Ratnapura

Ratnapura (also transliterated as Rathnapura) is the capital city of Sabaragamuwa Province, located on the Kalu Ganga (Black River) in south-central Sri Lanka, some 101 km southeast of the country's capital, Colombo. Its name means 'City of Gems'.

The name of the town comes from the Sanskrit words ratna (gemstone) and pura (town). Ratnapura is in the "wet zone" of Sri Lanka, receiving significant year-round rain. Expect rain 20 days per month of between Apr - Nov, and rain just 10 days of the month in Dec - Mar. The dryest months are Jan & Feb.

The main bus stop is at 6.68333180.40221 Ratnapura Central Bus Station.  (updated Aug 2026) Public (SLTB) buses leave from Colombo regularly, taking around 4 hours. Bus routes 67 & 98 leave from Colombo Fort and routes 99 & 122 leave from Pettah. Bus route 122 for example departs 3-4 times per hour between 04:00 and 19:00 daily. However these are basic public buses. Travellers wanting a bit of comfort can take a private bus. Superline runs luxury buses each night at 22:00 and 23:00 from Pettah to Ratnapura for Rs 2260, but the arrival time is around 02:00.

The town can also be reached by bus from Avissawella, which is the terminus of the Kelani Valley Line, a commuter rail line in Colombo.

• Adam's Peak. A significant 2243-m mountain located 28 km away, but better reachable from the east. 
• Kitulgala. Nearby village on the Kelani River where The Bridge on the River Kwai was filmed. 
• 6.2480.281 Sinharaja Forest Reserve. A national park and a biodiversity hotspot which has been designated a Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site by UNESCO.  
• 6.43834480.8884562 Udawalawe National Park. It is famous for its large wild elephant population, making an excellent destination for safari-style tours.  

• Bopath Ella (turn left at Higgassena close to Kuruwita from the main Colombo - Ratnapura road go about 2 km). A pair of waterfalls which attract visitors from all over the country. You are allowed to bathe in this waterfall, but be warned that flash floods may appear in a matter of minutes. 
• Katugas Ella, Mahawalawatta (3 km from town). A popular water fall among locals. 
• Kirindi Ella, Pelmadulla Main road - Pelmadulla (4 km away from Ratnapura). The seventh highest waterfall in Sri Lanka. 
• Rajanawa (next to Ratnapura Kalawana main road in Marapana village). This beautiful seenary been captured in few famous Sinhala films. 

• Visit some of the showrooms where you can purchase local gems
• Arrange a visit to some gem mines through some of the local guesthouses
• Visit local gem market most mornings except "poya" days in Newitigala (40 minutes drive away) up to 15:00.

Local specialties include a type of palm candy.

Ratnapura is in a flood zone, as a consequence of being in the flood plain of the Kalu River. In the rainy season, you can keep an eye on the height of the river here.

Bus 98 (2.5 h) can take you to Udawalawe town, the starting point for safaris in Udawalawe National Park. The same bus also runs all the way to Pottuvil (7 h) which is the drop-off point for Arugam Bay.