We started the day with a leisurely brunch at Morning Star Mirissa, an excellent way to fuel up for the rest of the day.
We took the local bus towards Matara, one of the major towns on Sri Lanka’s southern coast and the terminus of the southern railway line. Crossing into town, we saw the Nilwala River which flows into the sea here. We reached the Matara Bus Stand, the transportation hub in the heart of the town.
From here we continued a few kilometres further to Dondra Head — the southernmost point of Sri Lanka. Walking towards it, we saw the Devinuwara Raja Maha Viharaya with its iconic Buddha Statue and the Devinuwara Uthpalawanna Sri Vishnu Maha Dewalaya.
The Dondra Head Lighthouse, now surrounded by coconut palms, was built by the British in 1889 from white coral stone. It is the tallest lighthouse in Sri Lanka at just over 49 metres. It was decommissioned and is no longer operational, but it remains well-maintained.
The road ends at the sea, a short walk to the rocky shore. From here it is open Indian Ocean all the way to Antarctica. Waves that have crossed thousands of kilometres of open ocean arrive here with considerable force, crashing over the boulders and sending spray high into the air. This was very different compared to the relatively calm waters of Mirissa Turtle Bay. We sat on the rocks and spent a good while just watching the magnificent power of the ocean.
After spending some time here, we returned to Matara and saw Pigeon Island. Known locally as Ran Dūpata or Parei Dūpata / Paravi Duwa, this was a small island just off the coast of Kotuwegoda in Matara. A nice pedestrian footbridge connects the mainland to the island temple. From here we took the bus back to Mirissa.
