Kalutara: The Hollow Stupa and a Riverside Beach
Kalutara sits where the Kalu Ganga meets the sea, an easy stop on the coastal route south of Colombo. It is best known for the Kalutara Bodhiya, whose gleaming stupa is a landmark for everyone passing by.
Kalutara Bodhiya
The temple’s main dagoba is unusual for being hollow, with a painted interior you can walk inside. Drivers traditionally drop a coin in the roadside donation boxes as they pass for a safe journey.
The beach
A wide beach runs along the coast here, calmer at the river mouth, with resorts and quieter public stretches.
On the river
Boat trips on the Kalu Ganga head upstream toward mangroves and small islands, a gentle half-day out.
Nearby
The town is known for its basketware and mangosteen, and Bentota’s beaches are a short drive further south.
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