Kalutara: a highly underrated city that is merely a couple of hours away from the heart of Sri Lanka, Colombo. Although a little town that few visitors to the country think of exploring, there are plenty of things to do in Kalutara that warrants a trip to this idyll location.
Highly revered by the Sri Lankan Buddhists, Kalutarabodhiya, that is the bo-tree in Kalutara is well worth a visit. It is believed among the locals that this bo-tree is an offspring of the Sri MahaBodhiya in Anuradhapura, which is a shoot of the bo-tree under which Prince Siddhartha attained enlightenment to become Lord Buddha. As such, the place is constantly filled with local devotees and attains an ethereal image during full moon days. As it is located a mere 15 minutes away from AVANI Kalutara Resort and is right by the main road, visiting the bodhiya should not be a difficult task. If you are looking for a bit of local culture and craftsmanship, you can visit the basket centre in Kalutara. Here you will find locals weaving reed baskets. If you are nice enough, you could even learn a few patterns from a helpful elderly craftsman. Standing tall amidst this culture is the Richmond Castle. The Castle, for all its grandeur and splendour, has a rather tragic backstory. Although over a century old, the castle still bespeaks of its days of yore when its builder places marble statues of infants allaround the picturesque gardens as the couple was without children. However, the Castle was placed in Public Trust by the end of the Mudaliyar’slife and is now a favourite place of visiting for locals and tourists alike. You could take a picnic lunch and enjoy it in the spacious garden during your day outing.
If none of these appeals to you, you could, of course, lounge by the beach. An island, and a highly hospitable one at that, you are sure to be pampered by both man and nature.
Caleb Falcon is a travel writer who specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers.