As you reach the town of Kalutara from Colombo, you will see the striking dagoba of Gangatilaka Vihara, one of the dominant landmarks there and will cross a bridge that spans Kalu Ganga (“black river”) Sri Lanka’s fourth largest river, - from which the town gets its name.
The dagoba of the Gangatilaka Vihara is not very old but was built in 1960’s. Its hollow interior is the only one of its kind in the world- consists of a mini-dagoba that surrounds on four sides by golden Buddha statues. Around the edge are painted 72 images of the previous births of the Buddha-to-be. The narrow windows below these paintings offer you a panoramic view over the river and into the town.
Kalutara has been a vital spice-trading centre for the Portuguese, Dutch and British during their regimes. There are few visible remains of the Dutch fort, the Dutch canals that linked the spice plantations – transformed into rubber estates under the British. Furthermore, a tour of Kalutara’s back streets provides glimpses of houses of Dutch origin, reminding of Kalutara’s colonial past.
Kalutara is famous for its mangosteens – which are sold when ripe (from May to July) in stalls along the roadside. Kalutara is the most successful rubber producing districts in the country. When you travel a few kilometres inland from Kalutara, you can see the rubber plantation, while a visit to a factory will show you how the latex is made into sheets of rubber.
North of the (Kalutara) bridge all the way to Wadduwa (8km), has a fine catamaran-scattered beach, which is ideal for quick dips and long sunset strolls. You will see resort hotels bordering the beach, but if you are a budget traveller, you may not have much of an option.
