Sri Lanka is a predominantly Buddhist country and it is no surprise that there are numerous temples and monuments relating to Buddhism in various locations across the country. There are many temples in and around the capital as well as at the outskirts.
However, a trip to Sri Lanka would not be complete without a trip to the beach. If you’re on a short break and travelling in and around the country one of the best places to head down to would be Wadduwa. Where you can enjoy the beach and visit one of the celebrated Buddhist temples in the Western part of the country. Making the best of both ends. Hotels in Wadduwa are often popular among tourists and locals alike. A short journey from Wadduwa will take you to the sacred Kalutara Maha Bodhiya.The temple is located on the bank of the Kalu Ganga.
If you plan to stay in Wadduwa and want to visit the temple there are quite a handful hotels to pick from, one which is great in terms of location to visit the temple is, Taprobana Wadduwa. The temple is regarded as the holy site as one of the 32 Bo saplings was planted here in Kalutara. It is believed to have been one that was brought down by Arahath Mahinda Thero to Sri Lanka.
However, it was in the 20th century that most works in this temple took place under the guidance of Sir Cyril De Zoysa. The construction work which commenced in 1951 was completed in stages by 1976. The completion was marked with the opening of the pinnacle to the public.
The temple is located on the main road connecting Colombo to the South of the island and many passersby get off to pay homage to this sacred site.
Roland Lefevre is a travel writer who specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe.