Ratnapura or the city of gems is one of the major touristic cities in Sri Lanka. Located 100 km southeast of Colombo, it is the capital city of Sabaragamuwa Province. Since most of the gem deposits in Sri Lanka concentrate in Ratnapura District, it calls as the city of gems from history. Ratnapura city is the commercial center of the Sri Lankan gem trade.
The precious stone mining in Ratnapura city is a long-established industry. It is a world-famous destination for rubies, sapphires, and many other kinds of precious gems. It has produced many large, celebrated gemstones throughout the world. For example, Sri Lanka produced the Ceylon Blue Sapphire of Princess Diana’s engagement ring, as well as the world’s largest sapphire gemstone weighing 1404 Ct.
Apart from gem mining, the city produces rice, tea, and rubber. Large plantations of tea and rubber surround the city. Ratnapura region is full of scenic beauty, adorned with many natural attractions. Since Kalu Ganga flows through the Ratnapura, this area dots with several lovely waterfalls. The mountain terrains of Ratnapura are full of breathtaking hiking trails, which suit best for hiking and trekking in Sri Lanka.
Although Ratnapura is somewhat far from the major tourist attractions streams, it is a beautiful city to include on your bucket list. There are so many attractive places to visit in this area. If you are not sure about what to see in Ratnapura, we have put together some of the wonderful things to do in this gorgeous city.
Access to Ratnapura
Ratnapura can be reached by bus, car or taxi. In either method, it may take 2 and half hours to reach Ratnapura from Colombo. Here you can find all the best methods to reach the city of gems.
1. Ratnapura Gem Market
At Ratnapura town, there is a rough gem market everyday morning. Miners in this area gather near the Ratnapura clock tower to sell their uncut rough gems. If you want to buy good quality rough gems for a lower price, you can go there around 7.00 am. This market is active from 6.00 am to 9.00 am. In case, you want to buy cut and polished gems, many gem trading shops are available in this area.
In addition, if you love to learn more about Sri Lankan gems, there is a gemmological museum in Ratnapura city. It locates 2.5 km southwest of the Ratnapura city centre, off the A4 Hwy. This museum was established by a local gemologist and it displays a private collection of precious stones including quartz, fossils, and artifacts. It is a good place to learn about gem mining in Sri Lanka.
2. Adam’s Peak
Definitely, Sri Pada or Adam’s Peak is Sri Lanka’s most famous hiking trail among both local and foreign visitors. It locates about 40 km northeast of Ratnapura city. It revers as a holy mountain by all Sri Lankans including Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, and Hindus. Buddhists in Sri Lanka believe that Foot Print of Lord Buddha exists on the summit. As well as, Christians believe the footprint belongs to Adam, giving it the name “Adam’s Peak”.
Thousands of religious devotees make the ascent to pay homage to this sacred mountain each year. The pilgrimage season officially runs from December to May. Hiking trails closed in other months due to heavy rains in the monsoon season.
This is the fifth tallest mountain in Sri Lanka, ascending to the height of 2,243 m. The total distance to the summit is around 7 km and it may take between 3 – 7 hours to complete the trail depending on physical fitness. Since hiking Adam’s peak is challenging for inexperienced hikers, care should take while accompanying children and aged adults.
Above all, the hike is usually done in the nighttime; the goal is to reach the summit in the morning to enjoy the great spectacle of sunrise. Certainly, it is a worthy hike to the summit of Adam’s peak at night to meet this spectacular dawn. Your efforts will reward you with magnificent views of sunrise, probably the most splendid in the world.
3. Sinharaja Rain Forest
Sinharaja Rain Forest Reserve is a primary tropical rain forest located in Sri Lanka’s Southwest region. It locates around a 1-hour drive from Ratnapura city. You need to travel from Ratnapura to Kalawana and use the Kudawa entrance to enter the Sinharaja Rain Forest. The reserve is 21 km from east to west and 7 km from north to south with a total area of 89 square km.
Due to its rich biodiversity and ecological importance, it was declared a world heritage site. It is home to over 50% of Sri Lanka’s endemic species of mammals, birds, butterflies, as well as many kinds of insects, reptiles, and rare amphibians. It is a tropical wet evergreen forest with large trees that grow up to heights of 40-50 m. More than 60% of these trees are endemic and rare species.
Most importantly, Sinharaja Rain Forest is an eco-tourism hot spot for nature lovers, who want to explore the stunning flora and fauna of the island. It is one of the best places in Sri Lanka for bird watching, which is home to many endemic species of birds. Sinharaja Rain Forest is a treasure trove filled with amazing plant and animal life and indeed a must-visit destination in the Ratnapura area.
4. Udawalawe National Park
Udawalawe National Park lies on the boundary of Sabaragamuwa and Uva Provinces in Sri Lanka. It is located around 80 km from Ratnapura city. Udawalawe is an important habitat for water birds and Sri Lankan Elephants. It is the best place in Sri Lanka to get close to Sri Lankan wild elephants. Therefore, it is a highly famous place among elephant lovers and the third most visited park in the country.
The main feature of Udawalawe Park is the Udawalawe Reservoir and the habitat surrounding it. The surrounding of the reservoir includes forests, marshes, and grasslands. As well, it is home to many varieties of wildlife including birds, water buffaloes, and crocodiles.
A large herd of Elephants about 250 permanently reside in the park. Elephants are attracted to the park because of the abundant water supply from the Udawalawe reservoir. It is the ideal place to capture incredible shots of photogenic elephant families. You can capture the iconic view of an elephant family with their cute baby elephants.
5. Bopath Ella
This is a waterfall situated at Kuruwita, Ratnapura in Sri Lanka. Bopath Ella has a height of 30 m and it has a shape similar to the leaf of the sacred fig or “Bo” tree, which has earned it this name. This is the closest waterfall to reach from the capital of Colombo at a distance of 80 km. This attractive waterfall is a major tourist and local attraction in the country.
People have a bath at the base pool, but it needs to be extremely careful while bathing. It is safe and calm during the dry season, but there is a risk of a sudden increase in the water level in the rainy season. Even though there is no rain in the vicinity, rain in nearby mountains causes to increase the water levels of the fall suddenly. This is one of the most remarkable waterfalls in Sri Lanka which needs to enjoy carefully.
6. Pahanthudawa Ella
This is a small 5m tall waterfall located in Belihuloya, 60 km from Ratnapura city. Although it is not a huge waterfall, the whole landscape which leads to this waterfall is simply stunning. Above all, the aerial photographs of the falls show a mind-blowing picturesque view of the magnificent surroundings.
This spectacular waterfall has named for the shape of the base pool which resembles a shape of a clay lamp. The waterfall resembles the wick, the burner of the lamp. It is one of the unique waterfalls in Sri Lanka extremely worthy to visit while touring in the Ratnapura area.
7. Duwili Ella
Duwili Ella is a waterfall in Ratnapura District, Sri Lanka. It is located about 4 km away from Balangoda in the Kaltota area. The height of the waterfalls is about 40 m. The name ‘Duwili’ derives from the Sinhalese for dust, which describes the spray emanating from the waterfall.
This is a huge waterfall with an enormous amount of water is gushing with full force from high altitude to down. Then calmly flows through the rocky terrains making wonderful scenery. This is a lovely place where visitors can enjoy both the marvelous shape of the fall and fascinating surroundings.
8. Maha Saman Devalaya
Maha Saman Devalaya or Sumana Saman Devalaya is a shrine dedicated to the deity Saman, the god who is the guardian god residing in Sri Pada Mountain. It situates at Ratnapura, only 5 km from the city centre. It is a sacred place respected by all Sri Lankan communities.
The annual Esala Perahera of Maha Saman Devalaya is a highly famous procession in Sri Lanka. Every year in August to September, the city of Ratnapura and the Devalaya lights up in festivity. The Maha Saman Devala Perahera parades through the streets, while thousands of people flock to Ratnapura to see this sacred marvel. This grand Perahera festival second only to Kandy Esala Perahera in Sri Lanka.
9. Batatotalena Cave
The Batatotalena Cave knows as the Diva Guhava in Buddhist literature. This is a cave temple, believed to be the place Lord Buddha rested while visiting Sri Pada mountain. It includes one of the nine places Lord Buddha had visited during his third visit to Sri Lanka.
Batatotalena is located in Kuruwita town around 10 km towards Colombo from Ratnapura on Erathna road. This huge cave measures approximately 15 m high, 18 m wide, and 25 m in length. It is able to shelter over 500 people.
10. Sankapala Temple
Sankapala Temple is an ancient Buddhist cave temple located in Pelmadulla, around 60 km from Ratnapura city. When you are traveling along the Ratnapura – Hambantota main road, it is quite easy to reach the Sankapala Temple. Any visitor to the Sankapala Temple will amaze to see the beauty and grandeur of ancient ruins in temple premises. The temple sits amid lush vegetation in a rocky landscape.
There are fourteen different caves at the site of the Sankapala Temple. These natural caves have ancient inscriptions, structures, and artifacts. Each of these caves includes an ancient shrine room for Lord Buddha, while one of the caves possesses a shrine room for the god of Kataragama. The longest cave occupies a length of over 60 feet. Sankapala Temple is an important historical place to visit while you are touring in Ratnapura city.
To sum up, Ratnapura city is rich in many natural wonders and historical gems. It is an ideal place to capture the rich scenic beauty of the Sri Lankan countryside. The above list shows the top things to do in Ratnapura and we guess none of the visitors to this lovely city would be disappointed. Welcome guys, Happy traveling to Ratnapura city!
Text by Magnificent Sri Lanka. Images from Wikimedia Commons, Pixabay, Dreamstime, and Picuki. All copyrights reserved by original authors.
