Kurunegala

Kurunegala is a city in the Wayamba Province of Sri Lanka.

Get in

By train

To the central station Colombo-Fort prices (Rs.) 1st class 300.00, 2nd class 160.00, 3rd class 85.00. Daily between 1:50AM to 5:36PM, twelve times, one and half hours. To Anuradhapura prices (Rs.) 1st class 320.00, 2nd class 170.00, 3rd class 95.00. Daily between 11:59AM to 10:26PM, six times, two or two and half hours.

Get around

• The local "Three-Wheelers" (Tuk-Tuk) are an amazingly cheap and exciting way of seeing the city, and they run well during the night. Negotiate the fee with the driver before you hop in as they do not have meters.
• Walking is also recommended - the centre is not that large - as a way of seeing shops, shopping area and other sights around the city.

See

• Algama Kanda Ancient Cave Temple (අල්ගම කන්ද පුරාණ ලෙන් විහාරය), Kande Temple Rd (25 km SW of Kurunegala in the village of Algama). 
• 🌍 Bathalagoda Tank (Bathalagoda Wewa), Ibbagamuwa Central College (13 km east of Kurunegala, at a serene and tranquil site in the village known as Batalagoda). built in pre Christian times for the water supply of an ancient city which for many centuries has been merely referred to as ‘Parana Nuwara’ since its original name was never known. 
• Central Market (At the centre). 
• Elephant Rock (Etha-gala). Isolated beach that can be reached in about 15 minutes through tuk-tuks. (updated Mar 2017)
• Ibbagala Raja Maha Viharaya (ඉබ්බාගල රජමහා විහාරය) (Ibba-gala (Tortoise Rock), halfway on to the buddha statue on the top of Ethagala Rock (Eastern part of the Town). 
• Kurunegala clock tower (At the centre of the city.). Built in 1922. 
• The Kurunegala Lake (outskirts of the town near to the Kurunegala-Dambulla road.). A large man-made water reservoir constructed by ancient kings. It is also used as a water supply source to the city 
• The Kurunegala Jumma Masjid. 
• Ras Vehera (Sesuruwa) Temple and Buddha Statue (රැස්වෙහෙර සස්සේරුව විහාර සංකීර්ණය), Reswehera Rd (on the Madagalla Road 65 km, North). 

Do

Buy

• Laksal - Janakala kendraya, Kandy Rd
• Seylin Handlooms - Colombo Rd, Vanduragala, Kurunegala

Eat

Drink

Sleep

• Bright Bravo Hotel, 3rd Level, Municipal Shopping Complex, ☎ [phone], [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. All rooms are air-conditioned and has satellite TV, inland and IDD telephone facilities. 
• Diya Dahara Hotel, 7 North Lake Rd, ☎ [phone], [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Overlooking Kurunegala Lake. 
• Hotel Kandyan Reach, 344-350, Kandy Rd (in Kandy-Kurunegala Highway), ☎ [phone], [phone], [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Three star hotel. Also offering wedding and conference hosting facilities. 
• Mid City Rest, 142/6, Bauddhaloka Rd (in the heart of the town), ☎ [phone]. Check-in: 1PM, check-out: noon. Surrounded with a well maintained garden. Eight spacious rooms with A/C and attached bathroom facilities. Delicious meals, homely atmosphere. 2,000. 
• Ranthaliya Thanayama, Lake Rd, ☎ [phone]. 
• Saru Ketha, 2nd Mile Post, Dambulla Rd (in the outskirts of the city), ☎ [phone]. An eco-friendly. 
• Seasons Hotel, North Lake Rd, ☎ [phone], [phone]. 
• Hotel Senasuma, Colombo Rd, ☎ [phone]. 
• Hotel Situ Medura, Mihindu Mawatha. 

Go next

• Kandy is 42 km from Kurunegala. The journey takes about 40 minutes by car along the Kurunegala-Kandy highway. Public/private buses to Kandy operate from the Kurunegala Central Bus Stand located in the middile of the city.
• Dambulla is reachable within an hour by car from Kurunegala. The distance is 52 km. Public/Private buses also operate between the two cities.