landmark
Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
Sri Lanka's most important Buddhist temple, housing a relic of the tooth of Buddha in the hillside city of Kandy.
37 km · about 40 min drive
North Western Province, Sri Lanka · Asia
Kurunegala sits on the route: 30 minutes from Kegalle, 59km from Ramboda Falls.
Kurunegala is a town located in North Western Province, Sri Lanka. With a population of 28,571, it is an important destination in Asia.
On a road trip, Kurunegala sits in Sri Lanka. It's in the Asia/Colombo time zone. Below you'll find where to stay, things to do nearby, and everything you need to add Kurunegala to your route.
Kurunegala (Sinhala: කුරුණෑගල, IPA: [kurunæːɡələ]; Tamil: குருணாகல், IPA: [kuɾuɳaːɣɐl]) is a major city in Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of the North Western Province and the Kurunegala District. Kurunegala was an ancient royal capital for 50 years, from the end of the 13th century to the start of the 14thRead more
century. It is at the junction of several main roads linking to other important parts of the country. It is about 94 kilometres (58 mi) from Colombo, 42 kilometres (26 mi) from Kandy and 51 kilometres (32 mi) from Matale.
Located at an altitude of 116 metres (381 ft) above sea level, Kurunegala is surrounded by coconut plantations and rubber estates. There are eight very noticeable large rocks that encircle and dominate the city. Kurunegala's rocks rise from the plain below and have characteristic names, six of which come from the animals that they are imagined to represent. The largest among them is Ethagala or the "Elephant Rock" (though the translation is actually tusker), reaches 325 metres (1,066 ft). The shape of Ethagala resembles an elephant.
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Kurunegala offers many attractions including tourist sites, museums, parks, and local restaurants. Explore famous landmarks, scenic roads, and natural wonders on our interactive map and plan your visit.
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Kurunegala is located in North Western Province, Sri Lanka, Asia. The coordinates are 7.4839 latitude, 80.3683 longitude.
Kurunegala has a population of approximately 28,571 people, making it a town in Sri Lanka.
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4 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Sri Lanka's most important Buddhist temple, housing a relic of the tooth of Buddha in the hillside city of Kandy.
37 km · about 40 min drive
photogenic
A vertigo-inducing spiral tower on a hilltop near Gampola whose staircase narrows to shoulder width and ends with no handrail, giving a 360-degree view over the central highlands.
41 km · about 45 min drive
landmark
Five caves cut into a 160 m rock face, painted and filled with over 150 Buddha statues across two millennia of continuous use, the largest and best preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka.
52 km · about 60 min drive
waterfall
A 109 m waterfall in two tiers falling right beside the A5 at Ramboda Pass, on the tea-estate road between Kandy and Nuwara Eliya. Visible from the highway without leaving the car.
59 km · about 70 min drive
Year-round
Tropical latitude: plan around the wet season rather than temperature.
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