Complementary Excursion to Down South

30-45 Mins from Galle Fort lies the Hadungoda tea estate, perhaps the closest tea plantation in the world to the sea. However, this is not the only thing that makes the Hadungoda Tea estate special. The Estate is known as the Virgin white Tea Factory. According to the latest testing virgin white tea has an anti- oxidant content of 10.11 percent, which is said to be the highest naturally occurring content of anti-oxidants in any beverage,

The story of the Galle Dutch Fort; a UNESCO World Heritage Site reverberates through every traveler’s photos and captions. Initially built by the Portuguese in the 16th century during their conquests, the fort was later fortified and conquered by the Dutch in the 17th century, until it later fell to the might of the British. The old town of Galle was once used as a trading port for spices and other goods for over 200 years. However, today, the fort has been transformed into a place of history, romance and beauty where travelers are warmly welcomed to dive head first into the exotic stories and be a part of this heritage site.

Sri Lanka’s traditional art and culture scene brims with uniqueness. Representing it in all authenticity for decades is Ambalangoda Mask Factory & Museum. Enter this haven of ancient culture and you’ll find intriguing masks staring at you. Along with two entire collections belonging to the Sanni Yakuma ritual and Kolam Dance, primitive tools used to carve these marks are also displayed here. The museum has a small library and a mask workshop as well. The mask library is one of its kind in Sri Lanka. It has anthropological records of mask- making and the history of traditional performances that use masks. Head to the workshop and watch the artisans work their magic on a piece of wood. The carvings and the traditional colors breathe life into them. Take a few masks as souvenirs or an unpainted one for you to unmask your creativity.