Educational Activities

Visit the Handunugoda Tea Factory and learn the history of the tea that this factory produces. Watch the captivating sight of fishermen perched on stilts in the waters along the coast of Koggala. Hear the stories of how stilt fishing came to Sri Lanka, from the mouths of the fishermen who have practiced the craft for generations. Discover the city of Galle, where the Portuguese and Dutch made their headquarters, and delve into its secrets. Visit the Galle Fort, one of the best preserved fortifications in Asia. Go on a whale watching tour. This tour gives you an opportunity to see the biggest mammals on earth in their natural habitat. Get a chance to see blue whales, sperm whales and fin whales as they swim in the waters to the south of Sri Lanka. Go on a wonderful boat ride down the Madu River with its flourishing ecosystem. Pass through the secretive passages created by the mangroves. Visit a turtle hatchery and learn more about the five endangered sea turtle species that come to the shores of Sri Lanka to nest.

Bentota is situated along the southwest coast of the country, 65 Km south of Colombo. Take a jet ski out on the ocean at super high speeds. Have a great view of the ocean and the beach as you speed through the waves. After, jump onto a tube or banana boat for more thrilling rides.  Discover Galle, a city also on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka. It is known for Galle Fort, the fortified city founded by Portuguese colonists in the 16th-century. Stone sea walls, expanded by the Dutch, encircle car-free streets with architecture reflecting the Portuguese, Dutch, and British rule. Notable buildings include the 18th-century Dutch Reformed Church. See Galle lighthouse standing on the fort’s southeast tip. 

Cycle through the colorful streets of the Galle Fort. See some of the old Dutch-era streets, the old yellow and orange walled buildings with their characteristic clay-tiled roofs, and the local architecture. Explore a Dutch church and the ramparts of the old Galle Fort. Take in the sea views and possibly even see some of the ruins of the old Dutch jetties while learning about the fort during the colonial era. Bike to the original Dutch lighthouse, built in 1939 during the British colonial period. At the end of your tour, return to your starting point in front of the Bank of Ceylon.

Discover southern Sri Lanka's coastal culture on this day trip. After getting picked up from your hotel in Colombo, head to the seaside city of Galle. Stop for breakfast at the restaurant of your choice before your walking tour of the city begins. Enjoy a guided tour of Galle's renowned fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which dates back to the Dutch colonial era. Later, wander through the maze of narrow cobblestone streets lined with colonial period buildings and old merchant houses where generations of Moorish families still live. Visit colonial period churches, a lighthouse, and several museums. Along the way, stop by for a cup of Ceylon Tea or fresh king coconut.  After your tour of Galle, travel to Koggala to observe the stilt fishermen, who are one of the most iconic figures in Sri Lanka. Watch them as they fish and get the chance to learn how to fish for yourself from one of the fishermen. Stop for lunch at the restaurant of your choice before continuing to Tangalle. Spend some time soaking up the atmosphere of the palm-fringed bays and picturesque coves of Tangalle. Take a dip in the bay's crystal-clear waters or relax on white-sand beaches before beginning the journey back to Colombo in the evening.

Start your day tour with pickup from your hotel in Negombo at 6:30 AM. The first stop on your tour itinerary will be the Handunugoda Tea Factory which you will reach at approximately 9:30 AM. The Handunugoda Tea Factory reawakened the ancient Chinese tradition of creating Virgin White Tea, which is untouched by human hands during the manufacturing process. During the one-and-a-half-hour tour of the factory, see how this mysterious process takes place to create one of the top luxury teas in the world. Travel next to Ahangama to meet the stilt fishermen, who are one of the most iconic figures of Sri Lanka. Learn how they practice this unique and intricate fishing technique from a local practitioner of this ancient tradition. At approximately 12:00 PM you will stop for a lunch at your own expense in a place of your choosing, before reaching Galle at 2:00 PM. This coastal city has withstood three foreign invasions; during which time, it grew from a bustling port which was the main stop for ships travelling east, to a fortified and yet beautiful city with many monuments which have withstood the ravages of time. See the Galle Fort which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Galle Lighthouse, the National Maritime Museum, the picturesque cobblestoned streets, and many more colonial remnants. Leave Galle at 3:30 PM to visit the Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery, a journey that takes approximately 1 hour. Learn about the 5 types of sea turtles that visit Sri Lanka for nesting, and how the nests are protected. You will be able to see and touch baby turtles and view some of the fully-grown turtles that are treated for injuries and ailments. Return to your hotel by 8:30 PM to complete the excursion.