts. Creatively presented, the museum offers visitors rare insights not just into Sri Lankan folk culture but also into the life and times of a great writer.
Uditha Dharmawardhane is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Roland Lefevre. He specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe.
