A quaint town on the western coast of Sri Lanka, Kalutara is a well known resort and holiday destination and is home to a number of beach hotels in Sri Lanka. Located a mere twenty five miles from the capital city of Colombo, the town derived its name from the Kalu Ganga that flows through the metropolis. Formally a capital itself during the reign of a South Indian Prince in the 11th century, Kalutara operates as a link between the western and southern borders of the island. The town is well known for a multitude of attractions and given its popularity among locals and tourists alike, its extensive selection of resorts include AVANI Kalutara Resort.
From such resorts, tourists and locals alike can experience the attractions of Kalutara with ease. One of the primary attractions is, undoubtedly, the Kalutara Temple which was built during the 20th century. Also known as the Gangatilaka Vihara, the Temple is built on rock overlooking the Kalu Ganga. Those travelling from Colombo towards Kalutara on the Galle Road will be able to see the three storey dagoba, which is believed to be the only hollow Stupa in the world, as they traverse the long bridges over the River.
Opposite the Kalutara Vihara Dagoba is the Kalutara Bodhiya that is venerated by Buddhists in the island. While the Bo Tree assumes immense religious importance in providing shade to Lord Buddha as he attained Enlightenment, the Kalutara Bodhiya is one of thirty two samplings of the venerated Bo Tree in Anuradhapura, which in turn is a sampling of the Bo Tree under which the Lord Buddha attained Enlightenment. Another Temple that tourists can visit is the Asokarama Buddhist Temple which was built during the 19th century.
Other attractions in Kalutara include Richmond Castel, a large garden estate built for a regional governor during the British occupation of Ceylon, as well as Calido Beach.
Uditha Dharmawardhane is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Roland Lefevre. He specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe. Google+
