National Spice Garden in Matale

Entrance of the Matale Spice Garden

The National Spice Garden, or something called Matale Spice Garden, is a nice place to visit in the Matale region of Sri Lanka. It covers more than 20 hectares of land. Here you can observe the wide range of spices that are being cultivated in Sri Lanka.

 

Location

Matale Spice Garden is situated 142km from Colombo and 25km from Kandy. It is 4km away from Matale City, and you need to drive the Madulkelle-Kabaragala road to reach the destination. You can come across this either if you are traveling from Kandy to Sigiriya or from Sigiriya to Kandy.

Here is the Google Maps location of the Matale Spice Garden:

 

Physical Address: National Spice Garden, Central Research Station, Matale, Sri Lanka

 

Spices

You can observe more than 15 spices in the Matale Spice Garden, including pepper, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, etc. As well, you can observe beetles and cocoa cultivations here. The resource persons will explain how these spices are cultivated, grown, harvested, and processed. You can apply that knowledge to start your own spice cultivation in your garden. The place is open to all locals and foreigners without charge. It offers guided tours for foreigners.

In the 15th–19th centuries, Sri Lanka was a world-renowned destination for spices. This has given the Europeans a compelling reason to seize this island. Matale is one of the best places on the island to cultivate most of the Sri Lankan spices.

 

Other Facts about Matale Spice Garden

The place is managed by the Department of Export Agriculture Sri Lanka, and the premises include an information center, a library, a sales center, and a conference hall. You can get all the information you need about technical advice, cultivation methods, harvesting, and value addition from their information center. In the library, you can browse many publications, including books and brochures. A sales center is a place where you can buy spice-related products for a reasonable price. Here, you have plenty of traditional remedies, cosmetic items, and much more to buy.

Tourists can also experience a free Ayurvedic body massage. You should note that spices and Ayurveda have a very close relationship. These spices are very friendly to your health. You are lucky in Sri Lanka because you can experience the taste of the spices with most of the Sri Lankan dishes.

 

Opening Times of Matale Spice Garden

Matale Spice Garden is open all days of the week. But it is open from 8.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on a normal day, while it is open all Sundays. There is no need to make pre-bookings, and it is open to all. If you have any further information, then you can easily dial the number below:

National Spice Garden Contact Number: 0662 222 945

 

Conclusion

There are many spice gardens in the Matale and Kandy areas. Ranweli Spice Garden is also another place where you can explore Sri Lankan spices. It is also situated close to Matale.

So, finally, we request that you visit this beautiful and significant place if you are touring both the Matale and Kandy areas.

 

Other beautiful places to visit in Matale:

  • Aluviharaya Temple
  • Nalanda Gedige Temple
  • Matale Hindu Temple

Bambarakiri Ella Waterfall in Matale

Bambarakiri Ella Waterfall in Matale

Bambarakiri Ella is a scenic waterfall located in the Rattota of the Matale District. This is a fabulous place to visit in Matale. The waterfall cascades in three parts. The height of the waterfall is 10 m. The area is considered the northern side of the Knuckles Mountain Range.

How to Reach Bambarakiri Ella Waterfall?

If you are coming from Kandy, Kurunegala, Dambulla, or Colombo, you must first arrive in Matale town. After Matale, you need to follow the B274 road from Matale-Illukkumbura-Girandurukotte. The distance from Matale to Bambarakiri Ella is 16 km. However, the distance from Rattota to the location is 6km.

Those who are starting from Ampara, Mahiyangana, Badulla or Polonnaruwa can follow the same route starting from the Hasalaka side. You can easily use Google Maps to find the exact location. Riverston is another well-known travel destination in the area. You have to follow the same route as B274 to reach that place also.

More information about Bambarakiri Waterfall

You have to walk at least 200m to get to the waterfall from the main road. The notice board with a bend has made it easy to find the place. There is a parking facility available for visitors. A few vendors and shops are also available near the waterfall. First you will see the old suspension bridge, from which you can clearly see the second cascade of the waterfall. The picture is absolutely enchanting for anyone. However, you should be careful when crossing the bridge.

You can walk very close to the waterfall. But don’t try to bathe in the nearest pool. It is dangerous and has caused a few deaths in the past few years. Anyhow, you can take selfies and beautiful photos there. Anyone can walk further to reach the first cascade of Bambarakiri Ella. But they need to walk a few meters towards the upper direction.

The Kunckles Mountain Range

The Knuckles Mountain Range and its forest reserve are an important biodiversity area of Sri Lanka. The Mountain Range covers a large area of both the Matale and Kandy Districts. The high plant diversity has made it difficult to enter the forest. There you can find many animal and plant species.

However, there are many beautiful travel destinations in the Knuckle Mountain Range. The Bambarakiri Ella and Riverston are some of the most popular places in the northern part of the Knuckles Range. The area is also superb for hikers and trekkers.

So, we request that you visit Bambarakiri Ella Waterfall during your tour in Matale. Sera Ella is another beautiful waterfall that is situated near the Riverston Mountains.

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(Cover Image Credit: @srilankan_views from Twitter)

Sembuwatta Lake in Matale

Sembuwatta Lake in Matale

Sembuwatta Lake is one of the must-visit travel destinations in the Matale District of Sri Lanka. It is situated near Elkaduwa, a small town in the Ukuwela divisional secteriant area. The distance from Kandy to Sembuwatta is 31 km, and from Matale it is 22 km. The place has become widely popular among local and international travelers in the last decade.

There are two major routes to reach Sembuwatta. first route from Kandy via Wattegama. The next route is from Matale via Ukuwela. You can easily find the location with Google Maps. Since its opening in 2005, the area has been managed by Elkaduwa Plantation Company. You should buy a ticket to enter the location.

Sembuwatta Lake and its surroundings are absolutely beautiful and nice to see. The cold breeze will bring amazing feelings to anyone. There is a forest near the lake, and it’s called “Campbell Lane Forest.” The majority of the forest is pine trees. You can also see tea estates in the area. The elevation of the area is 1072m. So, you will feel the cold weather. The average annual temperature is around 20’C and the average annual rainfall in the area is around 2000 mm.

Sembuwatta Lake was built in 1949. It was a polo ground in the British Era of Sri Lanka. Later, it became a lake to generate essential electricity for the tea factory. The lake has been made up with natural water streams. It is 9–12 m deep and not allowed for bathing. Anyhow, it is open for many water activities. There is another small pool near the main lake for bathing activities. So, you can bathe there.

Summer huts are available for those who would like to spend the night in Sembuwatta. are also available for those who don’t like to stay in them. But you need to get permission to do that. So, we request that you visit this place if you love to travel in central Sri Lanka.

Read More:

Hakgala Botanical Garden

(Sembuwatta Lake Image Source: @diskdimuth from Instagram)

Hunas Falls Waterfall in Matale

Hunas Falls Waterfall in Matale

Hunas Falls Waterfall is a beautiful waterfall that is situated in the Matale District of Sri Lanka. This is a nice place to visit if you are seeking the best places in both the Matale and Kandy areas. The distance to the waterfall from Kandy City is 25km. But the distance from Matale City is 21km.

Hunnasgiriya Mountain is a prominent peak in the Knuckles Mountain Range. Situating at the bottom part of the mountain, the waterfall has got this name. Elkaduwa is the nearest town to the waterfall. The route from Elkaduwa to Hunas Falls is dotted with a lot of spice plants. The entire area is very calm and beautiful.

You can use Google Maps to find the location. There is a parking facility available to stop your vehicle. Then you need to buy a ticket to enter the waterfall. The place and its surrounding tea gardens are managed by Elakduwa Plantation Company.

Hunas Falls Waterfall is not a natural waterfall. It is a recently constructed artificial waterfall. Height of the waterfall is 48m. This consists of two parts, and travelers can reach it near the waterfall. The place is safe for anyone to travel to. You can see a small bridge between those two parts. The picture of the waterfall is really amazing in the mornings and afternoons. Please don’t forget to bring a camera.

There is a park at the bottom of the waterfall. You can wait and rest in the summer huts that are placed in the park. After watching the waterfall, you can visit the upper parts of the Hunnasgiriya Mountain. But you need to get permission to go there.

Hunnas Falls Waterfall is a nice place to travel with your family. Here are some of the places to visit in the Matale area:

  • Sembuwaththa Lake
  • Riverston Mountain
  • Kalebokka Division
  • Sera Ella

 

(Featured image source: Thaproban and credit should goes to the original owner)