Lunuganga Estate, Turtles and Madu River from Dikwella City (Private Day Tour)

Your chauffeur will pick up from your hotel by 0800 hrs. It will take approximately an hour or an hour and a half to reach Bentota. So you will arrive there before 1000 hrs. It is recommended that you bring a packed breakfast with you eat on the way.

The first item in your itinerary will be Bawa’s estate in Lunuganga. Sir Geoffrey Bawa, the much-renowned lawyer turned architect, made the estate his country home from 1947 till his death in 1998. During his sojourn there he used the place as his experiment lab and made many architectural and interior additions. While visiting the estate you will get to see the beautifully designed gardens that are now open to the public. Some of the buildings of the estate are also now a country house hotel. The tour of the estate approximately takes two hours.

Thereafter proceed to Meetiyagoda by approximately 1200 hrs and visit Moon Stone Mines. (Travel Time 20 to 30 mins)

Here, you will be spending an hour getting some new appreciation for the jewels that adorn your favorite pieces with this visit to the moonstone mines of Meetiyagoda. See the deep shafts where the stones are mined. Learn more about the rare 'blue flash' moonstones that are mined in the area. Watch the miners wash and sift the mined stones to get those of the best quality. Hear more about the difficulties faced by the miners. Grab the opportunity to purchase some marvelous pieces; though you will need to haggle to get a reasonable price. This tour shows you the traditions of one of the oldest trades in Sri Lankan history - gem mining.

After that proceed to Balapitiya by 1300 hrs and go on a lovely Boat Safari Madu River. (Travel Time 20 to 30 mins)

Balapitiya is a little southern town lying in marshy wetlands. The area is a high biodiversity zone that relies on the lagoon created by Madu River as it flows into the Indian Ocean. Your safari will take you on a ride down the river. You will get to see the dense mangrove forest that grows along the marshy banks of the river and the forms of wildlife that call the roots home. Your guide will also take you some of the larger free-standing islands on Madu River. On one such island, you will find an old Buddhist monastery. Cinnamon harvesting is the main employment of the people of this area.

Another attraction of the safari is the famous fish massage. This ‘massage parlor’ is a hut standing on stilts in the middle of the river. A netted in the area contains the ‘massage fish’. You will be sitting on the deck of the hut with your feet in the water, while the fish work their magic.

After this relaxing boat tour, you will be returning to Dickwella by 1600 hrs. You will get back to your hotel at 1800 hrs completing the tour.