Sri Lanka travel: Skip touristy Galle and Bentota, head to Kalutara
Kalutara near Colombo is a bustling city and home to one of the most sacred sites on Sri Lanka’s Buddhist trail
I take a beat before entering Kalutara Stupa, one of the most sacred sites on Sri Lanka’s Buddhist trail. That’s when I spot the elaborately carved semi-circular stone slab at the entrance. The sculptural design comprises a half lotus at the centre, surrounded by concentric bands showcasing a procession of animals, a foliated pattern and geese.
The local accompanying me to the temple tells me that the sandakada pahana, commonly known as moonstone (not to be confused with the gem mined nearby), is a unique feature of Sri Lankan culture and Buddhist architecture. “It first made an appearance in the later stage of the Anuradhapura period (377 BCE-1017 CE), synonymous with the Golden Age of Sri Lanka, and was typically positioned at the bottom of staircases or entrances of religious buildings," she says.
The Kalutara Stupa, one of the few hollow stupas in the world, houses 74 murals, each depicting a different aspect of Buddha’s life. It is centred on a Bodhi tree (a sacred fig), one of the 32 saplings taken from Anuradhapura’s Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, said to have originated from a branch of the tree in Bodh Gaya in Bihar under which Buddha found enlightenment.
But I’m taken by the rich artistry of moonstone, which evolved through centuries and is said to symbolise the cycle of samsāra in Buddhism. In the Significance of Sinhalese Moonstones, a study eminent Sri Lankan archaeologist Senerat Paranavitana in 1954 wrote about the religious symbolism of the sandakada pahana, deducing that the concentric layers that progress inwards symbolise the journey from the outer states of consciousness to the final inner core of nirvana.
It appears to me that the moonstone is the stepping stone to inner peace. I stand in the sacred space, looking at the numerous people chanting and praying. In the backdrop the eponymic Kalu River, which translates to “black river", flows serenely.
Located just 43km from Colombo, Kalutara is a bustling city often overlooked by travellers in favour of its popular neighbours Bentota and Beruwala. A closer look reveals an illustrious history that combines cultural diversity and colonial heritage. Kalutara was once a thriving hub for the spice trade, and remnants of its colonial past can be seen in the many structures with Portuguese, Dutch and British influences. These include Richmond Castle, an Edwardian mansion built between 1900-1910 and the country seat of a mudaliyar (local chief). The manor was abandoned when his marriage fell apart, but visitors can enjoy a stroll through the garden, explore the architecture, and visit the in-house museum.
I head back for a long walk on the premises of my hotel, a showcase for Sri Lankan master architect Geoffrey Bawa’s architecture. Heralded as the father of tropical modernism, Bawa created a new style of architecture suited to his country’s hot, humid climate. Anantara Kalutara Resort was commissioned in 1995, but sat idle for 15 years after Bawa’s death till his protégé, Channa Daswatte, took it up. Today, the luxe hotel, sandwiched between the Indian Ocean and the Kalu Ganga, seems alive with Bawa’s spirit. “His original designs include the main building, with the towering gable roof, open arrival hall, lobby lounge, and upstairs bar," says Lashan Liyanage, front manager, as he shows me around.
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It’s easy to see the hallmarks of Bawa’s design in Daswatte’s work: a blend of colonial scale, Sri Lankan aesthetics, and the subtle transition from indoors to outdoors. Natural light and ventilation spill between the colonnades, while Sri Lankan-inspired open pavilions invite me to dawdle.
That afternoon, a strong gust of rain and thunder leads to the discovery of a fine shelter: the Geoffrey Bawa Library, modelled on the architect’s study and a showcase for furnishings designed or owned by him along with many of his architectural drawings. The rain ultimately washes out my lagoon-side dining plans, but there are no complaints as two servers wheel out a cart bursting with a melange of dishes. An array of spicy sambals and sweet relishes vies for attention with delicious curries, including lobster, fish, chicken, and prawn. The ubiquitous dhal (with a dash of coconut milk) is flanked by delectable vegetarian foot soldiers: pumpkin curry, tempered potatoes, sweet-and-sour aubergines, curried raw mango, and stir-fried green beans. Fresh salads, pickles, and papad round off the stunning display. I slowly partake of the food, trying to uncover the many layers and flavours: Dutch, Portuguese, Indian, English, Arab, and Malay.
Deepak Barua, executive chef, points out a major difference between Indian and Sri Lankan cuisines: diversification. “India is a large country, with many states and very specific styles of cooking and cuisines in different regions," he says. “Sri Lankan cuisine, meanwhile, is predominantly non-vegetarian and its location on the coast makes a vast variety of seafood available."
Rice is the building block of the food in Sri Lanka. Once known as the granary of the east, the country grows numerous varieties, each with its own aroma, flavour and texture. The fibre-rich red rice and the fragrant white samba are the perfect accompaniments to fiery curries; other varietals are used to make traditional pancakes (hoppers) and rice noodles (string hoppers).
The chef tells me about other interesting places nearby: the large mangrove forest that’s a biodiversity hot spot and best explored on a boat safari, and Fa Hien Cave, believed to have been the temporary abode of the ancient travelling monk Fa Hien.
The large number of foreign tourists I spot in cafes, restaurants, and attractions reiterates the fact that Sri Lanka is back on the tourism radar after a series of setbacks, including a deadly bomb attack (2019), the covid-19 pandemic, and the country’s worst economic crisis (2021). Tourist arrivals to the teardrop-shaped country surpassed two million in 2024, the highest number of annual tourist arrivals since 2018, and the country aims to amp up the number to three million in 2025. Most travellers, however, gravitate towards the more popular towns such as Kandy, Galle, Nuwara Eliya and Hambantota.
As I look at the sea in Kalutara, a charming small town that’s off the tourist radar, I realise that the natural beauty truly offers a chance to slow down, breathe in the smell of salt in the air, and unwind.
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