The Wallawwa | Kotugoda
The Wallawwa is not your typical Colombo airport hotel. Set in 200-year-old tropical gardens just 15-minutes’ drive from Sri Lanka’s main international gateway, our award-winning 18-bedroom country house hotel with gourmet food, jungle pool and heavenly spa, carved out of an atmospheric 18th century manor house, exudes style and serenity. As an alternative to hotels in Negombo, The Wallawwa promises to start or end your Sri Lankan holiday in style.
- Information
- Rooms
- Facilities
- Activities and Services
- Restaurants
Your Stay
2 Nights
Bed and Breakfast
Your Rooms
Fast Facts
5 Star
Hotel
Spoken Languages: English
No. Rooms: 17
Special Interests: Flora, Gourmet, History & Culture, Indigenous Culture / Art, Leisure, Nature, Relaxation, Shopping
The two-bedroom Mountbatten Suite is as generous as a private villa, boasting a sitting room and a private garden with plunge pool. The master bedroom has a grand four-poster garden-facing bed and an ensuite bathroom with rain shower and freestanding bathtub, and its open plan design incorporates a sofa-furnished lounge. The second bedroom – furnished with queen-sized twin beds – also has its own shower room. The suite is equipped with walk-through wardrobes, cable television, retro phone and mini bar.
Our garden-gazing two-bedroom Family Suites promise each member of the family comfort, space and exclusivity. These private havens comprise of a double Garden Suite with ensuite wet room and a smaller, interconnecting twin-bedded Wallawwa Bedroom with its own bathroom and rain shower. Suites directly access the garden, and in-room amenities include cable televisions, mini bars and retro phones.
Spacious and light-filled, the Garden Suites overlook and directly access lush lawned gardens fringed by borders of tropical shrubs. Ideal for post-flight lounging, they feature king-sized or twin four-poster beds, comfy armchairs, day bed window seats, ensuite wetroom with rainshower and further cushy seating on a private garden veranda. Amenities include mini bars, cable televisions and retro phones.
Stylish bedrooms designed to pamper guests with all the essentials for a good night’s sleep, including luxurious four-poster beds adorned with crisp linen sheets and lightweight duvets. Equipped with mini bars, retro phones and cable televisions, Wallawwa Bedrooms have ensuite terrazzo-lined wet rooms with rain showers. They are perfect for those looking for stylish yet affordable accommodation near Colombo Airport.
Property Facilities
24-hour Security, Bar, Internet Access (Complimentary), Laundry Service (Available), Library, Pool, Restaurant, Spa
Room Facilities
Air Conditioning, Bath, Complimentary Wi-Fi, Dressing Gowns, Electrical Outlets, En-Suite, Fan, Hair Dryer, Iron / Ironing Board, Lounge Area, Private Pool / Jacuzzi, Safe, Satellite / Cable Television, Shower, Tea / Coffee, Television, Verandah
Services
Airport Shuttle (Available), Credit Card, Room Service
Location: Negombo
Duration: 2 hours
Host: Wallawwa Chef (optional – please book 24hrs in advance)
Group size: 2–6 people
What to wear: Closed toe shoes are recommended for the fish market. We have Wellington Boots for you to borrow, and socks are available to buy at cost price in our shop. Ladies should cover their legs and shoulders to avoid drawing attention to themselves.
Other: The tour will leave the hotel at 6.30am (in order to see the sales of the larger fish) and you will return by about 8.30am for breakfast. Alternatively we can provide a packed breakfast upon request. Please do take your camera. The fish market is a very vibrant place and there are many
excellent opportunities to take pictures This tour will not operate on Sundays and poya (full moon) days as the fish markets are closed.
Fishing is hugely important to the country’s economy; approximately one million people are involved
directly and indirectly in the fishing industry. The Sri Lankan coastline is dotted with fishing communities who live off the sea from one generation to the next, and Negombo’s big commercial port is the hub of the island’s fishing industry. Under the Portuguese, Dutch and British, Negombo’s port was used for trade in cinnamon and other spices. The canals running north and south of town were very important in connecting the spice-rich villages around Negombo to Colombo’s vital sea ports; these are now used mainly by local fishermen.
Today Negombo’s fishing industry is vibrant and vital; row upon row of colourful fishing boats are moored up around town, and the hardworking fishermen unload their catches on the beaches and in the town’s shallow harbours having been out in the Indian Ocean overnight or for weeks at a time. The majority of the fish caught in Sri Lanka is Yellow Fin Tuna, a staple of the Sri Lankan diet, alongside Red Snapper, Mullet, Herring, Sailfish and the slightly-harder-to-catch Kingfish. Negombo’s wholesale fish market opens at around 3.30am in the morning (until around 9am) and attracts serious buyers from Colombo and across the country keen to purchase the biggest, best and freshest offerings to sell in their restaurants, shops and stalls.
This tour takes in the wholesale fish market beside the town’s main harbour as well as the local fish market near the beach where fish is sold by small-scale fishermen and third party vendors. One of our chefs will accompany you if you wish and tell you about the different kinds of fish being sold. He’ll teach you how to identify the freshest fish and advise which recipes these different types of fish would suit. The local fish market is also home to a line of fish butchers who are paid to clean and slice each fish to perfection. Behind the market is an authentic fishing beach where you will usually see fishermen pulling in smaller fish from the nets on their boats. These small fish are salt washed and sun dried, and later added to curries or sambols which gives a more pungent fishy flavour to dishes. Along the shores of this beach you can watch the fish (and purple squid) being soaked in huge vats of brine and being laid out to dry on hessian mats in the heat of the Sri Lankan sun.
Location: Meet at the Colombo Fort Café at the Old Dutch Hospital
Tour Duration: 4–5 hours including transfers from/ to The Wallawwa
Host: Colombo Fort Walks
Group size: 2–6 people
What to wear: Comfortable walking shoes, and something to cover your shoulders in case you enter anywhere that requires you to be covered
Other: The drive into Colombo is about 45 minutes each way so the complete tour will take more than half a day The tour usually starts at 3pm. There are many great picture opportunities so please do take your camera; the guide will let you know when it is not appropriate to take pictures.
Your tour starts at the Old Dutch Hospital where you will meet your guide and anyone else taking part in the tour. Your guide will start by giving you a talk about the history of Colombo from the city’s days as a former colony of the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British. Colombo’s Fort area is home to some of the city’s most historic buildings, including the splendid Old Dutch Hospital, and you’ll have the opportunity to visit and photograph many of these ageing landmarks on your tour. As you are guided around the Fort’s most historic streets, you’ll gain an insight into colonial Colombo’s former greatness. A highlight of this part of the tour is a refreshing break for tea at the city’s oldest hotel, overlooking the grandiose harbour.
After exploring the Fort, your tour continues in neighbouring Pettah, the largest wholesale market in the country, which sells everything imaginable from electronics and haberdashery to spices and locally grown fruit and vegetables. The market is a complete contrast to the relative tranquility of the Fort and encompasses many streets, each of which specialises in a different product; buyers from across Sri Lanka come here to stock up on goods for their stores. The market is chaotic from dawn until dusk, but your guide will lead you down the best and most interesting streets and if there’s time, to some of the area’s hidden gems such as the Jumma Mosque and the Dutch Period Museum. Bring your camera and expect to be blown away by the sights, sounds and smells of this fascinating market.
These tours are the best way to experience Colombo and learn about its fascinating colonial history. Each tour is fully customisable, so you could choose just to focus on the Fort or The Pettah, rather than a combination of both. They also specialise in photographic tours. Be aware that on poya days (full moon holidays) and on Sundays the markets are closed so your tour will focus on the Fort instead. On Sundays traffic in the Fort area is very much reduced so this is a good day for photography.
Location: The Wallawwa
Tour Duration: 90 minutes approx. plus lunch
Host: Wallawwa Chef
Group size: 2–6 people
What to wear: Very casual
Other: Do bring a camera if you’d like to take pictures
Meet with the Wallawwa chef for an in-depth demonstration on how to replicate some of the fabulous rice and curry dishes served at our restaurant. You’ll learn about the various spices used to flavour the dishes and the different methods of preparing each of the delicious curries. The chef will select fresh vegetables from our kitchen garden prior to the cook and you are very welcome to join him on the kitchen garden tour if you like, so please let our team know at the time of booking whether you’d like to join the chef.
In the demonstration the chef will use clay pots to cook each curry. These clay ‘chatties’ are the secret to providing an authentic and distinctive flavour to Sri Lankan cuisine and have been used across the island for centuries. Villagers in rural areas still use them for cooking on an open hearth.
You will have the option of picking from a fish, chicken or seafood curry, along with a dhal (lentil) curry and a selection of vegetable curries depending upon what is fresh and in season. The chef will also share his method for making a traditional rice accompaniment. You may get involved as much or as little as you wish and you’ll have many opportunities to taste the curries during the cook. Feel free to ask as many questions as you like – our chefs will be happy to indulge you!
After the demonstration, enjoy a lunchtime feast of the delicious curries you’ve prepared followed by a traditional Sri Lankan dessert.
The Verandah
Guests can enjoy exquisite a la carte Asian Fusion cuisine at The Verandah, the convivial open-sided all-day dining restaurant overlooking the 200-year-old tropical gardens. The innovative menus feature the finest ingredients available in Sri Lanka, and many of the fruits, vegetables and herbs used to prepare these freshly cooked dishes are plucked daily from the hotel's extensive kitchen garden. A selection of fine wines, cocktails, spirits and beers perfectly complement the menus.
Lunuganga Estate | Bentota
No place reveals the soul of Geoffrey Bawa, the acclaimed Sri Lankan architect, better than his country home, Lunuganga. When Bawa purchased the site in 1948, it was nothing more than a derelict rubber estate sitting on a promontory in the Dedduwa Lake, 2km inland from the Bentota coast. But over the next fifty years, he painstakingly transformed it into one of the most seductive, passionate pleasure gardens of the twentieth century.
From the heart of the estate, turn to the south, and a wide swathe of green field, fringed by thickets, swells gently upwards to Cinnamon Hill. Beyond, the lake glimmers and draws the eye to the hills in the distance. Turn to the north, and a glorious azure sweep of water and sky swings into view. Here, the edge of the land falls away in a dramatic cliff to reveal a water garden filled with lilies and ornamental rice paddies. This is the complex, Arcadian magic of Lunuganga: a single turn transforms an enthralling, idyllic perspective into an ecstatic, unrestrained panorama. To wander through Lunuganga is to be confronted with a palimpsest of influences, ideas, and memories.
The entire estate is now run as a country house boutique hotel offering an unparalleled opportunity to experience the architect’s vision as he intended.
- Information
- Rooms
- Facilities
- Activities and Services
Your Stay
2 Nights
Bed and Breakfast
Your Rooms
The guest suite is located in the main bungalow opposite Bawa’s master suite of rooms. A spacious and lavish suite, it is elegantly decorated with objets d’art, paintings, and antique furniture that evoke memories of colonial planters’ clubs. The heart of the room is occupied by a luxurious king-size bed. In the bathroom, large windows frame views of palm fronds outside and filter in dancing patterns of light; a shower is set into an alcove opposite a large porcelain tub.
A sitting area opens onto a completely private courtyard, offering a space for a secluded and tranquil engagement with nature.
The Glass Room Suite is located on top of a portico that separates the entrance court from the Eastern Terrace. Built in the late 1970s, the suite is walled entirely with glass and is capped with a vaulted timber ceiling. Bawa’s vernacular sensibilities usually led him to use glass sparingly, so this room represents an unusual and experimental design within his oeuvre. The effect is romantic and ethereal: perched among the branches, the suite is suffused with light and birdsong.
The suite is elegantly furnished with a queen-size four-poster bed, planter’s chairs, and antiques from the Dutch period, and these distinctively colonial flourishes provide an astonishing contrast with the Modernism of the glazed walls.
The Gallery Room is the largest suite on the estate and is located on the far side of the Eastern Terrace, about 50m from the main bungalow. Originally built as a cowshed in the 1970s, it was later converted into a gallery housing part of Bawa’s art collection. When used as a suite, a king-size antique four-poster bed sits in the centre, creating an extravagant, expansive sense of space throughout the room. In the bathroom, the textures of rough granite are contrasted with an ornate Victorian bathtub.
A patchwork of transom windows allows the suite to capture the play of light and shade as the day progresses. Outside the entrance is a private courtyard with beautifully weathered ochre walls and surprising gothic flourishes.
The Gatehouse was the first addition to Lunuganga, built in the early 1970s to house architectural assistants that came to work on projects over the weekend. The Gatehouse is nestled in a grove of trees at the foot of Cinnamon Hill about 100m away from the main bungalow, and the guest suite is an intimate space that occupies the top floor of the house. Large alcove windows from both bedroom and bathroom open onto the lush, green foliage that fringes the hill. The bathroom features twin vanities and is framed by a salvaged antique column. A beautiful batik print created by the artist Ena de Silva adorns the wall above the double bed.
In the veranda on the ground floor, a stunning mural by the artist Laki Senanayake offers a reminder, as it gently fades over the years, of the remarkable circle of artists who once gathered here.
The Cinnamon Hill House was the last addition, in the early 1990s, to Lunuganga and it echoes themes from the creative renaissance of Bawa’s later years. The heart of the house is a double-height loggia which is a space for dining and entertaining or for quiet contemplation while a cool breeze wafts across the Dedduwa Lake. The accommodation consists of two bedrooms, both with innovative, secluded open-air bathrooms that enliven the senses to the life of the garden outside; in the bathroom for the master suite, the branch of a tree serves as a towel rack.
Both bedrooms feature king-size beds. In addition, the house contains staff quarters and a separate pantry, and guests are attended to by a private butler. It is located on the summit of Cinnamon Hill about 250m away from the main bungalow, and is the most private space in the estate. Reservations can be made for individual bedrooms or for the house as a whole.
The Cinnamon Hill House was the last addition, in the early 1990s, to Lunuganga and it echoes themes from the creative renaissance of Bawa’s later years. The heart of the house is a double-height loggia which is a space for dining and entertaining or for quiet contemplation while a cool breeze wafts across the Dedduwa Lake. The accommodation consists of two bedrooms, both with innovative, secluded open-air bathrooms that enliven the senses to the life of the garden outside; in the bathroom for the master suite, the branch of a tree serves as a towel rack.
Both bedrooms feature king-size beds. In addition, the house contains staff quarters and a separate pantry, and guests are attended to by a private butler. It is located on the summit of Cinnamon Hill about 250m away from the main bungalow, and is the most private space in the estate. Reservations can be made for individual bedrooms or for the house as a whole.
Property Facilities
Internet Access (Complimentary), Restaurant
Room Facilities
Air Conditioning, Complimentary Wi-Fi, En-Suite, Fan, Mosquito Nets, Shower, Tea / Coffee, Verandah
Location: Bentota
Duration: 3-4 hours
Host: Lunuganga & Brief guides.
Group size: 1+ (private tour)
What to wear: Cool, lightweight clothing, a sun hat, sun cream and your camera
Other: There are four guided tours of Lunuganga a day (9.30am, 11.30am, 2pm and 3pm)
This inspirational experience takes in Lunuganga and Brief, two houses and gardens created over
a period of many years by a pair of brothers, Geoffrey and Bevis Bawa. They are two of Sri Lanka’s
most famous sons, and their private estates (now held in trust) are superb examples of tropical
modernist architecture and inspirational landscaping. Geoffrey was Sri Lanka’s most famous architect whose inspiration continues to this day, and Bevis, his younger brother, was a landscape architect.
Lunuganga was the holiday home of Geoffrey Bawa. This exceptional estate, crafted out of rubber
plantations on the banks of the Lunu Ganga (salt river), provides telling insights into the life’s work
of this legendary architect. Geoffrey was famous for his tropical modernist style of architecture,
features of which include blurred boundaries between indoor and outdoor areas, linear verandas,
and windows that framed views both inside and outside of a room. The house, at the top of a small
hill, enjoys views of the lake and of Cinnamon Hill, and though you can only peep indoors, it’s enough to get the gist. There are four guided tours a day (though private tours are possible given enough notice), which provide good insights into the creativity and lifestyle of this great man. We’ve included lunch as well as the tour as it’s the best way to really appreciate the house and gardens – as you sit and dine in tranquillity on the front veranda, enjoying a magnificent curry spread, you can take in the lake views.
After visiting Lunuganga, you’ll move on to Bevis Bawa’s former home, Brief Gardens. This estate
is much smaller than Geoffrey’s, though the gardens seem to have more detail. What the garden
lacks in far-reaching views, it makes up for in interesting sculptures, archways and garden features.
The house itself, a low slung cottage, can be toured, and inside is a lot of artwork by friends of
Bevis, including an exceptional mural representing a tapestry of Sri Lankan life, by Australian artist
Donald Friend who came for six days and ended up staying six years. There are also photos of Vivien Leigh and Lawrence Olivier, two other notable house guests who stayed here during the filming of Elephant Walk in 1953.
Location: Lunuganga | Mihiripenna
Host: Eva
Group size: 1+
What to wear: Lightweight sports/yoga clothing or breathable shorts and T-shirts
Southern coast is an emerging yoga destination and full of promise of spiritual renewal and reawakening. If you’d like a yoga session, we can connect you with Eva Priyanka Wegener, one of Galle’s best yoga teachers and a practitioner of Hatha Vinyasa Yoga (certified with Yoga Alliance, E-RYT +500). Eva has practiced yoga and meditation since 2002 when she was first introduced to Buddhist meditation on a retreat in Sri Lanka.
You can choose to enjoy a private one on one session with Eva, either in the hotel’s Garden or at the beautiful purpose-built Sri Yoga Shala, tucked deep into the Mihiripenna hills, a 20-minute drive fromGalle. This centre is a tranquil timber construction that looks out over the palm trees and inland jungle, and also has a swimming pool and (soon-to-open) health food café.
If you prefer to join one of the group classes at the Shala(usually held from 7.30am to 8.30am and again from 9am to 10am), this is also possible. There are also other experienced visiting yogis who come and conduct classes at the Shala, and our Front Office will be able to check for you which practitioners are currently in attendance along with their daily schedules (group classes take place every day except Sunday).
About Eva
Eva holds certificates in Contemporary Dance and Hatha Vinyasa Yoga (Yoga Alliance). She received her education in Sri Lanka (Nilambe Meditation Center), Germany (Yoga Shala Berlin initial
200hour TT), India (Krishnamarchaya Yoga Mandiram Chennai), with David Swenson in Hong Kong (Ashtanga Teacher Training Immersion, 30hrs), with Louisa Sear, Rose Baudin, Lucy Roberts and Stuart Girling in Bali (Yoga Arts Australia 300hrs TT), with Sri Nanda Kumar (Senior Iyengar Teacher) at Dayananda Ashram in Rishikesh, with Sianna Sherman (Anusara‐ inspired) and Sally Kempton (Tantric Philosophy & Meditation) in London. Eva conceived and designed the Sri Yoga Shala, which opened in late 2015.
Location: Bentota
Duration: 3-4 hours
Host: Lunuganga
Group size: 1+ (private tour)
What to wear: Cool, lightweight clothing, a sun hat, sun cream and your camera
Other: There are four guided tours of Lunuganga a day (9.30am, 11.30am, 2pm and 3pm)
Spread over 15 acres, this iconic estate sits at the banks of the Dedduwa Lake in Bentota. Although the name Lunuganga translates to ‘salt river’ in Sinhala, the estate is said to have been used as a cinnamon plantation, followed by a rubber plantation during the Dutch and British period respectively, before being taken over by Bawa in 1949 to develop as his weekend bungalow. The enchanting retreat and fascinating gardens of Lunuganga was often considered a beautifully crafted experimental ground for Bawa, whose extraordinary work can be seen amidst the many architectural charms across the estate.
Now, under the management of Teardrop Hotels, the estate continues to provide telling insights into the life’s work of this prolific architect. Elements of Italian Renaissance gardens, English landscaping, Japanese garden art, and the water gardens of ancient Sri Lanka come together to form Bawa’s most extravagant creation - a mecca for those passionate about landscape design and architectural history.
Geoffrey was famous for his tropical modernist style of architecture, features of which include blurred boundaries between indoor and outdoor areas, linear verandas, and windows that framed views of both, inside and outside a room. His work has had a tremendous impact upon architecture throughout Asia and is unanimously acclaimed by connoisseurs of architecture worldwide.
Lunuganga now also includes the three-bedroom house of Bawa’s dear friend – Ena de Silva. A batik artist based in Colombo, Ena de Silva commissioned Bawa to design her home in 1962- a pivotal project in his life’s work. In 2009, Ena sold the house to The Bawa Trust, which then moved the property brick by brick from its location in Colombo to Lunuganga. The house took three months to disassemble and six years to rebuild, led by architect Amila de Mel and conservation specialist Nilan Cooray. Everything from the frangipani tree in the front courtyard to the slabs of river stone remains just as it was in the original house.
A staff member of Lunuganga will meet you on arrival and introduce you to life and times of the late Geoffrey Bawa whilst taking you on a tour through the magical gardens. Every turn and bend in Lunuganga is an interesting experience - with so many exotic plants, trees and views to take in. The house is also adorned with paintings and photographs that is a marvel in its own right. You will also have the opportunity to visit Ena de Silva’s house, if it isn’t occupied at the time.
Kumu Beach | Balapitiya
Beneath gently swaying coconut palms on a serene boulder-sprinkled seafront sits Kumu Beach, a contemporary beach hotel in Balapitiya home to 10 indulgent bedrooms, chic living and dining areas basking in the open air, and a generous lawn with infinity swimming pool. Balapitiya's powder-soft beach is footsteps away, and this exclusive Sri Lanka beach hotel is an enchanting place to relax, unwind, eat well and enjoy personalised, high-end service.
- Information
- Rooms
- Facilities
- Activities and Services
Your Stay
2 Nights
Bed and Breakfast
Your Rooms
Characterised by contemporary teak wood panelling and furnished with beautifully dressed twin beds, our Kumu Bedrooms are serene and stylish sanctuaries for enjoying Balapitiya Beach and the west coast’s many activities.
Rooms are air conditioned and equipped with cable televisions, tea/coffee making facilities and mini bars, while ensuite bathrooms have rain showers and luxurious amenities.
Our Oceanview Bedrooms are comfortable, style-conscious rooms promising plenty of space for sublime seaside stays. Fall asleep to the sound of the sea as you lie beneath a lightweight duvet on a custom-designed four-poster king-sized bed and wake up to tropical sunshine and coffee out on your private furnished terrace or veranda.
Rooms are air conditioned and furnished with bespoke wardrobes, cable televisions, tea/coffee making facilities and have spacious bathrooms with pebble-floored shower areas.
The Oceanview Suites depict contemporary Sri Lankan style at its best – think off-white terrazzo floors, beautifully dressed king-sized four-poster beds, handcrafted lamps, eye-catching art and custom-designed teak wood wardrobes.
The bedroom extends down to a sunken lounge furnished with a sofa, cable TV and a desk illuminated by an arching brass lamp. Three sets of picture windows look out over the garden, pool and ocean. The ensuite bathroom is equipped with a rain shower and lavish amenities. The two ground floor Oceanview Suites additionally have an outside shower.
Property Facilities
Bar, Internet Access (Complimentary), Mobile Connectivity, Pool, Restaurant, Secure Parking, Spa
Room Facilities
Air Conditioning, Balcony / Deck, Complimentary Wi-Fi, Dressing Gowns, Electrical Outlets, Fan, Hair Dryer, Internet Access (Complimentary), Iron / Ironing Board, Mini Bar, Mosquito Nets, Safe, Satellite / Cable Television, Shower, Tea / Coffee, Television, Verandah
Services
Airport Shuttle (Available), Credit Card, Room Service
Location: Bentota
Duration: 2 hours
Host: Lunuganga butler
Group size: 1+ (private tour)
What to wear: Cool, lightweight clothing, footwear suitable for walking, a hat, sunscreen and camera.
This inspirational experience takes place at Lunuganga, the former holiday home of Sri Lanka’s most celebrated architect, Geoffrey Bawa, whose inspiration continues to this day.
Spread over 15 acres, this iconic estate sits at the banks of the Dedduwa Lake in Bentota. Although the name Lunuganga translates to ‘salt river’ in Sinhala, the estate is said to have been used as a cinnamon plantation, followed by a rubber plantation during the Dutch and British period respectively, before being taken over by Bawa in 1949 to develop as his weekend bungalow. The enchanting retreat and fascinating gardens of Lunuganga was often considered a beautifully crafted experimental ground for Bawa, whose extraordinary work can be seen amidst the many architectural charms across the estate.
Now, under the management of Teardrop Hotels, the estate continues to provide telling insights into the life’s work of this prolific architect. Elements of Italian Renaissance gardens, English landscaping, Japanese garden art, and the water gardens of ancient Sri Lanka come together to form Bawa’s most extravagant creation - a mecca for those passionate about landscape design and architectural history.
Geoffrey was famous for his tropical modernist style of architecture, features of which include blurred boundaries between indoor and outdoor areas, linear verandas, and windows that framed views of both, inside and outside a room. His work has had a tremendous impact upon architecture throughout Asia and is unanimously acclaimed by connoisseurs of architecture worldwide.
Lunuganga now also includes the three-bedroom house of Bawa’s dear friend – Ena de Silva. A batik artist based in Colombo, Ena de Silva commissioned Bawa to design her home in 1962- a pivotal project in his life’s work. In 2009, Ena sold the house to The Bawa Trust, which then moved the property brick by brick from its location in Colombo to Lunuganga. The house took three months to disassemble and six years to rebuild, led by architect Amila de Mel and conservation specialist Nilan Cooray. Everything from the frangipani tree in the front courtyard to the slabs of river stone remains just as it was in the original house.
A staff member of Lunuganga will meet you on arrival and introduce you to life and times of the late Geoffrey Bawa whilst taking you on a tour through the magical gardens. Every turn and bend in Lunuganga is an interesting experience - with so many exotic plants, trees and views to take in. The house is also adorned with paintings and photographs that is a marvel in its own right. You will also have the opportunity to visit Ena de Silva’s house, if it isn’t occupied at the time.
Location: Ambalangoda
Duration: 60-90 minutes
Group size: 1 to 3 guests
What to wear: Comfortable clothes (no beachwear)
Other: Option to paint your own mask for an additional LKR 1,750 per person
(allow another 90 minutes).
Southern Sri Lanka is famous for its arts and crafts, and Ambalangoda, just a five-minute drive south
of the hotel, is its undisputed capital. For years, craftsmen have been carving life-like masks out of
balsa wood to use in three types of dance drama; devil dancing, folk dancing and medicinal masks.
On this tour you will first visit a mask museum in Ambalangoda. You’ll see how the masks are made
(you can have a go yourself if you wish for an additional LKR1750 per person) in the workshop and
then have a tour of their little museum. Some of the masks in here are 200-years-old, and the
museum provides a brief glimpse at the different uses of masks. There’s a shop upstairs. Across the
road is another mask museum (the two museums are owned by brothers), with a smaller selection of
masks.
On your way back to the hotel, you have the option of stopping off at the house of Dudley Silva,
a noted local batik artist. Dudley learnt the craft of batik-making from his uncle and now exhibits
his creations across Asia. He has a tiny workshop at the back of his home where you can see the
process of batik making, and plenty of finished batiks available for sale in his shop.
Location: Kosgoda
Duration: 1 hour
Group size: 1 to 3 guests
What to wear: Comfortable clothes
Other: No flash photography is allowed.
Kosgoda Beach, a 20-minute drive north of the hotel, is one of Sri Lanka’s most important nesting
grounds for marine turtles. As many as five out of the world’s seven species of marine turtle visit and
lay their eggs on Sri Lankan shores yet all of these species are considered to be either threatened or endangered. Female turtles come ashore and lay their eggs on the very same beach they were born. Once their eggs are buried, they return to the sea and leave them unattended to mature and hatch.
Unfortunately, although it’s illegal, turtle eggs are still collected and sold as a gourmet/medicinal
delicacy in Sri Lanka. Turtle hatcheries, such as this government-accredited one on the beach,
purchase the eggs directly from ‘egg poachers’ and rebury them safely in their hatchery. It’s not
cheap. The current rate per egg is LKR20, and a turtle lays, on average, 150 eggs in one sitting.
Turtle eggs take around two months to mature, and when ready, the hatchlings emerge from their
eggs and make a bid for the sea. The scamper to sea and their first days and weeks in the ocean
are fraught with danger. Not many of them make it. Only around one percent of turtles will reach
adulthood.
This is a small but tidy hatchery. You’ll be guided around and are very likely to see baby turtles
(though these are usually released into the sea at night within one day of them hatching), juvenile
turtles and adult turtles – these will be a mix of green (most commonly seen), olive ridley and
leatherback species. There is also a small museum. Your donation goes towards protecting local
turtles.
Although there are a number of turtle hatcheries in the area (that all seem pretty similar), we chose
this one for a few reasons. They are committed to protecting the turtle’s habitat by organising weekly
beach cleans every Thursday (along a 5km stretch), and encouraging school children to get involved
by coming to learn about marine turtles. They also have overseas volunteers working here.
It might be possible to see the release of baby turtles into the sea if your visit coincides with a time
that hatchlings are planned to be released into the sea. This is usually done at night and you can
ask at the hatchery if you can return at night to see the release of hatchlings (additional cost may
apply).
Location: Kumu garden or beach
Duration: 90 minutes plus lunch
Host: Kumu Beach Chef.
Group size: 2 guests
What to wear: Comfortable clothing
Other: Your camera if you want to take pictures.
Meet with one of Kumu Beach chefs at 11 am for an in-depth demonstration of how to make some of
the stunning rice and curry dishes served in our restaurant. You’ll learn about the spices used to
flavour the dishes and the different methods of preparing each of the delicious curries. The chef will
select some fresh vegetables from the local markets prior to the demonstration to use in the cook;
you are very welcome to join him on his visit to the fresh produce market if you like so please let our
staff know at the time of booking if you’d like to visit the market too.
In the demonstration the chef will use clay pots to cook each curry; these clay chatties impart an
authentic and distinctive flavour to Sri Lankan cuisine and have been used across the island for
centuries. Villagers in rural areas still use them for cooking on an open hearth. You can choose from
one fish, chicken or seafood curry, along with a dhal (red lentil) curry and a selection of vegetable
curries depending upon what is fresh and in season. The chef will also share with you his secrets for
making the perfect rice accompaniment. You may get involved as much or as little as you wish and
you’ll have many opportunities to taste the curries during the cooking process. Feel free to ask as
many questions as you like – our chefs will be happy to indulge you!
After the demonstration, enjoy a lunchtime feast of the delicious curries you’ve seen prepared
followed by a traditional Sri Lankan dessert.
Location: Madu Ganga River
Duration: 2 hours
Group size: 1 to 6 guests
What to wear: Comfortable clothing
The Madu Ganga is a shallow 915-hectare lake system home to 64 islands (15 that are surrounded by water year-round) that’s connected to the sea by a brackish estuary. This crucial waterbody is fringed by vital mangrove plants and is one of the south coast’s most unique wetland ecosystems. It is home to over 300 plant species and 200 vertebrate animals. The mangroves are also a sanctuary for 110 species of aquatic birds such as eagles, cormorants, kingfishers and herons. On a typical trip you are also very likely to see monkeys, water monitors and giant squirrels, and maybe even a crocodile. Most of the villagers living in the vicinity of the lake and the islands make their living from fishing and farming, to a lesser extent, cottage industries such as the production of cinnamon quills and oil.
The entrance to the wetlands is just a few minutes’ drive from the hotel. You’ll board your private
boat (seats up to six) from a jetty and cruise the short journey up the estuary to reach the wetlands.
The boat has a shade that can be quickly put up if you require (once you’ve passed under the low
bridges). A guide will point out any wildlife, and take you to a series of destinations on the lake –
these include dark and shady mangrove ‘tunnels’, which the boat drives through, an island where
you can see the production of cinnamon, and to the Koth Duwa Maha Raja Temple, a well-kept
Buddhist temple with old bo tree which is once thought to have sheltered the sacred tooth relic of
the Buddha. There are also a couple of fish spas on the banks of the wetlands which you can stop at
if you wish.
The boat trip takes around two hours and is best done first thing in the morning or in the late
afternoon, when it is cooler and when you’re more likely to see more wildlife. Life jackets are provided.
If you wish, we can pack you a picnic and some cold beers (or wine) to enjoy on the rocky banks of
one of the islands – please just let us know in advance so we can let the boatmen know.
Location: Hikkaduwa Beach
Duration: 120 minutes including transportation
Group size: 1 to 3 guests
What to wear: Comfortable clothing
Surfing is a major part of the Sri Lankan coastal culture. Sri Lanka has been a major surf destination
since the 1970s, with the main surf spots in the South Coast (during December to March), and the
East Coast (from July through to October). From Hikkaduwa up to Tangalle, there are reef-break
points and dive spots on almost every beach, with less of a crowd on the waves than the East Coast.
A few beaches over from Balapitiya and a 20-minute drive, Hikkaduwa has great surf, especially for
beginners. With white water waves, shallow water, longboards and foam boards available, Hikkaduwa
is the perfect place for everyone to learn how to surf! The more advanced-level waves are further
back behind the white water waves, with offshore winds making clean waves and consistent swells,
and rain at a minimum during peak season.
The surf lesson begins with half an hour of theory and explanation of the basic moves and
techniques. The theory is then followed by a one-hour practical lesson in the surf with the instructor
to help get you up on the wave! Lessons are suitable for everyone - children, locals, foreigners,
expats and even advanced surfers. The lessons can also customize for the level required.
Location: Galle Fort
Duration: 1 -2 hours
Host: Atheeq Ifthikar - Ceylon Soul
Group size: 1+
What to wear: Cool, lightweight clothing, suitable footwear and your camera
The Ceylon Soul Galle Fort Walk with a Resident is hosted by a local guide that comments on the attractions and cultural history of the Galle Fort . Nestled within fourteen strategically erected bastions, which demarcate Galle Fort’s extent, are numerous places of worship, a plush hotel originally used as the Dutch Governor’s residence, an old warehouse utilised to safekeep ship equipment and store spices, several local schools, a post office, a lighthouse, and a clock tower, all criss-crossed by a grid pattern of streets.
Description to follow
Location: Kanneliya
Duration: 3.5 hours, including transfer time (1.5 hours one way) from the hotel
Host: Trekking porter
Group size: 1+
What to wear: Comfortable and light clothing, comfortable footwear, a rain jacket/umbrella (during the monsoon season) and sunscreen.
The Kanneliya Rainforest is one of Sri Lanka's lesser known forest reserves, yet astonishingly, it is one of the world’s 21 biodiversity hotspots! Marked as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2004, the forest covers an area of 5,306 hectares and boasts a diverse range of flora and fauna. Some 220 faunal species (of which 41 are endemic) have been recorded, including 86 species of mammals, 36 species of snakes (17 endemic forms), and several varieties of fish, butterflies, dragonflies, amphibians and reptiles. Of the 26 endemic birds in Sri Lanka, 20 of them can be found here. Flora includes over 500 types of tress and a wide variety of medicinal herbs and rare plants. The reserve is also a major catchment area for two of the most important rivers in the region, the Gin and Nilwala Ganga (river), which feed numerous other rivers and streams.
Four attractions in this enchanting forest include the cascading Anagimale Waterfall, an ancient tangled giant creeper the height of a person, the little waterfall of ‘Narangas Ella’ and a massive Nevada tree with an observation platform, a great spot to look out over the lush reserve.
Neatly tucked away just 35km from Galle, the outskirts of the Kanneliya forest houses around 78 villages. Your tracker is from one of these villages and has spent his entire lifetime living within the reserve. Our recommended trek, approximately 2 hours, takes you passed the Nevada tree to the beautiful Anagimale Waterfall. The tracker will walk you through the forest, showing you particular plants and trees, and pointing out any animal sightings along the way. If you're feeling adventurous you can even crawl through a mini cave underneath the rainforest floor! You will stop at the waterfall for refreshments and a quick break, before heading back to the entrance of the forest.
The cherry on top – You’ll finish up with a hearty, authentic, Sri Lankan rice and curry lunch cooked by your tracker's wife in their nearby home, and served at a table in the shallows of an idyllic lake. The scenery in the area is straight out of The Jungle Book and the opportunity to be out in nature makes this a fantastic experience for children and families. If the event of rain, the lunch will be served at their home overlooking the lake.
If you wish to go on one of the longer treks (3.5 hours or 5 hours) please get in touch with the team who will assist in arranging this for you.
Location: Kumu Beach | Mihiripenna
Duration: 2.5 hrs including transfers
Host: Eva
Group size: 1+
What to wear: Lightweight sports/yoga clothing or breathable shorts and T-shirts
Southern coast is an emerging yoga destination and full of promise of spiritual renewal and reawakening. If you’d like a yoga session, we can connect you with Eva Priyanka Wegener, one of Galle’s best yoga teachers and a practitioner of Hatha Vinyasa Yoga (certified with Yoga Alliance, E-RYT +500). Eva has practiced yoga and meditation since 2002 when she was first introduced to Buddhist meditation on a retreat in Sri Lanka.
You can choose to enjoy a private one on one session with Eva, either in the hotel’s library or at the
beautiful purpose-built Sri Yoga Shala, tucked deep into the Mihiripenna hills, a 20-minute drive from
Galle. This centre is a tranquil timber construction that looks out over the palm trees and inland jungle, and also has a swimming pool and (soon-to-open) health food café.
If you prefer to join one of the group classes at the Shala (usually held from 7.30am to 8.30am and again from 9am to 10am), this is also possible. There are also other experienced visiting yogis who come and conduct classes at the Shala, and our Front Office will be able to check for you which practitioners are currently in attendance along with their daily schedules (group classes take place every day except Sunday).
About Eva
Eva holds certificates in Contemporary Dance and Hatha Vinyasa Yoga (Yoga Alliance). She received her education in Sri Lanka (Nilambe Meditation Center), Germany (Yoga Shala Berlin initial
200hour TT), India (Krishnamarchaya Yoga Mandiram Chennai), with David Swenson in Hong Kong (Ashtanga Teacher Training Immersion, 30hrs), with Louisa Sear, Rose Baudin, Lucy Roberts and Stuart Girling in Bali (Yoga Arts Australia 300hrs TT), with Sri Nanda Kumar (Senior Iyengar Teacher) at Dayananda Ashram in Rishikesh, with Sianna Sherman (Anusara‐ inspired) and Sally Kempton (Tantric Philosophy & Meditation) in London. Eva conceived and designed the Sri Yoga Shala, which opened in late 2015.
Location: Inland Galle
Duration: 2-3.5 hours (depending on your route), including transfers from the hotel
Host: Idle Bikes
Group size: 1+
What to wear: Sensible shoes and lightweight, breathable clothing (T-shirts and shorts are ideal), and your camera.
Other: Bicycles, helmets and refreshments are included in the rate.
Sri Lanka’s beach-blessed coastline is a major draw for many visitors to the island, however, its enigmatic rural interior is every bit as appealing. Oceans of paddy fields fringed by coconut palms, local villages, tea estates, ancient temples and lush jungle, all form part of a rich tropical countryside that lies less than a kilometre inland. On festival days you often catch sight of white-clothed devotees making their way to pray at their local temple, and during harvest times, farmers hard at work using a pair of buffalo to plough the fields in a scene reminiscent of yesteryear. The habitat is home to an assortment of wildlife, from exotic birds such as electric blue kingfishers that gaze down at you from telephone cables, mynas, hummingbirds and peacocks, to stealthy monitor lizards and scuttling mongooses.
One of the best ways to explore these magical surroundings and to cover a decent amount of ground is to take a guided bicycle ride. We work with Idle Bikes, who have established guided bicycle adventures in inland Galle. The team have researched a number of routes, of varying lengths and terrains, and have been designed to take you on quiet roads and back lanes so that the experience is safe and enjoyable.
The classic Paddy Trail, suitable for all, is a gentle 12km loop which passes through a bird sanctuary and fields of paddy.
The Paddy and Lake Trail is an extended version for cyclists who wish to stretch their legs a bit more. The 26km ride includes cycling along the shoreline of Koggala Lake and its cinnamon plantations.
The Hiyare Hill Climb is a 41km journey devised for keener cyclists. The route starts with a climb to the pristine Hiyare lake nature reserve before descending back to the beach through the paddy fields via Koggala Lake.
There may be various stops along the way depending on your route (a visit to the Yatagala Temple perhaps) as well as refreshing thambili (king coconut water) hydration breaks.
The bikes are good quality lightweight mountain bikes and are available in different sizes to suit all guests. The team also has children’s bikes and baby seats; please let us know in advance if these are required. The guides have waterproof handle bar bags on their bikes, which they use to safely carry items such as phones and sunscreen.
Tours take place at any time of day, however we recommend the early mornings or late afternoons to avoid the strong midday sun.
