Just 12 km. south of Colombo. Mount Lavinia is the most popular beach because of its close proximity to the capital. It is situated beside a wind swept headland jutting into the waters of the Indian Ocean. Mt-Lavinia beach is noteworthy in historical value as well as in beauty. It is an ideal place to indulge in relaxation and enjoy the sea. The Governor's House built in 1805 by Sir Thomas Maitland now forms part of the famous Mount Lavinia Hotel. Mt-Lavinia Beach is quite busy on Sundays and public holidays with large crowds gathered to participate in many beach sports activities such as swimming, wind surfing, beach volleyball and beach rugby. Music by Live bands & Entertainment by DJs keep the toes of the crowd tapping

If you stay in Mount Lavina there are several nearby attractions. The closest is the National Zoological Gardens at Dehiwela, better-known as the Dehiwela Zoo, one of the largest in Southeast Asia. The zoo and its gardens are best experienced early morning as soon as the zoo opens (8am-6pm everyday). The animals-some 400 species-are naturally more active at this time, going through feeding and cleaning rituals, it is cooler, and the crowds wouldn't have arrived as yet. Bear in mind the zoo tends to get overcrowded at weekends.