Kalutara

Want to witness a rare and impressive feat? Why not take a trip to the beautiful coastal towns of Kalutara, Koggala, Kathaluwa or Ahangama in Sri Lanka, venture down to the beach and observe the fisherman as they catch fish from atop stilts?

With tours available in a number of locations, visitors will be able to learn the fascinating history of this pastime, as well as having the opportunity to snap unique pictures of incredible sunsets with silhouettes of the stilt fishermen. Braver visitors may even want to try their hand at this challenging exploit – the fishermen would be only too happy to show you how it’s done.

Thrill-seekers need not worry about boredom, as a number of exhilarating expeditions are available in Sri Lanka. See everything the island has to offer and satisfy your need for adventure all at once.

Adrenaline will course through your veins and ignite your heart as you whitewater raft, waterfall trek and rock climb your way through rainforests. As if this isn’t enough, you could witness first-hand the remarkable ingenuity of ancient Sri Lankan civilisations by exploring the virtually untouched, millennia old underground castles, complete with ponds and ventilation systems.

Sri Lanka’s unique location has greatly benefitted the cuisine is much, with influences coming from both South East Asia and India.

Kalutara is a great place to try a wealth of mouth-watering Sri Lankan dishes, we’ll let you in on some of our favourites! Kottu roti is an absolutely delicious dish that you’ll find both in the finest restaurants and the street food stands, it’s similar to fried rice but it uses a type of flat, crispy bread instead with spicy curry sauce. Another great dish is kukul mas curry, which is a delicious coconut-based chicken curry, and you cannot beat hoppers for breakfast; Sri Lanka’s answer to the pancake!

The Kande Viharaya temple is just a 20 minute drive from Kalutara, and is home to a 160ft tall Buddha statue, one of the tallest sitting Buddha statues in the world.

This incredible temple was built in 1734, and has been renovated and developed over time in order to preserve it’s beauty and stunning architecture. It’s now celebrated for being one of the most important Buddhist shrines in the country, especially since the towering statue of Buddha was constructed in 2002.

Located just a 40 minute drive away from Kalutara sits a fantastic Turtle Conservancy that’s definitely worth adding to the must-visit list.

This Turtle Conservation is the only place in Sri Lanka where turtles are not held in captivity, and showcases five different species of turtle that are found in Sri Lanka. The conservation put a lot of emphasis on helping visitors understand the work they do on helping to sustain the turtle population in Sri Lanka, and also goes into detail about the survival threats they face. You may also get a chance to see turtles laying their eggs in the evening!