Kamburugamuwa Beach
Kamburugamuwa is a quiet, relatively undiscovered beach between Matara and Mirissa, sitting on the open southern coast and offering a…
Parey Dewa Temple (Island Temple)
Parey Dewa (sometimes written Paravi Duwa, meaning "Pigeon Island") is a beautiful small Buddhist temple built on a tiny rock…
Thalalla Beach
Thalalla Beach is a quiet stretch of open coastline south of Matara in the belt between the major beach towns,…
Matara Fort
Matara Fort is a Dutch colonial fortification built in the late 17th century on the peninsula where the Nilwala River…
Polhena Coral Reef
The Polhena Coral Reef is the primary natural feature of Polhena Bay near Matara — a shallow, accessible coral reef…
Polhena Beach
Polhena Beach is one of the finest snorkelling beaches in the Southern Province, located 2 kilometres south of Matara town…
Urubokka River Valley
The Urubokka River Valley in the hinterland of Matara District is a beautiful rural landscape of river gorges, paddy terraces,…
Star Fort, Matara
The Matara Star Fort is a small but perfectly preserved Dutch military fortification dating to 1763, built across the Nilwala…
Gandara Coastal Villages
The Gandara coastal area east of Matara encompasses a series of traditional fishing communities stretched along the shoreline between the…
Matara Lighthouse
The Matara Lighthouse stands on a low promontory near the seafront, serving as one of the active navigational lighthouses along…