Bentota City Tour

The first place you will visit is the strange and yet beautiful Lunuganga estate that was once the home of Sir Geoffrey Bawa. Finally, you will visit Balapitiya for the ultimate experience, the Madu River Safari.

Highlights:

• Experience a boat safari through Madu River’s mangrove ecosystem.
• Visit Geoffrey Bawa’s enchanting Brief Garden.
• Learn about turtle conservation

During this tour, you will visit the following points of interest in the specified order.

1. Bentota City
2. Boat safari in Madu River
3. Lunuganga Geoffrey Bawa’s Country Estate/ Breif Garden, Bentota
4. Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery

Includes:

• Hotel pickup and drop-off from your hotel in Bentota.
• Transport in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• Service of an English Speaking Chauffeur.
• 1 Liter of Bottled Mineral Water Per Person.
• All Taxes & Service Charges.

Excludes:

• Food or Drinks
• Gratuities (Optional)
• Expenses of Personal Nature
• All Entrance Tickets (Optional)

Experience:

You will be starting your tour from Bentota at 8:00 am. Your chauffeur will be picking you up from your hotel and driving you to following places.

Lunuganga Garden Tour
Lunuganga estate is the brainchild of the late architect Geoffrey Bawa (23 July 1919 – 27 May 2003). This country home was his very first muse and his experimental laboratory; while remaining his go-to place for rest and relaxation as his fame increased throughout the years. Designed with the whimsical beauty and eccentric style typical of Bawa; the estate is filled with with a number of art and artifacts from all over Asia and Europe.

Madu Ganga Biodiversity Area
Go on a wonderful two-hour boat ride down the Madu River with its flourishing ecosystem. Pass through the secretive passages created by the mangroves. Visit one of the small islands with its cinnamon harvesting natives. Observe the waterbirds in their natural habitats.

Breif Garden
THE HOME & GARDEN OF BEVIS BAWA The legendary garden of Bevis Bawa played host to Sir Lawrence Olivier, Vivien Leigh, Agatha Christie and to many more. The Garden at Brief still holds the stamp of his becoming personality. Pass through the tall, statue capped gateway set in the thick bamboo hedge and you enter Bevis’s universe. An then along the junglly perimeter path, through the Japanese garden, across the wide lawns and by the round pond and the water steps. Everywhere in the garden its creator’s presence is visible.

Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery
Turtles are reptiles of the order Chelonii. Therefore they are also called chelonians by researchers and conservationists. Chelonians are charaterized by the special bony shell or carapace, which is developed from their ribs and acts as a shield. They are an old group with the very first proto-turtles having evolved over 220 milliom years ago in the Triassic Era. The order of Chelonii, also known as the Testudines, have three members in the group; turtles, tortoises and terrapins.

Additional Note

• Comfortable Walking Shoes Recommended for this tour.