Tour Destination
Matale
A hill town of extraordinary character, Matale offers fragrant spice gardens, ancient cave temples, and dramatic scenery on the road between Colombo and Kandy.
A hill town of extraordinary character, Matale offers fragrant spice gardens, ancient cave temples, and dramatic scenery on the road between Colombo and Kandy.
Explore
Matale, nestled between Kandy and the Cultural Triangle, is one of Sri Lanka's most underrated destinations. Often bypassed by travellers rushing between attractions, those who pause to explore discover a town of genuine character, surrounded by spice plantations, ancient temples, and spectacular highland scenery.
The Matale Spice and Herbal Garden is a fascinating stop where you can see and smell the plants that made Sri Lanka famous as the "Spice Island" — cinnamon, cardamom, pepper, cloves, nutmeg, and dozens of Ayurvedic herbs are all grown and explained by knowledgeable guides. The tour ends with a chance to purchase high-quality, authentic spices directly from the source.
The magnificent Aluvihare Rock Temple, a cave temple carved into a granite outcrop, is where Sri Lanka's Theravada Buddhist scriptures (the Pali Canon) were written down for the first time in 100 BCE. The caves contain beautiful 18th-century murals depicting the life of the Buddha and scenes from Buddhist mythology.
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