Kithulgala Archives

Makandawa Forest Reserve – wonderland in Kithulgala – By Arundathie Abeysinghe Sri Lanka is a small island in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), similar to a droplet of water and despite being a small island, it is endowed with a diverse collection of landscapes, climates, awe-inspiring vistas which have enticed tourists for decades. Well-known as an island of magical proportions, it was known as the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean”, “Serendib” and “Taprobane”. In 2019, Lonely Planet (travel guide book publisher founded in Australia, in 1973) voted Sri Lanka as “number one country to visit” and in 2020, Sri Lanka has been named “the best country in the world to visit” by readers of Conde Nast Traveller (a US based travel publication). A spectacular island endowed with cascading waterfalls, breathtaking mountain ranges, verdant tea gardens, wildlife parks with endemic wildlife and stunning beaches, Sri Lanka has attracted many European and ...

Kithulgala – iconic location of the Gem of the Silver Screen “The Bridge on the River Kwai” – By Arundathie Abeysinghe Having won seven Academy Awards, “Bridge on the River Kwai” directed by British Film Director David Lean (Sir David Lean 1908-1991) was an epic war film shot in Ceylon in 1957 aided by Chandran Rutnam (Sri Lankan film maker and entrepreneur) who collaborated local links. Adapted from the 1952 novel by Pierre Boulle (that goes by the same name) the movie was filmed in *Kithulgala, in *Ratnapura District, perched on the western edge of Sri Lanka’s Hill Country. A makeshift bridge was constructed over the *Kelani River for the movie, although, nothing remains at present, except the concrete foundations of the Bridge (as the railway bridge utilized in the movie was blown-up as part of the film sequel). The movie describes the tale of a group of Japanese war ...