A powerful 63 m waterfall near Badulla, nicknamed the bridal-veil falls for the misty spray that cloaks its plunge.
🕑 07:00–17:00
⏱ ~1.5 hr
🎟 Entry: LKR 200
Badulla
The historic provincial capital of Uva, ringed by tea hills and home to ancient temples, colonial landmarks and the bridal-veil Dunhinda Falls.
Overview
Badulla is the capital and largest city of Uva Province, set in a bowl of tea-covered hills at the eastern end of the hill-country railway. It is an old, unhurried town centred on the sacred Muthiyangana Raja Maha Vihara and a British-era clock tower, and serves as the gateway to the Dunhinda Falls and the ancient Bogoda wooden bridge. Less touristed than nearby Ella, it offers an authentic taste of highland provincial life.
History
Badulla is one of the oldest towns in Sri Lanka, mentioned in ancient chronicles and long associated with the Muthiyangana temple, one of the island's sixteen most sacred Buddhist sites. It was an important outpost during the Kandyan Kingdom and later became a colonial administrative and tea-trading centre under the British, who marked the terminus of the Uva railway here.
Attractions
A rare 16th-century roofed wooden footbridge, said to be the oldest surviving bridge of its kind in Sri Lanka.
🕑 07:00–18:00
⏱ ~0.8 hr
🎟 Entry: LKR 100
An ancient Buddhist temple in the heart of Badulla, counted among the sixteen most sacred places of worship in Sri Lanka.
🕑 06:00–18:00
⏱ ~1.0 hr
🎟 Entry: Free
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Travel tips
- Combine a Badulla visit with the short jungle walk to Dunhinda Falls, best in the morning.
- Dress modestly at the Muthiyangana temple and remove shoes and hats before entering.
- The Bogoda wooden bridge lies about 7 km west of town on a rough road; hire a tuk-tuk or driver.
- Carry small change in rupees, as many local sites and buses do not take cards.
- Evenings are cool in the hills, so bring a light layer.
