Matara
Matara is a working town on Sri Lanka's south coast, with a market, an old fort and Dondra Point a short ride away. Many visitors use it as a base for the beach villages to the east.
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Matara is a city on Sri Lanka's south coast, in the Southern Province, and the southern end of the Coastal Line railway from Colombo. Most of it is a working town, with a daily market, shops, a river mouth and an old fort. Many travelers pass through by train or road on the way to beaches farther along the coast, so the town often feels like a stop on the way.
Most visitors come for Dondra Point, a short ride out of town, where a lighthouse stands near the island's southernmost tip. Mirissa, the best-known beach village on this stretch, is a short ride east. Matara suits travelers who want an ordinary town as a base and are happy to reach the beaches on day trips. Plan on one or two days. November to April is the drier season on this coast, which makes the walk around the fort and the beaches more comfortable.
Matara in five
- Use Matara as a supplies and transport stopMatara is a working city with markets and bus and train links, so it is the practical place to restock between beach villages. Most travelers sleep in Mirissa and come here for the day.Mirissa travel guide
- Look to Dondra Point for whale watchingDondra Point, the southern headland near Matara, is one of two spots Sri Lanka Tourism singles out for whale watching. Choose an operator that follows the SLTDA distance rules.Sri Lanka Tourism
- Stay inside the carriage on the coastal trainThe FCDO warns of fatal accidents when visitors hang out of open train doors or windows, and of theft and pickpocketing on trains. Stay inside while the train moves and mind your bags.UK travel advice
- Agree the tuk-tuk fare firstThe FCDO advises agreeing a price before you set off or using a tuk-tuk with a working meter, and says you can book taxis through local and international taxi apps.
- Head east toward Bundala and TissamaharamaThe south-coast road continues east, and the CCF lists Tissamaharama among its heritage sites. Bundala's wetland, a Ramsar site, is the usual nature stop in that direction.Bundala National Park
Need to know
- Airport
- Bandaranaike (CMB); a long road transfer to the south coast
- Getting there
- The south-coast road and the coastal railway line
- Getting around
- Tuk-tuks and local buses
- Best base
- Matara for services; Mirissa for the beach
- Time needed
- A half day, or a night when moving east
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryRain15 rainy daysHigh29°Low23°Calm seaJanuaryRain
Best
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 23°
- Precipitation
- 117 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Calm sea
- FebruaryPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh30°Low24°Calm seaFebruaryPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 24°
- Precipitation
- 59 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Calm sea
- MarchRain16 rainy daysHigh30°Low25°Hot, calm seaMarchRain
Best
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 25°
- Precipitation
- 86 mm
- Rainy days
- 16
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, calm sea
- AprilRain22 rainy daysHigh30°Low26°Hot, showersAprilRain
Good
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 26°
- Precipitation
- 138 mm
- Rainy days
- 22
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, showers
- MayRain28 rainy daysHigh30°Low26°Southwest monsoonMayRain
Poor
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 26°
- Precipitation
- 308 mm
- Rainy days
- 28
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Southwest monsoon
- JuneRain25 rainy daysHigh29°Low26°Rough seaJuneRain
Good
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 26°
- Precipitation
- 169 mm
- Rainy days
- 25
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Rough sea
- JulyRain23 rainy daysHigh29°Low26°Rough seaJulyRain
Good
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 26°
- Precipitation
- 141 mm
- Rainy days
- 23
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Rough sea
- AugustRain23 rainy daysHigh29°Low25°Rough seaAugustRain
Good
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 25°
- Precipitation
- 169 mm
- Rainy days
- 23
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Rough sea
- SeptemberRain26 rainy daysHigh29°Low25°ShowersSeptemberRain
Mixed
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 25°
- Precipitation
- 234 mm
- Rainy days
- 26
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Showers
- OctoberRain25 rainy daysHigh29°Low25°Rains, humidOctoberRain
Mixed
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 25°
- Precipitation
- 253 mm
- Rainy days
- 25
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Rains, humid
- NovemberRain24 rainy daysHigh29°Low25°ShowersNovemberRain
Mixed
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 25°
- Precipitation
- 314 mm
- Rainy days
- 24
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Showers
- DecemberRain20 rainy daysHigh29°Low24°Calm seaDecemberRain
Good
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 24°
- Precipitation
- 161 mm
- Rainy days
- 20
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Calm sea
Average daily high and low in Matara (Galle), 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Matara
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
25
- Feels like
- 29°
- Humidity
- 92%
- Wind
- 7 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 97%
Mirissa
02:10 AM
Tuesday, November 3
- Today27°25°97%Tuesday: Rain. High 27°, Low 25°. Chance of rain 97%.
- Wed28°25°100%Wednesday: Thunderstorms. High 28°, Low 25°. Chance of rain 100%.
- Thu28°25°100%Thursday: Rain. High 28°, Low 25°. Chance of rain 100%.
- Fri28°26°100%Friday: Drizzle. High 28°, Low 26°. Chance of rain 100%.
- Sat28°26°97%Saturday: Drizzle. High 28°, Low 26°. Chance of rain 97%.
- Sun28°25°98%Sunday: Drizzle. High 28°, Low 25°. Chance of rain 98%.
- Mon28°25°98%Monday: Drizzle. High 28°, Low 25°. Chance of rain 98%.
Updated 10:18 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 332.4 LKR
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Before you go to Matara
We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.
Rules for Matara, checked
- FCDO: stay inside the train carriage while it moves; there have been fatal accidents when visitors hung out of open doors or windows.Checked Oct 6, 2026 · Source
- FCDO: agree a tuk-tuk price before you set off or use one with a working meter; taxis can be booked through local and international apps.Checked Oct 6, 2026 · Source
- Sri Lanka Tourism's 24-hour hotline is 1912, as listed by the FCDO.Checked Oct 6, 2026 · Source
Plan around Matara
Whale boats and the bay, a short ride west
Read the guideGalle travel guideThe fort, further along the coast
Read the guideBundala National ParkWetland birds on the road east
Read the guideGetting around Sri LankaDrivers, trains and buses compared
Read the guideSri Lanka ETAApply online before you fly
Read the guideAll of Sri LankaRoutes, seasons and entry rules
Read the guideMatara FAQ
Is Matara worth visiting?
As a stop, yes: it is a real working city with markets and transport, and it opens the road to Dondra Point and the east. As a destination, most travelers prefer a beach village such as Mirissa and treat Matara as a half day.
Matara or Mirissa: where should you stay?
Stay in Mirissa for the beach, whale-watching boats and a relaxed evening, and in Matara if you need services, a transport hub or a stop on the way east. The two are a short ride apart, so a day in Matara is easy from the bay.
How do you get from Matara to Bundala?
By road east along the south coast: hire a driver or take buses toward Tissamaharama and Hambantota, then a vehicle to the park. Check times locally, and reserve the park permit through the DWC system if you plan to enter.
Is there a train to Matara?
Yes, the coastal railway line serves the south coast. Check Sri Lanka Railways for current services, stay inside the carriage while the train moves, and keep your bag close, as the FCDO advises.
Can you see whales from Matara?
Dondra Point, close to Matara, is one of the two locations Sri Lanka Tourism lists for whales, and its trips connect with Galle, Hikkaduwa and Mirissa. Boats gather at Mirissa harbor, so most visitors book there.