Matale district, Sri Lanka

Places to visit near Matale

Matale is a town in Matale district, Sri Lanka, home to about 36,462 people. Within 50 km by road there are 112 places to visit — 25 buddhist sites, 17 hill stations & viewpoints, 13 lakes, dams & reservoirs and 12 forts & heritage. The must-see places are Sri Muthumari Amman Kovil (1 km), Aluviharaya Rock Cave Temple (4 km) and Bambarakiri Ella (11 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open Matale on the map

Matale at a glance

Location
Matale district, Sri Lanka
Population
about 36,462
Coordinates
7.4698° N, 80.6217° E
Places within 50 km
112 (33 must-see)
Best time to visit
October to March for buddhist sites; October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints
Nearest city
Kandy, 25 km
Airport
Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), 109 km

Top places to visit near Matale

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from Matale: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

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Things to see near Matale, by type

Buddhist sites near Matale

48 buddhist sites within 100 km of Matale. The closest is Aluviharaya Rock Cave Temple (4 km). Best time: october to march.

All buddhist sites in Sri Lanka →

Hill stations & viewpoints near Matale

40 hill stations & viewpoints within 100 km of Matale. The closest is Sunset View Point (16 km); the best-known is Arthur's Seat View Point (25 km). Best time: october to february for cool, clear air.

All hill stations & viewpoints in Sri Lanka →

Lakes, dams & reservoirs near Matale

36 lakes, dams & reservoirs within 100 km of Matale. The closest is Sembuwatta Lake (12 km). Best time: august to december when reservoirs are full and gates may open.

All lakes, dams & reservoirs in Sri Lanka →

Forts & heritage near Matale

35 forts & heritage within 100 km of Matale. The closest is Padiwita Ambalama (3 km). Best time: october to february.

All forts & heritage in Sri Lanka →

Waterfalls near Matale

31 waterfalls within 100 km of Matale. The closest is Bambarakiri Ella (11 km). Best time: july to january, best august to november right after rains.

All waterfalls in Sri Lanka →

Wildlife, forests & gardens near Matale

30 wildlife, forests & gardens within 100 km of Matale. The closest is National Spice Garden of Sri Lanka (4 km); the best-known is Knuckles Forest Reserve (23 km). Best time: november to march for sightings.

All wildlife, forests & gardens in Sri Lanka →

A one-day trip from Matale

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 67 km on the road.

  1. Start in Matale
  2. 12 km Sembuwatta Lake · lake, Matale
  3. 8 km Bambarakiri Ella · waterfall, Matale
  4. 11 km Sri Muthumari Amman Kovil · temple, Matale
  5. 3 km Aluviharaya Rock Cave Temple · Buddhist site, Matale
  6. 16 km Monaragala Viharaya - Rambadagalla · Buddhist site, Kurunegala
  7. 17 km Back to Matale

Plan a longer trip from Matale — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

From travellers near Matale

No traveller has reported from around Matale yet. Been to one of these places recently? Open it and post what you found — is the waterfall flowing, how crowded was the temple, is the beach safe — so the next visitor knows before they drive.

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How to reach Matale

  • By air: Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), Colombo — about 109 km by road
  • By air: Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota — about 179 km by road
  • By road from Kandy: about 25 km · directions
  • By road from Dambulla: about 56 km · directions
  • By road from Sigiriya: about 70 km · directions

All places near Matale by distance

Within 15 km of Matale

15–50 km — half-day trips

50–100 km — one-day trips

Count by type (within 100 km)

Places near Matale by type
TypeWithin 50 kmWithin 100 kmNearest
Buddhist sites2548Aluviharaya Rock Cave Temple (4 km)
Hill stations & viewpoints1740Sunset View Point (16 km)
Lakes, dams & reservoirs1336Sembuwatta Lake (12 km)
Forts & heritage1235Padiwita Ambalama (3 km)
Waterfalls1031Bambarakiri Ella (11 km)
Wildlife, forests & gardens1630National Spice Garden of Sri Lanka (4 km)
Museums812Wax Museum - Ehelepola Walauwwe (24 km)
Other attractions37Bogambara (25 km)
Caves25Duwili Ella and Duwili Ella Cave (25 km)
Temples24Sri Muthumari Amman Kovil (1 km)
Rivers, islands & mangroves24Srí Lanka (18 km)
Parks12Pitawala Pathana, Riverston (21 km)
Churches11St. Anthony's National Shrine - Wahakotte | (35 km)

Matale: questions travellers ask

What are the best places to visit near Matale?

Sri Muthumari Amman Kovil (temple, about 1 km), Aluviharaya Rock Cave Temple (Buddhist site, about 4 km), Bambarakiri Ella (waterfall, about 11 km), Sembuwatta Lake (lake, about 12 km), Monaragala Viharaya - Rambadagalla (Buddhist site, about 17 km), Rideeviharaya (Buddhist site, about 20 km).

How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Matale?

112 places on Spotwander: 25 buddhist sites, 17 hill stations & viewpoints, 13 lakes, dams & reservoirs, 12 forts & heritage, 10 waterfalls.

Which is the nearest Buddhist site to Matale?

Aluviharaya Rock Cave Temple, about 4 km by road; Kawatayamuna Purana Rajamaha Viharaya (12 km) is next.

Which is the nearest viewpoint to Matale?

Sunset View Point, about 16 km by road; Hulangala Mountain - View Point (17 km) is next.

Which is the nearest lake to Matale?

Sembuwatta Lake, about 12 km by road; Polgolla Dam (21 km) is next.

What is a good one-day trip from Matale?

Start in Matale, visit Sembuwatta Lake, then Bambarakiri Ella, then Sri Muthumari Amman Kovil, then Aluviharaya Rock Cave Temple, then Monaragala Viharaya - Rambadagalla, and drive back — about 67 km by road in all.

What is the best time to visit places near Matale?

October to March for buddhist sites; October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints.

How do I reach Matale?

By air: Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), about 109 km by road. By road: 25 km from Kandy.

Towns near Matale

Nearest cities

Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; Matale’s location and population from GeoNames. Data sources & credits.