The mountains of abound with waterfalls of exquisite beauty. Numbering more than hundred and many of them is virtually unknown, hidden away in forest or approached by steps and remote tea plantation tracks. In fact for it size Sri Lanka has recorded water falls than another country.
Sri Lanka numerous reveres, fed by two half ・yearly monsoons, with topography of high and steeply scarped pen plains, and river beds of hard erosion-resistant metamorphic rock, all provide ideal ingredient for the formation of waterfalls
The island is divided into nine provinces. Of them waterfalls are abundance in the hill region which includes Central, Uva, Sabaragamuwa and parts of Western provinces. The Southern province has several water falls too. Dry zone (North, North-Central, North-Western and Eastern) hardly has any water falls other than the spill of major man made reservoirs.
Ravana Falls
Situated on the Ella -Wellawaya road, this beautiful water fall lies visible from the main road itself. The water rushing down over several steps adds more hues to it’s sublime beauty. The main drop, however, is 30 ft. In height. It derives its name from the mythical king Ravana of the great Indian epic The Ramanya. A perfect place for a stop over.
Diyaluma Falls
On the Poonagala Oya river off the Koslanda- Wellawaya road over a straight rock wall. lies this magnanimous water fall, 559 ft in height. Its distance from Wellawaya town is 13 kms, while that from Koslanda is 6kms. Diyaluma is seen as a soft veil hanging endlessly from the top of a mountain. It is visible from the Balangoda - Wellawaya highway too.
Bopath Falls
Just 15 kms from the Colombo- Ratnapura road, it falls from a height of 100ft into the Kurd gang river. The formation itself is a rare beauty with a perfectly heart shaped head, resembling the leaf of the sacred Bo tree, hence the name Bopath. Also a popular picnic spot, it is bound to take your breath away.
Bambarakanda falls
789 ft in height, Bambarakanda is the tallest water fall of the island- a spectacle that reverberates the glory of nature in its every nuance. However, it throbs with life only during the wet season. The best way to access this marvel of nature is along a minor but mortable road via Haputale and Kalupahana, 22 kms from Balangoda or 32 km from Wellawaya
Dunhinda Waterfall
"Dunhinda" is one of the mostly spoken-about waterfalls in Sri Lanka. Although she couldn't come even close to the highest waterfalls of the planet in height she rivals many of them when it comes to the natural beauty that it bestows on the environment . Situated about 2 km distance from the main road which runs to Taldena from the remote city Badulla in the Uva Province this is easily accesible and frequently visited by local and foreign visitors. On the way can be seen the "Kuda Dunhinda" ( "Kuda" means small in Sinhala ) which is the prologue to its mighty brother . In native tongue "Dun" means mist or vapour which is the ideal explanation for a waterfall creating wreathes of mist on its way down.
Devon Waterfalls
With a peculiar appearance imparted to it by its formation in three continuous cascades this waterfall christened "Devon Falls" pours down to the valley beneath not a long distance away from its brother the "St. Clairs". On the main road opposite to it there is situated a modern tea centre finding its abode thankful to this "Veil ( Bridal ) of the Vale ( i.e. valley )". Driving from Colombo, the capital, via Avissawella one suddenly catches this unearthly sight which is to be soon enhanced by the grandeur of the "St. Clairs". This beauty too is endangered by the above-mentioned power plant beast
St.Clairs Waterfall
These majestic "St.Clairs" falls are close to the main road from Avissawella to Nuwara-Eliya and can well be seen from the Main Line rail track close to Talawakelle. It falls down in two cascades and is an inviting site for regular bathers because it is fairly easily reacheable from a footpath ( actually there are many ) downhill through greeny tea shrubbery. Named after a British colonist, these are one of two waterfalls threatened by a proposed hydro-power scheme in the area
