Matale

Located 142 Km from Colombo, Matale is surrounded by several major attractions, like the Knuckles Mountain Range. It is a mainly agricultural area, where tea, rubber, vegetable and spice cultivation dominate. From historical sites to cultural attractions, explore the exhaustive list of all other local attractions in Matale.

Nestled in the central hills, Matale is yet another bounty of nature’s abundance with captivating landscapes. With fertile greenery and scattered mountain ranges decorated with blankets of cascading water, this is one of the best escapes for nature lovers.

Places to See
Aluvihara Rock Cave Temple
The rock cave temple is the place where the moral teachings of Buddhism, Tripitaka were written into Pali, on palm leaves. According to popular beliefs, the cave was once home to a giant who used three rocks as his cooking pot. The three rocks can still be seen on the top of the limb.

Riverstone
Riverstone is a beautiful mountain range, which is situated approximately 30 km from the town of Matale. This mountain range is part of the Knuckles Mountain, and described as the ‘mini world’s end’. The Riverstone peak offers a grand view of the central hills, the Knuckles Mountain Range and the amazing terraced paddy fields of the Thelgama Valley.

Pitawala Pathana
Pitawala Pathana is situated close to Riverstone and is a gently sloping slab of rock covered with a thin layer of soil. The fresh and untainted air of the grassland makes it home to several isolated and scattered trees and shrubs. A unique feature of the place is its cold climate, which is quickly covered with sheets of mist given its altitude.

Sera Ella
Sera Ella is a beautiful waterfall that appears like the cascading veil of a bride. The name of the waterfall is derived from a species of fish named ‘sera’ that resides in the waters. The waterfall covers a cave that could be reached even when the water is surging at its peak.

Wasgamuwa National Park
The Wasgamuwa National Park is home to herds of elephants, the Purple Faced Langur, wild boar, sambar, spotted dear, buffalo, sloth bear, the elusive leopard and reptiles. There are around 143 species of birds, many endemic, such as the Ceylon Jungle Fowl, 52 varieties of butterflies and 17 species of fish.

Nalanda Gedige
Nalanda Gedige lets you take a walk back in time. The structure is a masterpiece where Hindu sculptural tradition meets the Buddhist art. The structure is a perfect demonstration of Hindu temple architecture with the inner sanctum and pavilion blending with the Buddhist elements of the moonstone, the crocodile balustrades, the elephant guards and the dwarfs on the architrave of the doorway.

Sembuwatta Lake
Sembuwatta Lake of Matale is a man-made lake, offering breathtaking sight. Set amidst scenic mountains and forests, the lake is filled with natural spring water. Adjacent to the lake is a pool that has been built for visitors yearning for that uncontainable impulse to dive into the inviting waters of the larger Sembuwatta Lake.

Best time to visit
The best time to visit Matale is between January and March. Considering humidity, temperatures feel hot for most of the year with a chance of rain throughout most of the year.

How to reach
By Air - The only international airport in Sri Lanka is the Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport.
By Road - If the rented transport, you can get in Matale and on buses. The buses are here, at least from Matara, Colombo, Badulla, Anuradhapura, Trincomalee. The most popular road routes are from Kandy and Dambulla.