Most of the tourist visit to Sri Lanka prefer to go by trains. There are two main Train lines in Sri Lanka. If anyone love to mountain range and the Hill country , They will have to go to Kandy and Badulla by Hill Country Train Line. But Many peoples love to beach side and they love to go for down south by Train to Galle and Mathara. Galle Road is the oldest access road from Colombo to Matara. Then came the train and with the recent upheaval of expressways it is now possible to reach Matara in an hour and a half from Kottawa high way entry point. But traveling by train to Matara has been a great way for train lovers to see the coastal environment since then.
Traveling by train is not as tiring as traveling by bus or other means. In Sri Lanka train is not yet air conditioned and the glass is not sealed but there are few apartments in some trains with this facility, so the strong winds blowing in from outside blow our breath away. The train ride across the South Coast is a majestic train ride that offers a breathtaking view to both children and adults alike.
1. 1st attraction – Mount Lavinia Beach
The train runs towards Bambalapitiya (Colombo -04) in Kollupitiya (Colombo -03) just after Galle Face, and when there are strong waves, the railway line itself is close enough to the sea waves. No matter how much you look at the waves crashing on the rocks, it doesn’t happen. If you are coming towards Colombo, you can clearly see the new Chinese port of Colombo in the vicinity of the sea border. Ships parked outside the Port of Colombo until permitted are often seen off the coast.
2. Panadura Fishing Harbor and Kalutara Estuary and Temple
Kalutara Bo tree is a famous Bo tree which is revered by the Buddhists. The Bo tree is located near the Black River on a narrow plot of land between the highway and the railway line. The Kalutara Bo tree as well as the Kalutara Chaitya can be seen within that boundary. The South Kalutara Railway Station is located close to the estuary where the Kalu River flows into the sea. The bridge and estuary are also beautiful. The estuary of Panadura River which is found in Panadura before Kalutara and has a fishing harbor is a beautiful view. The various colored boats parked there are clearly visible to the naked eye from the train.
3. Coconut Plantations and Toddy Industry
Coconut cultivation on the south coast is an industry dating back to the Dutch era with a history of more than three hundred years. This coconut plantation which starts from Wadduwa in Paiyagala has spread to Matara. If you look closely near the Paiyagala Wadduwa you can see that the coconut trees are tied together and some of the trees have a thick pot hanging from the stalk. Those trees are connected to each other so that they can move easily from one to the other. The pots are hung to cut the coconut blossom from the tree and collect the incoming oil. Coconut arrack made in Sri Lanka before World War II was a popular liquor around the world. Coconut arrack is still produced on a small scale and this extract is used for this purpose. You can smell toddy pots of urine on the train, but you can’t drink toddy on the train.
4. Unnamed Train Station Near the Panadura City
The nearest railway station to Wadduwa is No.1. If there is a railway station named after such a number, it is No. 1. When the name of one village was used in this boundary which was like the border of two villages, the people of the other village started quarreling . The same was happened of the village before the other village was named. Eventually the station had to be renamed and numbered.
5. Galle Station
If a child on his way to Matara on the coastal road for the first time in Galle asks, “Why is this going back to Colombo?” The mother often has to be safe. In fact, in Galle, the train travels back to Colombo, turns a corner and travels to Matara. According to ancient records, this was done to protect the fort wall of the city of Galle. However, due to this location, the railway station is close to the Galle bus stand. In Galle, the railway station is located close to the main bus stand.
6. Mangrove and Lagoon Environment
Weligama Polwathumodara also has a beautiful beach and lagoon view. The mangrove lagoon environment is a bit far-fetched in modern times, but the Southern Railway is one of the few places where I can see my mangrove environment. The mangroves as well as the coastal environment, the seashore as well as the associated natural rock formations, small swamps, estuaries, etc.
7. Peraliya Village – Buddha Statue
If there is one place in the world where the largest number of people have died in a train accident, it is the Peraliya train that was hit by the 2004 tsunami. A large Buddha statue has been erected near the site to commemorate the occasion. Also, if you look closely at the South Coast, you can see the ruins of the tsunami, the largest natural disaster in Southeast and South Asia, more than 13 years ago.
8. Fisheries
A man fishing with a net some day near a lagoon in the coastal area. When the nets are being pulled, the nets are pulled saying ‘Hela helai..hela helai’ Nowadays, poachers are more likely to go to the beach to earn a living than to look for bait to catch a fish. Elsewhere is a small boat near a fishing harbor. Various events of such fishing industry can be seen to some extent on this Southern Railway journey.
Train Time Table From Colombo Fort To Mathara
Later attempts were made to popularize passenger trains on the colonial railways, which were based on freight transport. Under this the train running to Matara was named as Ruhuna Kumari. Apart from the special express train which leaves Fort at 6 am on weekends at present, the Ruhunu Kumari train arrives at Matara in the shortest possible time. It leaves Matara at around 6 am but runs from Colombo at 3.50 pm.Although the train was slightly congested, the Sagarika train which left Colombo at 04.40 pm for Matara is not to enjoy your way and seeing the beach . It is a very busy train as many of its office workers make it easy to travel. The train that leaves Fort at 06.55 am is the best way to experience the splendor on both sides of the railway line from Colombo to Matara.
Tourist attraction in Sri Lanka
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