Weligama Trip Overview
(SKU:LK60300500) The first place you will visit is the strange and yet beautiful Lunuganga estate that was once the home of Sir Geoffrey Bawa. The next place for your perusal is Meetiyagoda Moonstones Mines. Finally, you will visit Balapitiya for the ultimate experience, the Madu River Safari.
Additional Info
Duration: 9 hours
Starts: Weligama, Sri Lanka
Trip Category: Day Trips & Excursions >> Day Trips
Explore Weligama Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Weligama, Southern Province, Sri Lanka
(SKU:LK60300500) The first place you will visit is the strange and yet beautiful Lunuganga estate that was once the home of Sir Geoffrey Bawa. The next place for your perusal is Meetiyagoda Moonstones Mines. Finally, you will visit Balapitiya for the ultimate experience, the Madu River Safari.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Lunuganga Garden Tour, Dedduwa Lake, Bentota 80500 Sri Lanka
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.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Meetiyagoda, Sri Lanka
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
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Balapitiya, Balapitiya, Southern Province
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.
Duration: 2 hours
