Pearl of the Indian Ocean

Welcome to

Matale

The rugged mountains, fertile grasslands, blue-hued skies and the golden sun all complement each other, adding to its beauty. The city offers sights that delight every tourists’ eyes. Spice gardens, tea plantations, Knuckles mountain range, Sembuwaththa lake, Sera Ella Falls, Hunnasgiriya Falls, Bambarakiri Ella Falls amongst others, are God’s marvel in Matale. Lion rock, Aluvihare rock temple, Sri Muthu Mariamman Thevasthanam, the famous Christ church speak volumes of its past. The old town which evoked a feeling of the British has now been renovated to include an innate Sri Lankan sense with memories of the past. The people of Matale are overly welcoming, their food is divine, and every restaurant here serves home-style meals. Despite being a tourist site, their simple living is what makes Matale a home away from home, that too in another country.

Places to Visit in Matale

Muthumariamman Temple

Muthumariamman Temple, also known as Arulmigu Sri Muthumari Amman Kovil is an ancient, colourful temple in Matala, Central Province, Sri Lanka. The name of the temple can be broken down into three parts, 'muthu' meaning pearl, 'mari' means rain and Amman means mother. Thus, this temple is dedicated to Mariamman, the goddess of rain and fertility. It is a magnificent, colorful temple, with tall towers, intricate carvings and realistic statues of gods and goddesses. The temple area was originally part of a paddy field, with a small statue under a tree, visited by the Hindus in Matale.The temple was built in 1874 by Nagalingam, his son Ramanath and around 100 designers, painters and architects from Tamil Nadu, and funded by Nattukkottai Chettiar. It contains 1008 statues of Hindu gods, and a beautifully decorated, 108 feet high Gopuram (tower) called Raja Koburam. This Buddhist and Hindu temple was immensely damaged during the anti-Tamil riots in July 1983, but it was immediately restored. Muthumariamman temple has five decorated chariots which represent different Hindu deities. The chariots parade around the town in a ceremony called Ther or Vettai Thiruvizha. This ceremony takes place on the day before Medin Poya, or Poya Say in March.The magnificent, colourful temple, with its tall towers, intricate carvings and realistic statues of gods and goddesses make it the pride of religion in Sri Lanka. Apart from being religiously and culturally significant for the Ceylonese, Muthumariamman temple in Matale is also a frequently visited tourist destination.

Knuckles Mountain

Knuckles Mountain range is an unusual terrestrial landform located in Matale and Kandy, in Central Province, Sri Lanka. The range is a World Heritage Conservation Area and is relatively untouched. The range features 34 peaks, ranging between 900 metres to 2000 metres. Five of these mountain peaks make the formation of a clenched fist. The name was given by the British, and the locals call this range 'Dumbara Kanduvetiya', which means mist-laden mountains. The knuckles Mountain Range is called so because of its uncanny resemblance to the fingers of a clenched fist. The range, with its grasslands, rugged peaks, meandering roads and cascading streams and waterfalls are a vibrant biodiversity zone. Despite being only 0.03% of the country's area, this zone consists of 34% of Sri Lanka's endemic vegetation. The forest cover of the region includes dry evergreen forests, montane forests, sub-montane forests, dry and wet savanna etc. The range faces two significant threats: constant cultivation of cardamom has deprived the forest of its vegetation cover, and a plant species called Mist Flower, which spreads into the woods and destroys the vegetation. However, there are some local and global initiatives to preserve and restore the cover. Currently, watershed conservation and restoration project is being undertaken here full-fledged.

Sembuwatta Lake

Sembuwatta Lake is a beautiful attraction point located within the village of Elkaduwa in Matale district of Sri Lanka. A quiet and ravishing human-made lake made up of natural spring water, Sembuwatta Lake is adjacent to the Campbell’s Lane Forest Reserve. Sembuwatta Lake also has a natural swimming pool by its side. The lake processes electricity for the many villages in the area making it a lifeline for the locals as well as a pleasing addition to the long list of attractions within Sri Lanka. The Sembuwatta Lake has beautiful pine trees, situated on top of the mountain, and it is an epitome of majestic experience, which is a well-known spot for picnics, hiking, and nature trails. Sembuwatta Lake is around 30 to 39 feet deep.

Bambarakiri Ella

The beautiful Bambarakiri Ella waterfalls are within the Matale district of the central province, near the Rattota town. The falls are mighty and at the same time, pleasant. Two falls subside here. A small fall is hidden inside the jungle and is named ‘Kuda Bambarakiri Ella’ where ‘Kuda’ implies ‘little’. The primary falls allow tourists to sit peacefully and enjoy the sound of splashing water. A rope bridge also exists which stretches over the falls is an excellent addition to the scenic beauty. The falls are an alluring sight for clicking perfect wallpaper pictures; however, safety comes first as the Bambarakiri Ella falls is not safe for swimming and bathing. The falls are divided within three cascades that is the tallest slope, the natural pool and the slope at the edge of the natural one, which is a rocky point. Bamabarakiri Ella is an ideal place to visit while in Sri Lanka.