Why You'll Love Kalutara Kalutara sits where the Kalu Ganga river meets the sea, best known for the gleaming white Kalutara Bodhiya stupa that every southbound vehicle passes. Beyond the temple, it's a quieter, less-touristed beach stop with mangrove river trips and rubber and coconut plantations inland.
A large hollow dagoba you can walk inside, with a painted interior gallery depicting scenes from the Buddha's life.
Boat rides upriver pass mangroves, cinnamon plantations and small fishing villages away from the coastal crowds.
A restored early-1900s colonial mansion just inland, built by a wealthy local landowner in Edwardian style.
Kalutara pairs well with the Ayurvedic wellness and cinnamon peeling experience, or a short hop south to Bentota.
