Hidden near the Polkada Wella Bridge in Wadduwa lies a tiny overgrown monument carved with a peacock and a haunting message. Few notice it today, yet it marks a remarkable 1940s tale of two lovingly raised birds, tragic loss, and a memorial born from heartbreak.
Nestled within the Palindanuwara Division of Matugama in Kalutara District stands the Pelenda Gal Kaņu Godella Viharaya, also known as Pelenda Rajamaha Viharaya. Its origins stretch back to the turbulent Kotte era, when Prince Veediya Bandara, one of the kingdom’s fiercest commanders,
Kalutara Fort was built by the Portuguese in 1622 after completely demolishing the Buddhist Temple called Gangathilaka Viharaya. Later this fort was captured by King Mayadunne of the Sitawaka kingdom.
Uyanwatta Wewa, constructed in the Bolgoda river basin, stands as a testament to the transfer of irrigation technology from the dry zone to the wet zone by our ancestors. It serves as a mirror reflecting the historical journey of this technology’s adaptation and implementation.
A large reclining Buddha statue was discovered recently in Deegalla in a mystic cave filled with water on the Pansal Gala mountain in Kalutara District. Even today, reaching the cave requires holding onto ropes on steep cliffs. Why anyone would build a temple in a place near impossible to reach is a mystery.
Pahantudawa Ella Falls, is located in close proximity to Dikhena village. It gracefully descends in a dual-tiered spectacle and is the first to encounter on the Maguru Oya, To reach this fall, you need to hike about 3 km in the jungle.
Runakanda is renowned as one of the largest rainforests in Sri Lanka, second only to the prestigious Sinharaja. Adorned with magnificent biodiversity, comparable to that of its counterpart, Sinharaja, Runakanda stands proudly as a testament to the natures gift on the island.
According to legend as stated by an old resident of this village, During the period of king Parakramabahu, his minister, commander Prathiraja was assigned to cultivate the villages of Pasdun and Walallawita korales. While traveling from place to place and appointing village chiefs, he stopped for lunch in the shade of a Na tree on a hillock in Kithulgoda village.
Nestled in Kalutara’s Neboda village, Rannagala Ella is a charming six-meter waterfall best experienced during the rainy season. Accessible from Matugama, it features inviting natural and man-made bathing pools at both levels. While popular for its scenic beauty, visitors must prioritize environmental care to combat increasing pollution from left-behind garbage.
Richmond Castle, built at the turn of the century in Kalutara, is considered one of the most spectacular architectural works of the period.
The Kapurukanda Ella waterfall is hidden deep inside the jungles between Landscape Estate and Dalkeith Estate in the Palinda Nuwara Divisional Sekretariat in the Kalutara District. Although LCWF database has the height of this waterfall as 60 meters, the actual height of this fall is around 30 meters.
Adjoining the temple lies an massive bathing pool built using kabook bricks, shaped as a inverted “L”. Covering an area of 2400 square meters, this is one of the largest bathing pond of a king ever found.
This inscription is located in the premises of Kalutara Magistrate Court Complex between Galle Road and the Colombo-Galle railway line . The letters and the description indicate that this inscription belongs to the 15th century and to the Kotte Kingdom (1412–1597 A.D).
Many legends associated with the Kingdom of Raigama are associated with Horana or Hiranyamalaya. One such place is Wanahami’s Cave. This cave is located in the Ellakanda Range above the town of Horana. It is believed that the history of this mountain range goes back to prehistoric times.
Beruwela lighthouse is located on Barberyn Island on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka. An exciting 10-minute boat ride from the town of Beruwela will transport you to Barberyn Island,
Kande Viharaya in Aluthgama is a prominent Buddhist landmark established in 1734. It features a historic bell-shaped stupa, an 18th-century image house with intricate Kandyan murals, and a sacred 300-year-old Bo tree. Most notably, it is home to a monumental 160-foot seated Buddha statue, the tallest in Sri Lanka.
Kalugala Aranya Senasanaya is a breathtaking Buddhist forest monastery nestled within the tropical rainforests near Baduraliya. This secluded sanctuary is perched on a hillside, featuring ancient drip-ledge caves where monks practice silent meditation. Visitors can climb the stone steps to reach a majestic stupa offering stunning views over the dense canopy.
The Vegeragoda Stupa has been completely conserved recently after exisiting as just a mound of earth for hundreds of years. This stupa is unique due to its construction with only one pesava.
Pahiyangala caves lies in Yatagampitiya, which is a remote village about 5 km away from Bulathsinhala (40Km along Piliyandala-Horana road), in the Kalutara District. Excavation has proved that these caves were inhabited by prehistoric cave men some 37,000 years ago.
The Deiyagala Ella Waterfall in Kalutara lies in the eastern border of the Paniyawela Mukalana in the Yagirala Forest in Walallawita DS division. The fall is fed by a stream flowing through the virgin forest of Yagirala with crystal clear water creating a number of pools.
