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DeutschBadulla is the capital city of Uva Province, in Sri Lanka. It is not a beautiful city, but it is set in a beautiful landscape, and it has a functional, working-class authenticity often missed in more tourist-oriented Sri Lanka.
Understand
[edit | edit source]Get in
[edit | edit source]By train
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 | Note: In November/December 2025, Cyclone Ditwah damaged 70% of the Sri Lankan railway network. Trains from Badulla and Ella travel as far as Ambewela but don't continue to Kandy or Colombo. Further information on Sri Lanka Railways' website. |
| (Information last updated 01 Feb 2026) |
- 1 Badulla Railway station (in southern part of the town), ☏ +94 55-2222271. 4 trains per day to/from Colombo- 3 express day trains (9½ hours) and 1 night mail train (11 hours). Rs 520 / 325 (2nd / 3rd class).
By bus
[edit | edit source]- 2 Badulla Bus Station (on the King st., near to the Post Office). To Nuwara Eliya half hourly, until 4:30PM to Colombo between 7:30AM and 11PM, about seven hours, a dozen
Get around
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See
[edit | edit source]- 1 Muthiyangana Raja Maha Vihara. Buddhist temple in downtown.
- 2 St. Mark's church, Mahiyangana Rd. Anglican church.
- 3 St Mary's Church. Roman Catholic church.
- 4 Badulla Botanical Garden. Some lovely trees but unfortunately located next to a city rubbish dump. Rs 50.
Outside the city
[edit | edit source]- 5 Bogoda ancient wooden bridge.
- 6 Dunhinda Waterfall (Bridal Falls, දුන්හිඳ ඇල්ල) (5 km north). Height: 63 metres. Take bus No.314 (half hourly). Small entry fee.
Do
[edit | edit source]Buy
[edit | edit source]- 1 Badulla Market (බදුල්ල පොළ) (near the railway station). Fresh produce market.
Eat
[edit | edit source]- 1 Dosa Café. Sri Lankan fare along with dosas. All quite tasty and good value. Rs 300-1000 mains.
Drink
[edit | edit source]Sleep
[edit | edit source]- 1 Dunhinda Falls Inn, 35/11 1/1, Bandaranaike Mw, ☏ +94 55 2 223028. Wifi and restaurant with fries and toilets with plumbing. Rs 2978.
- 2 River Side Holiday Inn, 27, Lower King Street, ☏ +94 55 2 2090. Rooms: 6
- 3 Mount View Hotel, London Road, ☏ +94 552 229 256. Wifi, a/c, restaurant, terrace. Rs 5025.
- 4 The Heritage Resort, 205 Keppetipola Rd, ☏ +94 557 221 222. Rooms with bay windows, wifi, flat screen TVs (for all that TV-watching you plan to do), restaurant/pastry shop on premises. Rs 7445.
- 5 Sithara Estate Bungalow, Beragala-Hali Ela Highway (southwest of Badulla in Hali Ela), ☏ +39 055 229 4294. Tea plantation bungalow, with a friendly dog on premises. Kind of spendy though. from Rs 18612.
- 6 Nilgira Resort, 29 Ela Daluwa Rd (from the railway station take the pedestrian flyover bridge south). Lovely fully equipped rooms, each with a balcony overlooking a garden. Air conditioning. Fast wifi. Rs 6000 singles.
Go next
[edit | edit source]- Ella by train to see the great nature and 360 deg. circle in Demodara along the way
- Tangalle, Matara, Galle with the bus at 6:30AM from the bus terminal.