The Sri Lanka of Bawa, and Beyond

I’ve known Jason Mowen for around 20 years. At the time, we both had shops in Redfern, Sydney: my shop focussed on mid-century design, while Jason sold art, antiques and 20th-century design, as well as Moroccan rugs. With a background in design, he began writing for Vogue Living. He still does, although he’s shifted from design to travel.

Jason and I have always been sounding boards for each other, trading new ideas. I love The Pursuit Of, his digital platform exploring art, design and culture, and he has supported Cashmere Luxe from the start. When he started writing about travel, I told him he had to go to Nepal. He did, and wrote about it for the Australian Financial Review.

These days, he also takes small groups to the places he knows best. His recent tours have included Egypt, Georgia and Morocco. Next August, it’s Sri Lanka.

Jason’s tour explores the world of the Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa. You don’t just visit Bawa’s houses; you sleep in them, including Number 11, De Saram House and Lunuganga.

If you’re not familiar with Geoffrey Bawa, he’s known as the father of Tropical Modernism. He bought a derelict rubber plantation near Bentota in the late 1940s, and became so obsessed with the project that he gave up law and went back to London to study architecture. According to Jason, Lunuganga created the architect, not the other way around.

While I’ve never been to Sri Lanka, I have a connection. When I was living in Asia, I became friends with Ajai Zecha, son of Aman founder Adrian Zecha. I came to know the family well, visiting their home in Bali and also Amanpuri in Thailand. I didn’t know it at the time, but Adrian had owned a house in Bali designed by Geoffrey Bawa and was deeply influenced by his work. Again, according to Jason, Adrian once described Lunuganga as the ultimate Aman.

Jason’s Sri Lanka tour includes a stay at Amangalla, Adrian’s first Sri Lankan hotel. It was restored by Australian architect and Bawa devotee Kerry Hill. As legend has it, Bawa liked to drink on its veranda when it was still the New Oriental Hotel.

The trip also includes a stay at Kurulu Bay, a lakeside retreat near Ahangama whose original main house was designed by Bawa protégé Channa Daswatte. That’s the thing about Jason’s tours: they’re subtle. Instead of bussing you between the usual lineup of Bawa-designed hotels, he weaves in and around the architect’s world. It’s the Sri Lanka of Bawa, and beyond.

The Pursuit Of Sri Lanka runs 11–24 August 2027. Apart from your flights to and from Sri Lanka, everything is included: private airport transfers, accommodation, transport, experiences and meals, including alcoholic beverages. Guests will also receive one of my Travel Wraps, handwoven in cashmere and wool in a custom colour selected by Jason.

Groups are usually between five and eight people, so space is limited. In Jason’s words, it’s less like a tour and more like travelling with an old friend.

For more information, visit The Pursuit Of.