Dondra Head Lighthouse
Southern Province
About Dondra Head Lighthouse
Dondra Head is the very bottom of Sri Lanka: a low, palm-covered promontory where the island runs out and the Indian Ocean stretches unbroken toward the pole. Standing over it is the country's tallest and most elegant lighthouse - an octagonal white tower of 49 metres, built by the British in 1890 from stone shipped out from Scotland and Cornwall, its light still guiding one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. The keepers sometimes allow visitors to climb the spiral stairs for a wind-blasted panorama of coast and ocean; even from the ground, the tower against racing monsoon clouds is a photographer's gift. Nearby, the ancient Devinuwara temple to the god Upulvan hosts a major Esala festival, and blue whales cruise offshore in season - the same waters worked by the whale boats from Mirissa, twenty minutes west.
Top Activities
- ✓Lighthouse visit (climb when permitted)
- ✓Southernmost-point photography
- ✓Devinuwara temple visit
- ✓Whale watching from Mirissa nearby
- ✓Coastal walks at the headland
Nearby Attractions
Travel Tips
Climbing permission depends on the keeper on duty - ask politely.
Late afternoon light flatters the white tower best.
Combine with Matara's forts and a Mirissa sunset.
Quick Info
Best Time
November to April
Weather
Warm and breezy year-round; dramatic skies in monsoon months.
Estimated Daily Budget
5.9214°N, 80.5906°E
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