One of the brightest students to be hailed from St. Benedicts College, Colombo, Dr.Dhanawardane Guruge is a rare person with a combination of intellect, wisdom, and perseverance that are reflected by the two doctorates he has earned from two American universities.

In light of the invaluable service he has rendered to his motherland, His Excellency the president Mahinda Rajapaksha honoured him with “Deshashakthi” (Strength of the Nation) award for outstanding humanitarian services. In addition, he is also an honourable judge of the elder’s maintenance board appointed by the judicial services commission.

For his admirable service to the nation,mahanayake theros of the island awarded him with the rare “Sasanabimani Buddhasasana Keerthisri” award. Well known for his humanitarian services, he sits as the president of the global humanitarian Foundation and is actively engaged in a multitude of humanitarian projects.

As such, the kings Island water tourism project is in the safe and capable hands of a person of such a caliber and is added to the group of his well-established companies. Dr.Guruge is a nature lover from birth and has never contributed to an activity which is harmful to the environment. The development of this water tourism project among the mangroves of Negombo lagoon and the surrounding area is well designed to preserve the inherited fauna and flora and the water body.

The glorious fauna and flora around the Negombo lagoon has always been a tourist attraction from time immemorial. Being quite the tourist hub due to its proximity to the Bandaranayake International Airport and the stretch of golden shore line, King’s Island is located in the magnificent Negombo lagoon which is home to a wide variety of migrant birds as well as being a paradise breeding ground for prawns, lobsters and other fish. The network of mangroves spread throughout the area is in itself an attraction for the adventurous eco tourist.

The Island, known among the local fishing population as “Kuttikele”, is a 12 acre land surrounded by a strip of mangroves to one side, which provides a natural shade and shelter while preventing erosion. It is separated with the adjacent island of “Kuttikaduwa” by a small canal way used by local fisherman as a popular fishing location.

Being an extension of Sri Lanka’s largest marsh, the Muthurajawela marsh, the island is a noteworthy wetland habitat and is home to a luxuriant eco system. With easy access to the nearby town of Negombo, guests of King’s Island will be able to immerse themselves in its rich history and cultural heritage through the exploration of its many churches and the iconic Dutch fort.

The island is not only rich in its ecological background but also is a milestone in Sri Lankan history. After his capture by the British, the last king of Sri Lanka, Sri Wikrama Rajasinghe was imprisoned on this island before being exiled to Southern India.

With all the fishing activity happening around the island, King’s Island guests will have the opportunity to experience firsthand a day in the life of a fisherman by accompanying them.

Experience the combination of nature and culture together in harmony and enjoy your vacation like royalty at King’s Island resort hotel Negombo.

“He was not as ardent a patriot as his immediate successors; nor did he show those mental and moral qualities which enabled former kings to hold their own against rebellion and invasion. To say he was cruel does not mean much, for cruel kings and nobles were not rare in those days; and it is questionable whether all the cruel deeds attributed to Sri VickremaRajasinghe were of his own devising or done by his authority. It might be fairer to regard him as a weak tool in the hands of designing chiefs than as the monster of cruelty, which it is an idle fashion with some writers to call him. He did a lot to beautify his capital. The lake and the Octagon in Kandy have always been considered the work of the king."

These are the words of historian L.E.Blaze regarding the king’s reign.

Born Kannasamy Nayaka, Sri Wikrama Rajasinghe was the last of four kings to rule the last Sinhalese monarchy of the kingdom of Kandy in Sri Lanka. Sri WikramaRajasinghe ruled Sri Lanka for 52 years (1780 – 1832) after succeeding his uncle RajadhiRajasinghe as the king of Kandy at the young age of 18.

King Sri Wikrama Rajasinghe’s monarchy was filled with betrayals and constant claims to his throne by rivals. He reigned through one of the most turbulent periods in Sri Lankan history.

After being manipulated by the first Adigar (prime minister) of the king who secretly plotted to overthrow Sri Wikrama Rajasinghe into declaring war on the British occupying the coastal provinces of the country, the king was forced to go into hiding when the British marched into Kandy with relatively no opposition.

However, after a fierce battle with the invading British forces, the Sinhala army was victorious and managed to restore the throne to Sri Wikrama Rajasinghe. A short while afterwards, the secret plots of the Prime minister were discovered upon which he was sentenced to death.

Ehelepola, the Prime minister’s nephew who took up the position of first Adigar was also suspected of inciting a rebellion against the king and having failed to capture him, Ehelepola’s family was sentenced to death instead, leading to the well-known tale of one of Sri Lanka’s youngest national heroes, Madduma Bandara.

After a period of harsh fighting, the Kandyan forces crumbled under the might of the British army and in the year 1815 the kingdom was ceded to the British under the Kandyan Convention. Sri Wikrama Rajasinghe was taken away to Vellore Fort in Southern India to live in exile for the remainder of his life.

On the way to India, King Sri Wikrama Rajasinghe had a brief stay in one of the islands in the Negombo Lagoon island chain. This island was later named “Kuttikele” but more popularly known in the area as King’s Island.