Shore Excursions Colombo Passenger Dock to Galle Hikkaduwa By Car
Meetiyagoda
We pick you up from the Colombo port passenger terminal and make your travel easier and more comfortable with our shore excursion, you are Traveling by private vehicle, and visit top sights such as Moonstone mines, Tsunami museum, Marine sanctuary at Hikkaduwa, Galle foand return to the Colombo port passenger terminal.
Duration:
8 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Meetiyagoda Moonstone Mine - Meetiyagoda Moonstones can occur in several colors, but there’s only one place in the whole world that produces the exquisite blue moonstone—Meetiyagoda in southwest Sri Lanka. In fact, Sri Lanka was so associated with this mysterious gem that moonstones used to go by the name Ceylon opal. Local legend has it that the land around Meetiyagoda has been blessed by the moon, and it’s obvious why. Underneath this small village is the world’s largest vein of a moonstone-bearing igneous rock called pegmatite. You’d think that an area so rich in this stunning gemstone would be heavily mined and scarred by machiners but digging by hand down through the topsoil, the miners use coconut wood scaffolding and fern leaves to prop up and line the sides of the shafts as they go. Once they hit the pegmatite layer, the miners begin to tunnel, again using coconut beams to keep the tunnels from collapsing. Collected in buckets, the moonstone-bearing gravel is then winched up the mine shaft – again by hand.
What's Included
- Lunch included
- Experienced driver/guide
- All admission fees covered as per the itinerary
Additional Information
- Dress code is smart casual
Location
Meetiyagoda Moonstone Mine
Kahawa - Batapola Road
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
