A botanical garden, a weir across a river and a pineapple-growing tradition more than six centuries old: Gampaha offers different ways to discover plants, agriculture and history. Those interested in these discoveries will find not only individual sights, but also stories about the purpose of a garden, the irrigation of rice land and the development of local traditions.
Botany with historical roots
The Henarathgoda Botanic Gardens in Gampaha were established by the British in 1876 for experiments with exotic cash crops. The gardens contain important plant collections with around 2,000 species from Sri Lanka and other countries. The historical purpose behind their founding and the breadth of the collection offer two perspectives on the same place: the experiments with cash crops tell the story of its origins, while the diversity of species speaks to the gardens’ botanical scope.
Visitors are encouraged to walk through the garden areas. For those interested in plants, this offers a special opportunity to get to know the garden not only through its history, but also by exploring its different areas. The Henarathgoda Botanic Gardens thus bring together a clearly defined historical beginning and an extensive collection.
Rice fields, rivers and water engineering
The Ketawala Anicut stretches across the Attanagalu Oya, amid an expanding rice field. It was built to supply water to almost 1,500 acres of rice land. The structure can therefore be understood both through its place in the landscape and its irrigation purpose. The Ketawala Anicut also attracts local tourists.
The Kelaniya Temple Jogging Track offers a different view of the riverbanks, running along the banks of the Ooruwal Oya and Attanagalu Oya. The two places have different emphases: the Ketawala Anicut foregrounds the rice field and water engineering, while the Jogging Track is defined by its route along the banks of two rivers. Those interested in the landscape can thus distinguish between a structure built for irrigation and a route with a specific connection to the rivers.
Pineapple cultivation and agricultural experiences
The history of pineapple cultivation in the Gampaha area goes back more than six centuries. In Belummahara, visits to pineapple plantations, agricultural studies and agritourism are among the visitor activities. Pineapple stalls in Belummahara and Mudungoda are visited by tour groups from the Sri Lanka Tourist Board and private tour operators.
The context of each activity is useful for orientation: the long cultivation tradition relates to the Gampaha area, while plantation visits, studies and agritourism are located in Belummahara. Visits to pineapple stalls take place in Belummahara and Mudungoda. This makes it possible to look at the subject from different angles—as a history of cultivation, an agricultural experience and through the stalls visited.
Ayurveda, pilgrimage and historic sites
The Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Institute was founded in 1929 as Siddharyuveda Vidyala to spread knowledge of Ayurveda. Ayurveda is considered a traditional medical system of India and Sri Lanka. Visits to Ayurveda treatment centres and Ayurveda studies are also associated with the institute. Its founding story and these visitor activities offer culturally curious travellers different points of interest: the history of an educational institution and an interest in Ayurveda as a discipline.
Religious sites also offer different perspectives. The Kadjugama Indigolla Church is associated with pilgrimages and photography. The new church was blessed in 2003 and is designed to accommodate almost 1,000 worshippers. Asgiriya Raja Maha Vihara is an ancient cave temple in Asgiriya, in the Gampaha Divisional Secretariat. At the church, pilgrimages and photography are connected with the site; at the Vihara, its classification as a cave temple shapes its historical character.
Another historical connection is the Henarathgoda Old Railway Station, one of Sri Lanka’s earliest railway stations. It adds a glimpse of the early railway to the themes of garden and institutional history. Together, these places show the many different ways to discover Gampaha: through botanical collections, agriculture, religious history and historic buildings.
Discover more destinations: Negombo, Katunayake, Bopitiya, Kiribathgoda, Dalugama, Ja-Ela, Gampaha, Welisara, Siyambalapitiya.
For the broader travel overview: Western Province.
