Situated in Sabaragamuwa province, Ratnpura is one of the main districts in the province. Famous for gem mining, many people here relies on gem businesses for living. One of the longest rivers in Sri Lanka (Kalu river) provides the foundation for it’s gems Businesses. The city it self is surrounded by this giant river and occasionally gets flooded due to heavy rain. Sinharaja forest ‘UNESCO’ heritage forest area is also located in Ratnapura. The area gets more than 100mm rains every year thus reminding us of the humid atmosphere.

Come along with us as we uncover this majestic land exploring ‘Sabaragamuwa’ culture.


Echos of Water

There is a reason why Ratnapura considered as the district which has most water ways and water falls. Everywhere you go you will be able to see water ways where people get their basic needs done. Some of them are easy to approach but most are difficult due to rural landscape.

Mapalana Falls



Located just 25km away from the Ratnpura city, this un-touched water fall is majestic to behold. Once you turn left from the main city to Sri Palabaddala road you need to take a 1 hour drive approximately 27km straight to the Mapalana Falls. Location map link is attached below. The specific area this waterfall situated is known as ‘Sri Palabeddala’ which is the main road to the buddhist sacred temple ‘Sri Padhaya’. As for the mode of travel, the ideal vehicle would be bikes. You can also consider cabs or a jeeps because of the steep road structure. You can park the vehicle at a nearby household and then take a 2kn hike to the waterfall. The hike itself is also picturesque as you walk beside a tea plantation.

Once you reach the waterfall, you will be greeted with droplets of water crashing down to the rocks. There are no words to express the feeling of relaxation when a breeze of water drops hitting you. The water is not too deep but be careful when stepping on wet rocks as it may be slippery. You can spend hours if not days camping and nobody will ever bother.


Hidden Waterfall on the way to Adams Peak


You need to be on the Kuruwita Adams Peak route to meet this place. Specifying the directions to this place is difficulty since it is not marked even on google maps. But roughly after 3-4km you will see the steep and the water way. There is only one passage that leads there so, be mindful about the route. The entire landscape is a solid rock covered with thick forest either side. A small waterfall fills a pool like waterway which you can cool down. I suggest the best time to visit this place is when it is sunny and afternoon. The place is so isolated that you won’t see any human habitats nearby.


Secret Gateway near Kimbulawala Village




A waterway so rural that there is no exact path to it. Hidden inside a small village there is a natural pool to relax. The way to the village is through a rubber tea plantation. Bikes are the only mode of transportation to this place. The destination is 12km away from Ratnapura City and you need to take the Kimbulawela village route in order to get through the rubber plantation. But as we heard, there are several other ways to approach this waterfall but none of them are accessible to large vehicles. Once you get there you can just relax under the shade of massive trees and go for a quick dip in the natural pool. We’ve heard from villagers that there are indeed wild cats living in the area so best to enjoy in the morning till afternoon. The place is a natures wonder so take only the fond memories of this place and don’t litter.


Kirindi Ella



An unique water fall situated in Pelmadulla. 19km to Pelmadulla town and you need to take a left turn to the school junction. The junction directly leads to the kirindi ella falls. Location link is attached below. Unlike massive amount of water crashing down, here we can see a calm waterfall dropping down to the ground. The experience you will get from here will be unlike anything you can see. The calmness of the water splashing to the flat plain formed a massive pool like surface. You can enjoy a relaxing bath in here. The ideal time to visit this magnificent place would be around 3-5pm. The sunsets are a sight to see while you relax. Make sure to leave before it gets dark because sometimes the rocks tend to be a bit slippery on the surface.