Things to see and do West Coast

This Buddhist temple is one of the most important in Colombo. It dates from 1885 and was founded by the monk Hikkaduwe Sri Sumanagala Nayaka Thera. It is composed of several buildings whose architecture uses Sri Lankan, Thai, Indian and Chinese styles. It is particularly representative of Buddhist temples in that it includes a main temple, a pagoda, a sacred tree symbolizing spiritual awakening(bodhi tree) and an assembly hall for the monks. The number of accumulated objects makes the place look like an antique market.

The temple was built to house a monk. Don Bastian, a wealthy shipowner, bought the swampy land and had it drained and refloated at great expense. The temple was built with the help of the community. The sacred tree comes from Anuardhapura and was planted by Don Bastian.

Since 1979, the Navam Perahera festival is held every year in February and is the most important religious event in Colombo. On this occasion, there is a big procession in front of the temple. This is led by an elephant carrying an altar in which a relic of Buddha is placed. The procession involves a hundred elephants, a multitude of monks, drummers, musicians, dancers... And a crowd that came in large numbers.

The Seema Malakaya Temple, located on the nearby Beira Lake, is attached to the Gangaramaya Temple. This one was financed by a Muslim patron. This group of temples reflects inter-religious tolerance.

Negombo is one of the largest fishing centers in the country. The morning fish market here is worth getting up early to visit. In fact, there are two markets located about 1 kilometer apart. This one is the newer of the two, the more popular one too. It was inaugurated in 2008 with the aim of developing the tourist aspect of the city. And it works, because you won't be alone wandering through its alleys from early morning. It's an exotic sight that will delight photography enthusiasts in particular.

The old Parliament of Colombo is a neo-baroque building inaugurated in 1930, located at the entrance of the Fort district, facing the sea. It was built during the British colonial period and was inaugurated in January 1930. Today it houses the Presidential Secretariat. It housed the Legislative Assembly until 1983, when the Parliament was moved to a new building in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. The garden in front of it houses bronze statues of Sri Lankan statesmen.

The World Trade Center (WTC Colombo or WTCC), consisting of two twin towers of 40 floors each, was the tallest building in Sri Lanka until 2017 at 152 m tall. The LLTE suicide bombing in January 1996 that killed 91 people and injured over 1,400, damaged the towers, which were under construction at the time. Inaugurated in 1997, the WTCC is the most important business centre in Colombo and the headquarters of several major national and international companies.

The Galle Face Green is a direct extension of Galle Road. This long grassy walk of almost 1 km was originally laid out by the Dutch to keep the firing line of their cannons clear. Later, the British turned it into a racetrack and then a golf course. Today, Galle Face Green has become very popular for joggers and kite flyers. It is also a popular weekend stroll for families. At its southern end, the very elegant Galle Face Hotel is worth a visit.

Sale of packages for Cultural Triangle sites. Has strongly advised if there are only two of them: package at $ 40, while entry to Anura, Polo or Sigiriya costs $ 20.

The Department of Wildlife Conservation manages all national parks in Sri Lanka. Its website will give you a lot of information about them and about reservations (Strict natural reserves—Nature reserves) and sanctuaries (Sanctuaries). It does not support the Forest Reserves or the Wilderness Areas, which depend on the Forest Department.

This cave, if it is not very deep, marks by its height. The entrance is 45 meters high and 60 meters wide. It is estimated that it could accommodate 3,000 people. During excavations carried out between 1986 and 2009, archaeologists discovered mainly microliths (small carved stone tools dating from prehistoric times) but also human graves containing six human bone fossils. These discoveries have allowed archaeologists and paleontologists to estimate that the first inhabitants of the cave were contemporaries of Cro-Magnon Man! Today, it is the oldest archaeological site in Asia.

Pahiyangala Cave, also known as Fa-Hien Cave, takes its name from a Chinese monk, Fa-Hsiengala, who, in the 4th century BC, travelled the country in search of Buddhist texts. He is said to have stayed in this cave during his journey to Adam's Peak (Sri Pada). Just before entering the cave, a cave temple conceals a 12-metre long reclining Buddha statue. Pilgrims visit the site regularly as evidenced by the candles burning in front of the temple.

The access to the Pahiyangala cave is by a staircase which crosses a thick forest, before passing the canopy. It can also be reached by a paved road (less steep) which joins the last flight of stairs. From the cave, the panorama spreads over the Sri Lankan jungle as far as the eye can see.

This tiny island is less than a kilometre from the coast, about 5 minutes by boat. It is home to the Beruwela Lighthouse, which was inaugurated by the British government on November^1, 1889, and is 34 meters high. The island has a few ruins and an old well. It is a pleasant place to walk around, and you may even see some peacocks. For investors and wealthy amateurs, the island is for sale and is part of the Sotheby's catalogue. For that it will be necessary to pay the modest sum of 8 million dollars!