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Ratnapura

Ratnapura (, ; , ) ("City of Gems" in Sinhala and Tamil) is a major city in Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of Sabaragamuwa Province, as well as the Ratnapura District, and is a traditional centre for the Sri Lankan gem trade. It is located on the Kalu Ganga (Black River) in south-central Sri Lanka, some southeast of the country's capital, Colombo. Ratnapura is also spelled as Rathnapura.

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Place details

Locality: Ratnapura
Region: Sabaragamuwa Province
Country: Sri Lanka
Population: 47,832

Travel guide

Get in

Public (SLTB) buses leave from Colombo regularly, taking around 4 hours. Bus routes 67 & 98 leave from Colombo Fort and routes 99 & 122 leave from Pettah. Bus route 122 for example departs 3-4 times per hour between 04:00 and 19:00 daily. However these are basic public buses. Travellers wanting a bit of comfort can take a private bus. Superline runs luxury buses each night at 22:00 and 23:00 from Pettah to Ratnapura for Rs 2260, but the arrival time is around 02:00.

See

thumb|300px|Road through Udawalawe National Park, near Ratnapura

Do

Visit some of the showrooms where you can purchase local gems Arrange a visit to some gem mines through some of the local guesthouses Visit local gem market most mornings except "poya" days in Newitigala (40 minutes drive away) up to 15:00.