Things to do in Gampaha

A Buddhist temple famous for its dramatic dragon-mouth entrance, towering Buddha statue and murals of the Jataka tales.

An ancient royal temple and archaeological site linked to the self-sacrificing King Sri Sangabodhi, with a rare intact circular relic house.

A shady 19th-century botanical garden where the first rubber trees in Asia were grown, laced with old trees and a lily-covered lake.

An ancient and deeply sacred Buddhist temple believed to have been visited by the Buddha, famed for its vivid murals and the Duruthu Perahera.

Sri Lanka's largest coastal peat-bog wetland, a biodiverse marsh south of the lagoon best explored by boat safari.

A long golden-sand beach nicknamed the 'Golden Mile', lined with resorts, seafood restaurants and swaying coconut palms.

The gateway and ramparts of a 17th-century Dutch fort near the lagoon mouth, with a fine inscribed archway dated 1678.

A large mangrove-fringed lagoon famous for its outrigger fishing fleet, birdlife and boat trips along old Dutch canals.

One of Sri Lanka's largest Catholic churches, its vast nave crowned by richly painted ceilings.