1. A Masterpiece of Landscape Architecture:

Brief Garden is the masterpiece of Bevis Bawa, the talented brother of Sri Lanka’s legendary architect, Geoffrey Bawa. Bevis transformed this once modest rubber estate into a living canvas of artful gardens and captivating vistas. Every turn within the garden reveals a meticulously crafted space, featuring sculptures, statues, fountains, and other art installations thoughtfully placed amidst a breathtaking natural backdrop.

2. Stunning Botanical Diversity:

Nature enthusiasts and horticulture lovers will be awestruck by the diverse collection of plants and flowers within Brief Garden. The garden boasts an impressive array of tropical plants, exotic orchids, and rare foliage, each thriving in its unique microclimate. Visitors can stroll through winding pathways lined with lush greenery and immerse themselves in the vibrant colors and fragrances of this tropical paradise.

3. Artistic Delights at Every Corner:

Brief Garden is a living testament to Bevis Bawa’s artistic vision. Throughout the garden, you’ll encounter an eclectic mix of sculptures, statues, and quirky art installations, all carefully integrated with the surrounding nature. From abstract art to traditional sculptures, each piece adds an element of surprise and delight, making every step a new adventure.

4. Unraveling the History:

Beyond its stunning aesthetics, Brief Garden holds a rich history waiting to be uncovered. Visitors can learn about Bevis Bawa’s life and contributions to Sri Lanka’s architectural heritage through guided tours or by exploring the garden at their own pace. The stories behind the garden’s creation add an extra layer of appreciation to its beauty.

5. Photographic Paradise:

Photography enthusiasts will be in their element at Brief Garden. Every angle presents a new photo opportunity, whether it’s capturing the play of light and shadow on the foliage, framing the artistic sculptures, or photographing the exotic blooms in their full glory.

In conclusion, a visit to Brief Garden in Bentota is a remarkable experience that combines art, nature, and history in an exceptional setting. This living masterpiece of landscape architecture has the power to captivate travelers of all ages, leaving them with unforgettable memories of Sri Lanka’s enchanting beauty. So, make sure to add Brief Garden to your travel bucket list and get ready to be spellbound by the allure of this tropical paradise.

Spread across the 53-acre state, the resort has it all; exceptionally rich biodiversity, lakes, ponds and other bodies of water nourishing grasslands that add the fresh hue of green to the land. As legend has it, Hanuman dropped a part of the Himalayan Mountain as he flew across the skies to aid his wounded brother, Rama. The chunk of land he dropped was rich in strange flora and fauna, not to be found easily anywhere else in the world. This chunk of land is known to be the plateau of Ritigala and its biodiversity has spread across the village of Habarana, making it a true haven for those who find peace amongst untouched nature.

The resort was built taking inspiration from the rustic charm and the meditative calm of the Ritigala Monastery, a lasting artefact of ancient Buddhism dating back to the 1st century BC. The remarkable architecture of the monastery has been imprinted in the resort to add to its rustic charm. With its chalets designed after the village houses found in old Anuradhapura, the resort creates a unique curation of simplicity, peace and luxury of rural life, lived alongside nature. The many treehouses become prime spots for sightseeing and enjoying the quiet of a radiant sunset as the skies are painted in vibrant hues of pink, purple and golden. Dining under clear star-lit skies is utterly romantic in its simple nature. The cooling breeze that rustles the leaves soothes the senses while it refreshes and heals.

The village itself is an eco-system of many micro-habitats formed by a myriad of various species, animals and foliage. Within the limits of the resort, you are bound to spot the occasional elephant or two grassing along the banks of lakes and rare species of birds in their natural habitat, lazying about or in a rush to their nests before the sunsets over the lakes of Habarana!

The resort detoxes you from the hustle of the city, yet gives its visitors the choice of adventure. Whether it is climbing the infamous rock fortress, a two-hour hike up the Ritigala Mountains, a serene boat ride along the water bodies or sightseeing the ruins of the ancient kingdom of Anuradhapura, Cinnamon Lodge Habarana and Habarana Village by Cinnamon are located in close proximity for all.

With the many chalets built for the best of privacy and the vast land perfect for a cycling trip, or an evening stroll and adventure to fill in the day or even reading a book on a hammock swaying in the winds, enjoying the little time left to do nothing, the resorts are a perfect culmination of nature. Their ties to the roots of ancient culture resonated in its architecture and build, emanates the peacefulness and ritualistic simplicity of the lives of our ancestors.

Visit the resorts for your next getaway and indulge in the unfiltered, untouched beauty of nature and lose yourself in it, as the hoteliers who walked this land first did. As Shakespeare said, heaven is the everlasting treasury of life and the quiet village of Habarana seems to be a perfect example of it.

The Dunuwille Walawwa has been the home for more than eight generations of Dunuwilles who are proud to call it home. The verandah built in the front part of the Walawwa is dripping with grandeur. Intricate wood carvings of flora and fauna, interior design styles unique to the era and other elements of culture, this verandah bears stories like no other. It reminiscences how the great-grandchildren of William Dunuwille would sit on the floor and listen to stories said by their grandparents about the Kandyan Era and the heroic acts of their ancestry. It fondly remembers how William Dunuwille would visit his family on an elephant, the grandest mode of transportation in that time and how the floors would shake to the sounds of drums and pageants of elephants at times of celebrations. This verandah has been an integral part of the Dunuwille family as it was where they witnessed their lives unravel in good times and bad.

The Dunuwille legacy was carried on by his descendants. The halls of the Walawwa have witnessed many of his great-grandchildren become important members of society such as Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranayake, the first female prime minister in the world. For the Dunuwilles’, the walls will always echo the laughter and the moments shared with the family when they would come together at auspicious times.

Walking amongst the corridors of the Walawwa, it is astonishing to realize that these walls had carried the weight of many family portraits, photographs of their ancestors and many more monuments carefully curated. These photographs are now a family heirloom protected with care, passed down to the generations that precede them.

The Dunuwille Walawwa is not merely a home but proof of the times before us, and every inch of the place carries a story, memory and the legacy of the Dunuwille lineage and the Kandyan kingdom.

After being under the care of the Dunuwille family, the Walawwa is now a part of a family of culture, as rich as its original owners; Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts. The Walawwa is what is now called Cinnamon Citadel Kandy, a grand hotel that allows its visitors to indulge in the beautiful city of Kandy and experience the tranquility of the soft winds only the city allows. Located by the banks of the Mahaweli River (the longest river on the island), the resort offers vistas never seen before; lush gardens veiled with mist in the mornings and peaceful nights overlooking the majesty of the city.

For all of those who visit Cinnamon Citadel Kandy, it offers more than a pleasant hotel experience but the warmth of the home it was once before. The hotel is of stark beauty as it continues to protect the legacy of the era and the cultural elements of the Kandyan Kingdom from architecture to interior design, carefully curated to contain the majesty of the Dunuwille Walawwa. The interior of the resort is rich with elegance and grace, with elements of heritage adorning it.

Maybe you will plan your next getaway here, and if you do so, remember this story. Wonder about the stories hidden among the beautiful woodwork and walls and celebrate the legacy of William Dunuwille and the artifacts of a kingdom that once was. Look around for the traces of life within a hotel that was once a home. Make your stay here an iconic one with the majesty that the hotel brings to life and breath in the serenity of the city of Kandy!