Matara (originally Mahathota) is a city on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, 160 km from Colombo. It is one of the largest cities in Sri Lanka. The history of Matara dates back to the Anuradhapura period. Matara is full of natural scenic beauty, which is an attraction to the tourists.The river Nilwala has fertilized the whole area where one can see the stretch of paddy fields and tea estates with plantation of spices also taking an important place. Matara is also hometown to the famous Sri Lankan cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya and village in this district has been named after him – Sanath Jayasuriyagama
MATARA FORT – MATARA
Matara fort was built in 1640 by the Dutch as a fortification of a Portuguese garrison
HISTORY OF MATARA
Matara was once called ‘Mahathota’ that translates into ‘Great Ferry’. Matara has been under the rule of many rulers. The Portuguese administered Matara from 1790 to 1795, while the British ruled it from 1796 to 1948. The Dutch were also dominant forces in Matara for some time.
The sea front at the boundary of Matara city is half a kilometer in length and provides a serene look to tourists. There are also numerous small beaches lying in between Galle and Matara. Divers enjoy Hikkaduwa beach, where there is a marine sanctuary abundant with coral and tropical fish. Unawatuna beach near Galle provides a beautiful stretch of safe sandy beach. At Kudawella a novel feature is a blowhole that throws huge columns of water into the air when ocean waves break on the rocks.
Matara beaches are also known for Stilt fishing that means fishing by standing on stilts in the water.
