Tour operator
Sri Lanka In Style Hidden History City Walk
A 2.5-hour morning heritage walk through Colombo Fort and the Pettah markets, led by a Dutch-Burgher local historian, starting and ending at the Old Dutch Hospital.
Lunuganga Garden Tour
Daily 90-minute guided tours of Lunuganga, Geoffrey Bawa's lakeside country garden near Bentota, a popular day trip south of Colombo.
At a glance
- Type
- Garden tour day trip
- Area
- Bentota, Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Official site
- geoffreybawa.com
Good to know
- Guided garden tours
- No booking needed for public tours
Why we recommend it
Lunuganga was Geoffrey Bawa's country estate and garden, and a visit makes one of the most rewarding day trips from Colombo. It lies on Dedduwa Lake at Bentota, about 80 kilometres from Colombo, and covers 25 acres. Bawa bought the property in 1949, when it was a former cinnamon estate of the Dutch era that had become a rubber plantation under the British, and he spent decades reshaping it into a tropical version of a European Renaissance garden.
The house and gardens also hold works by artists such as Donald Friend and Laki Senanayake, along with artefacts from Asia and Europe collected by Bawa. Where Number 11, his house in Colombo, is introverted and closed to the street, Lunuganga is open and expansive, so seeing both gives a full picture of his ideas.
Public garden tours run daily at 11am, 2pm and 3pm and last about 90 minutes. Prior reservations are not required for these tours, but the garden is not open outside tour times, so plan your journey to arrive in good time. Private tours with in-house guides or the Trust's curators can be arranged by appointment. Children under seven enter free, and personal photography without flash or tripods is allowed outdoors. The estate was closed for kitchen renovations in 2026 and reopened to visitors from 25 October, so check the Trust's website for any further notices before setting out.
The buildings at Lunuganga now operate as a country house hotel run by Teardrop Hotels, and the Lunuganga Trust, formed by Bawa's close friends, manages the estate. Enquiries about general and private tours go to Teardrop Hotels by email, and the Trust handles curatorial tours. A separate house on the grounds, No. 05, Ena de Silva's house, is reserved for hotel guests and is not part of the garden tour.
The drive from Colombo takes around an hour and a half, and Bentota day trips often add a boat safari on the Madu River, a visit to the Kosgoda turtle hatchery or time on the beach. An 11am tour leaves the afternoon free for these, while the 2pm and 3pm tours suit a later start from the city.
Lunuganga Garden Tour FAQs
Where is Lunuganga?
At Dedduwa, Bentota, on Dedduwa Lake south of Colombo.
When do tours run?
Daily at 11am, 2pm and 3pm.
How long is the tour?
About 90 minutes.
Do I need to book?
No reservation is needed for public tours; private tours need an appointment.
Can I visit outside tour times?
No. The garden is only open during tours.
When did Bawa buy Lunuganga?
In 1949. It had been a cinnamon estate and later a rubber plantation.
Is it open now?
It reopened from 25 October 2026 after kitchen renovations; check the Trust's website for notices.
Can I stay there?
Yes, the buildings operate as a country house hotel run by Teardrop Hotels.