Kadugannawa
Kadugannawa is a small town situated in the Kandy District in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. It is governed by the Urban Council. Situated along the A1 road that lies west of Peradeniya, the town does not have too many places to see and things to do however, visitors can still undertake a day trip to explore this lesser known city of Sri Lanka. Very well connected to the other parts of the country, you can easily reach the Kadugannawa via the Kadugannawa Railway Station that makes the town easily accessible for the tourists coming here.
On the direction of William Francis Dawson, the first modern highway on the Colombo Kandy road was built in the year 1820. This highway has also worked well to facilitate ease of transportation within the city. Sadly, before the completion of the highway, William Francis Dawson passed away. In his memory, the Dawson Tower was constructed in the Kadugannawa.
Kadugannawa is a town that most visitors tend to drive through without stopping by. However, if you take our advice, this city is worth taking a break as it has some unsual tourist attractions that can catch your attention. So, while you are out exploring Colombo, do take a stop over and visit this beautiful town.
Kadugannawa FAQ's
Travel Advice
Carry with you at least one ID proof. There maybe a chance that you’ll have to show it to get an entry in the tourist attractions.
Always keep your important documents carefully.
Carry at least two copies of your important documents.
Do not leave your important documents in the hotel room.
Make sure you stay in a hotel that has a room safe.
Ensure that the hotel you pick is not located in a secluded area.
Avoid staying in a low rated shady hotel.
In case you find anything suspicious about a person or a place, try and get away from there at the earliest.
Do not trust anyone with your cash or valuables.
Never trust anyone with your luggage.
Make sure you do not indulge in physical or verbal fights with anyone.
Respect the local traditions and cultures prevalent in the region.
It is a good idea to learn a few words from the local language of the region.
Never indulge in drugs of any form.
Drink only as much liquor as you can handle.
Do not dress inappropriately.
Nudity is strictly prohibited.
- Unless you are on a beach make sure you do not wear anything too skimpy or revealing.
Drinking Law
Our Recommendations: What You Can’t Afford to Miss?
The Dawson tower was constructed and erected in the memory of William Francis Dawson. He had ordered the construction of the first modern highway on the Colombo Candy road. However, he died before the project could be completed and hence, the tower was built in his remembrance. The road that leads up to the Dawson tower is a magical ride, with many turns and hairpin bends, giving the driver some thrill and amusement while driving. This is a great sightseeing attraction in Kadugannawa.
National railway museum
Owned by the Sri Lanka railways, the museum has been recently opened up in the year 2014. It commemorates the 150th anniversary of the operations of rail services in Sri Lanka. This is perhaps one of the best places to see in Kadugannawa. One can spot a number of locomotives, rail cars, trolleys and carriages on the museum on display. The museum opens every day at 9. So, make sure that you do visit the museum when you are on a holiday in Kadugannawa. Take note that you must reach the museum early in the morning so as to avoid the huge chaos which is seen in the later part of the day.
Royal botanical gardens
Locate at a short distance from the main city, the gardens attract a large number of tourists all year. The large collection of orchids in the gardens are the main tourist attraction of this place. There are a large variety of herbs, medicinal plants and palm trees in the gardens.
Age-old banyan tree
Agreed that a banyan tree can be spotted in any major park but something like this? Watch out this banyan tree, with branches and leaves spreading as far and densely, almost forming a mountain like picture from a distance.
What Will You Like There?
Situated at a small distance away from the main city, these botanic gardens are spread across an area of 60 hectares. They feature a fine collection of beautiful orchids and royal palm trees. A Javan fig tree is the star attraction of this garden. Visiting this botanic garden is definitely a great thing to do here.
Trip to the Embekka Devale
This temple is dedicated to the Hindu deity Mahasen. Finely carved wooden pillars depict animals and men around the temple. There is a special drummers hall within the temple, which contains the best carvings.
Visit to the Lankatilake temple
This temple is practically mounted on a rock and is dedicated to both, Buddhist deity and Hindu deities. The speciality of this temple lies in the intricately carved paintings, rock fare inscriptions, elephant figures carved from stone and the likes. A special occasion, ‘perahera’ takes places in the month of August.
Visit to the Gadaladeniya temple
This temple is primarily a Buddhist shrine. Lord Buddha is depicted in a seated form within this temple. Reaching this temple is an adventure for tourists as it takes climbing several stone cut stairs to reach the top of the temple. You can reach this temple quite easily through a bus.
Exploring the bounty of greenery and waterfalls
In and around the town, you will find a number of gardens and preserved spots where you can relax and easily take in the scenic views to your heart’s content. Make sure you catch a glimpse of the at least few of the many waterfalls situated in Sri Lanka.