Sunkissed in Sri Lanka (Part 6): I Went to Prison in Sri Lanka

- April 18, 2025, Friday.

- So I went to prison in Sri Lanka. One way or the other, this statement is true. One one hand, I didn't commit a crime and went to prison, but on the other hand, I really did visit a prison in Kandy. The Bogambara Prison was opened in the 1870s as part of the British thrust to organize the prisons in Sri Lanka. It finally closed in January 1, 2014 as the Sri Lankan government wished to improve prison conditions by retiring old prisons. The historic Bogambara Prison, albeit archaeologically and historically significant, was not spared. Many of its buildings were demolished and only a few remain, including the front castle-like gates.

Prison gates.

With my Sri Lankan batik shirt.

- While some of the outer buildings were repurposed, some of the remaining buildings are open to visitors for a minimal fee. What once was one of the most notorious prisons in Sri Lanka is now an eerily empty shell. At the same time, the prison is also being converted to a cultural park. Even today, outside the park there are some stalls selling clothes and food, which takes a bit of the eerie feeling of the prison. I was also really glad there were other tourists inside the prison because the place feels straight out of a horror movie, even during daytime.

Inside the Prison Park.

This place really gives me the creeps.

Empty halls.

Prison cells.

Now this is where things get really scary.

A Ganesh wall painting. Not sure but I guess this is one of those prayer rooms.

I was glad there were people here when I went. Otherwise I would've ran out immediately.

These are Buddhist teachings, reminding people of values they should have.

Jailed.

- After mustering the courage to go around the prison cells (which, I found out could be opened by the same key as the main gate), I dropped by the Central Market again, just beside the Prison Park, to buy more things before having lunch. After several attempts to visit, I was finally able to try Mandiya. It is a restaurant at the back of a mall along DS Senanayake Street. It is a no-fuss restaurant serving Sri Lankan curry. They will serve you all kinds of curry available for the day, and the menu changes daily. Although simple, it was one of the best (and the cheapest!) meals I had in Sri Lanka! 

The bus and the tuktuk. Two of Sri Lanka's most local forms of transport.

Last look of Kandy Lake.

Finally. It was a bit hard to find by the way, but it has a lot of publicity.

This is the actual restaurant. Very simple.

This is my meal. I love it so much huhu.

Kandy's Red Mosque. Smaller than the one in Colombo but is also eye-catching.

- Once I finished lunch I had to quickly make sure I had everything prepared before heading to the railway station. For the next few hours, I encountered a one-hour train delay, as well as a situation with my seats (the conductor placed me in the wrong first-class AC coach, but it got sorted out and it was still first-class AC anyway). Sooner than I realized, I was already back in Colombo!

Look at the train signs!

A newer-looking train and an older-looking train. Both of them have Buddhist flags because many devotees were arriving for the Buddha tooth relic's public viewing.

Sunburnt.

Back in Colombo!

Colonial-era steam train!

- I spent the rest of the afternoon going through Pettah Market to look for candies and play jewelry. I also realized that outside the Customs Headquarters along Main Street is a strip of souvenir stores. (I think it was so random that they were there since not a lot of people pass by there.) Later that evening, I decided to go to One Galle Face Mall to hide from the heat and have some dinner. 

At Main Street. Always nice to see the old British colonial buildings being preserved/repurposed. At the lower left, you can see some of the many souvenir stores lined up.

Possibly an eastern cattle egret.

Malls in Sri Lanka sometimes remind me of Manila so much. This one is inside Odel, their department store.

A nice place to look for souvenirs inside One Galle Face Mall.

Galle Face Center at night.

- Being back in Colombo felt surreal after spending a few days up in the mountains of central Sri Lanka. It's not only because of the change of surroundings, but also because it meant that the end of my trip to Sri Lanka was fast approaching. Still, I still had a couple of places to visit in Colombo before closing the trip!

** Check out my other Sri Lanka adventures here!

Part 1: Colombo Fort, Pettah Market, Lotus Tower, Galle Face Green - here

Part 2: Kandy, Ambulawawa Tower, Three Temple Loop - here 

Part 3: Kandy, Sacred Tooth Relic, Central Market, Sri Maha Bodhi Viharaya, Kandy Lake Club - here 

Part 4: Sigiriya and Dambulla Cave Temple - here

Part 5: Nuwara Eliya, Nanu Oya, Ella - here

Part 7: Colombo, Gangaramaya Temple, Independence Memorial Hall, National Museum - here