Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, has recently become one of the most popular global holiday destinations. The country has everything from gorgeous beaches to dense jungles and green mountains, making it ideal for eco-tourism. The country also has many historical buildings which have become quite popular. Many of the island’s iconic structures, such as the Galle Fort, are actually remnants from the colonial era, but one can find marvellous examples of Sri Lankan architecture as well.

The famed Kalutara Temple is one site that must not be missed. The temple is located, as the name suggests, in the coastal town of Kalutara. The Portuguese originally built a fort on the land where the temple now stands. The fort was taken over by the Dutch and then by the British, who converted it into a private residence. The temple was built in 1960, and contains the world’s only hollow dagoba (a Buddhist shrine). The walls are covered in murals depicting scenes from the life of the Buddha. There are seventy four murals in total, and they are based on the Jataka, which chronicles the five hundred and fifty incarnations of the Buddha.

The temple complex is extremely lively, and lets devotees come at three different times during the day to give offerings at the shrine. On the outside of the complex one can find a series of donation boxes, and many travellers stop to drop a few coins and say a quick prayer. The temple also contains a Bodhiya, which is one of several saplings from the sacred Bo tree. The three story tall temple is located south of the Kalutara Bridge.

Kalutara is found roughly forty kilometres outside Colombo, the island’s cosmopolitan capital. The city was once an important centre for the spice trade. The city is well known for its historic buildings which also includes the Asokaramaya Buddhist Temple, which was built in 1873. It is a tourist hotspot and finding a good hotel in Kalutara will not be a difficulty. Those looking for a Kalutara beach hotel should try the Avani Kalutara, which offers terrific lodgings by the sea.