Beruwala - Image via Flickr

For quite the fishy (no pun intended) beginning to your time in Beruwala, do toy with the thought of waking up early and making it in time to watch as local fishermen bring in their respective catches to the Beruwala Fishing Harbour. The fish market located here is more or less a beehive of activity on a daily basis with buyers and sellers communing in their numbers. Therefore, fine-tune your bargaining skills before heading over where you will be in prime position to get your hands on fresh fish, prawns, crabs and gigantic lobsters.

Nestled on the picturesque Berberyn Island which is a short distance from the town’s shimmering coastline, the Beruwala Lighthouse comes across as a popular vantage point from where awe-inspiring panoramas of Beruwala and its surroundings can be delighted in. Easily reachable via boat that will not exhaust too much time (maximum of 10 minutes), the lighthouse is found on a cliff which is encircled by lush greenery and would make for the perfect spot to pose against.

Built on the very site that lays claim to the arrival of the Moors in the 11^th century which later created the 1^st Muslim settlement in Sri Lanka, the strikingly appealing Ketchimale Mosque cannot be ignored when researching on excursions to be had in Beruwala. As one of the more fascinating things to do in Beruwala when based at Cinnamon Bey Beruwala, this mosque replete with stunning Arabic architecture is found atop a rock and is surrounded by lazily swaying coconut palm trees. Although associated with many a legendary tale, travellers will certainly be treated to a history lesson of unimaginable value and wonder once at Ketchimale Mosque.

Transformed from a simple rubber plantation into an aesthetically brilliant garden space that lives and breathes to this very day, the Brief Garden which was the brainchild of Bewis Bawa finds refuge at Beruwala’s Kalawila Village. A sought-after destination for nature lovers, the Brief Garden is a tribute to Bawa’s love for landscaping and eye for immaculate detail. Winding narrow paths snake their way through tropical plant life which soon open out towards a staircase, patio and pool respectively. However, greater treasures lie in wait for those enthused about sculptures and art. A number of statues adorn various portions of the Garden while no sooner you set foot inside the residence of the great man himself, you will be treated to frames that depict the life and times of Bewis Bawa coupled by pictures that establish the ways of life in Sri Lanka.

Representing an age-old practice that has involved many a generation, the fine art of mask making can be learnt of by calling by the impressive Ambalangoda Mask Museum. The Museum features two collections dedicated entirely to Kolam Dance and the ritual of Sanni Yakuma while observers will be taken through an assortment of primitive tools that were once put to good use. The workshop found here is an outstanding way to witness artisans craft out elaborate designs while you will be encouraged to take home an unpainted mask to work your own magic on.