"Matugama:" a Matugama Travel Page by Maxus

I am not suggesting that the bustling market town of Matugama is a must see place, there is nothing here to interest the independent traveller except maybe the bus stations (there are two by the way, one private and one CTB) To be honest there’s no tourist sights and nothing here that you can’t find in elsewhere, its just an ordinary Sinhalese town.

However, if you are staying in the Bentota or Beruwala resorts and are fed up with being hassled by touts every time you step outside your hotel and are sick of paying a ‘special price’ for everything you buy in Aluthgama then it might be worth a look simply because its near, there are no touts (no one has ever tried to rip me off here) and you can get most things you might want to buy.

A trip to Matugama is a good introduction to using Sri Lankas buses. Direct buses from Aluthgama are frequent, cheap and take about an hour. Market day is Wednesday and Sunday. There are local eating places, an internet café* a large Christian Church and a Temple. There is also a Rest House (with a bar) but I don’t really know why you would want to spend the night here.

*Comment from grasshopper7570 Sat Mar 3, 2007 04:14 GMT
Internet cafe is now closed. Try Perovin computer shop on Agalawatta road about 1/3 km east of clock tower.

If you travel early morning, maybe 8am and return before 1.30pm you should miss the busiest buses.