Bawa Architecture Tour
Colombo (Number 11) · Bentota (Lunuganga) · Kandy · Kandalama · Sigiriya · Dambulla
About this journey
Geoffrey Bawa (1919–2003) defined a new tropical modernism that has shaped Asian architecture for half a century. This six-day route takes you to his masterworks in person — Number 11, Lunuganga, the Gallery Café, Seema Malaka, and the Heritance Kandalama — with advance arrangements where required.
Between the Bawa sites, you'll experience Sri Lanka's essential cultural geography: the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy, the 5th-century Sigiriya Rock Fortress, and the Dambulla Cave Temple. The pace is unhurried, the route circular, and the architecture inseparable from the landscape that inspired it.
Recommended for architects, designers, and travellers with a serious interest in twentieth-century design who also want to see Sri Lanka's most iconic cultural landmarks.
What you'll experience
Number 11, Colombo
Geoffrey Bawa's private residence and studio — a labyrinth of courtyards, salons, and the working desk where tropical modernism took shape.
Lunuganga Estate
Bawa's lifelong garden experiment overlooking Dedduwa Lake — 40 years of architectural sketches translated into terraces, pavilions, and lake views.
Heritance Kandalama
Bawa's masterpiece resort built into a cliff above a forest reservoir — the structure disappears into the rock, vegetation reclaims the walls.
Gallery Café (Old Bawa Office)
The former Bawa & Associates studio in Colombo, now a restaurant — original drafting tables, art collection, and the famous courtyard.
Seema Malaka Temple
Bawa's serene Buddhist temple platform floating on Lake Beira — geometric platforms, weathered concrete, and reflected sky.
Your route
Colombo → Lunuganga → Kandy → Kandalama → Sigiriya
A six-day circuit pairing Geoffrey Bawa's tropical modernism with Sri Lanka's essential cultural landmarks — Colombo, the Bentota coast, the hill country, and the Cultural Triangle.
- Distance
- 900 km
- Daily Drive
- ~3 hr avg between sites
Itinerary
Colombo Arrival
Welcome at Bandaranaike Airport (BIA). Private transfer to your Colombo hotel. Afternoon at leisure to recover from the journey, with an optional walk around Lake Beira to visit Bawa's Seema Malaka temple platform. Welcome dinner at the Gallery Café — the former Bawa & Associates studio, still operating as a restaurant with original drafting tables and Bawa's art collection on the walls.
Colombo (Number 11) → Bentota
Morning private tour of Number 11, Bawa's lifelong home and studio on 33rd Lane — a labyrinth of courtyards, salons, and the working desk where tropical modernism took shape. Light lunch in Colombo before driving south along the coast to Bentota. Evening at leisure on the beach.
Lunuganga & Bentota
Morning guided visit to Lunuganga, Bawa's country estate and garden experiment overlooking Dedduwa Lake — 40 years of architectural sketches translated into terraces, pavilions, and lake views. Afternoon in Bentota: optional Brief Garden (Bevis Bawa's whimsical retreat), a Madu River boat tour through mangroves, or simply beach time. Overnight Bentota.
Bentota → Kandy → Kandalama
Drive inland through tea country to Kandy, Sri Lanka's cultural capital. Visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. Lunch in Kandy. Continue north through pineapple plantations to Heritance Kandalama, Bawa's masterpiece resort built into a cliff above a forest reservoir. Sunset drinks on the cantilevered pool deck.
Sigiriya & Dambulla
Pre-dawn departure to Sigiriya Rock Fortress, climbing the 5th-century citadel before the heat — fresco maidens, mirror wall, and the throne pavilion at the summit. Return to Kandalama for brunch. Afternoon at Dambulla Cave Temple, five sanctuaries of golden Buddhas carved into a single granite massif. Return to Kandalama for the night.
Kandalama → Departure
Morning to explore the Kandalama building itself — the structure disappears into the rock, vegetation reclaims the walls, and every guest room is hidden behind monsoon vegetation. Drive back to Colombo or directly to Bandaranaike Airport (BIA) for departure.
Inclusions
Included
- ✓Private air-conditioned vehicle for the full itinerary
- ✓Professional English-speaking driver
- ✓Coordination of timed entry bookings
- ✓Fuel, parking and driver expenses
Not Included
- ×Site entrance fees (Number 11, Lunuganga, Temple of the Tooth, Sigiriya, Dambulla)
- ×Hotel accommodation in Colombo, Bentota and Kandalama
- ×Meals and beverages
- ×Personal expenses and tips
From our travellers
"Thanks to Krishan, we had a great tour that immersed us into the culture, temples, beaches and museums. He personalized to fit our needs."
Book the Bawa Architecture Tour
We'll come back within 24 hours with a personalized quote and any adjustments to suit your dates.