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Experience the best of Kalutara

Kalutara is a coastal town south of Colombo in Sri Lanka, at the mouth of the Kalu river, with a hollow white stupa and palm-fringed beaches.

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Kalutara lies on the south-west coast of Sri Lanka, about forty kilometres south of Colombo, where the Kalu river meets the Indian Ocean. The town is best known for the Kalutara Bodhiya, a Buddhist temple beside the river mouth whose white stupa is hollow inside, with a shrine within. The coastal road and railway line pass by, and the broad river is crossed by a long road bridge.

The coast around the town is a line of sandy beaches fringed by coconut palms, with the resort areas of Wadduwa to the north and Beruwala to the south. Farther south, Bentota has a river and watersports, and boat trips run on the Bentota and Madu rivers through mangroves. Kalutara district is known for rubber, coconut and mangosteen plantations, and Colombo is an easy trip north.

Rice and curry with coconut sambol and fresh seafood is the daily meal, and curd with palm treacle is a typical sweet. Coconuts, spices and tropical fruit, including mangosteen, are sold at roadside stands. The south-west monsoon brings heavy rain from May to September.

  • Free cancellation on 85% of experiences
  • Day trips to Galle

Top experiences in Kalutara

Day trips from Kalutara

55

Guided tours in Kalutara

28

Outdoor and adventure activities in Kalutara

16

Nature and wildlife tours in Kalutara

10

Go beyond Kalutara

  1. Bentota · 20 km

    Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation Project

    2 days4.91k reviewsfrom $5
  2. Colombo · 39 km

    Gangaramaya Temple

    6 hr4.97k reviewsfrom $15
  3. Colombo · 39 km

    Galle Face Green

    5–6 hr4.95k reviewsfrom $14
  4. Galle · 67 km

    Galle Fort

    6 days4.96k reviewsfrom $5
  5. Galle · 67 km

    Galle Lighthouse

    1 day4.8972 reviewsfrom $6
  6. Negombo · 69 km

    Negombo Beach

    10 days4.92k reviewsfrom $25
  7. Negombo · 69 km

    Negombo Lagoon

    10 hr4.91k reviewsfrom $15
  8. Nuwara Eliya · 102 km

    Gregory Lake

    7 days4.93k reviewsfrom $11
  9. Udawalawa · 105 km

    Udawalawe National Park

    10–12 hr4.96k reviewsfrom $6
  10. Kandy · 109 km

    Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa)

    7 days4.911k reviewsfrom $5
  11. Kandy · 109 km

    Alagalla Mountain Range

    2 daysfrom $275
  12. Sigiriya · 176 km

    Sigiriya Rock Fortress

    5 days4.910k reviewsfrom $5

Questions about Kalutara

What is there to do in Kalutara?
We list 225 experiences in Kalutara. The largest groups are day trips (103), city tours (14).
What is the most popular experience in Kalutara?
By number of traveller reviews it is "Airport Transfer Service (Private) to Kalutara/Wadduwa", rated 4.9 out of 5 from 276 reviews.
How long do tours and tickets in Kalutara take?
The typical experience in Kalutara lasts about 10.5 hours; the middle half run between 7 hours and 14 hours.
Can I cancel a booking in Kalutara?
The operator lists free cancellation on 86% of the 225 experiences we hold for Kalutara. The cut-off differs by experience and is shown on each product page before you choose a date.

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