Ratnapura
Sabaragamuwa Province
About Ratnapura
Ratnapura means 'City of Gems', and for over two thousand years the alluvial gravels of this rain-soaked valley have yielded the sapphires, rubies, and cat's-eyes that made Ceylon famous - including, most spectacularly, the blue sapphires in the British Crown Jewels. Gem culture saturates the town: dealers cluster around the clock tower trading stones from folded papers, working pit mines dot the paddy fields (several welcome visitors down the timber-shored shafts), and small museums walk you from rough gravel to cut brilliance. Beyond gems, Ratnapura is a green and dramatic base: the Maha Saman Devale, one of the island's most important shrines, hosts a great Esala procession; Bopath Ella - the perfectly Bo-leaf-shaped waterfall - is just up the road; and the town commands both the wettest, oldest route up Adam's Peak and the northern gateways into Sinharaja rainforest.
Top Activities
- ✓Gem mine visits and dealer market
- ✓Gem museums and lapidary workshops
- ✓Maha Saman Devale temple
- ✓Bopath Ella waterfall trip
- ✓Sinharaja rainforest day trips
Nearby Attractions
Travel Tips
Buy gems only from licensed dealers and insist on certification.
Mine visits are fascinating but muddy - wear clothes you can ruin.
The Ratnapura Adam's Peak trail is for fit hikers; most prefer the Hatton route.
Quick Info
Best Time
January to April
Weather
One of the wettest towns in Sri Lanka - carry rain gear year-round.
Estimated Daily Budget
6.6828°N, 80.3992°E
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