Dambora Falls

The fall (10m in height) is created by a waterway of the Wakoya River and was formerly known as Demala Falls as the Tamil (Dravidian/Demala) labourers used to wash here. Dambora Falls is located near Labugama Reservoir in the village of Dambora (Hanwella Divisional Secretariat), Colombo District (Avissawela Electorate).

Madolsima Ella Falls

This is not a famous Fall, yet a charming one. If you look at the middle part of the photograph, a metal tube can be seen. It was for the diversion of water to make electricity and done in 1940s. Still it is well maintained and the diversion did not affect the beauty but help to appreciate it better as a staircase was made over the metal tube to descend below. 

It is of 10m height, situated off Hatton in the Balangoda road.

Vada Hiti Ella (Lakshapana Falls)

The old name of this beautiful and Gigantic water fall is "where a vadda was" (- vadda is an ancient tribe man.) 

It was named as "lakshapana"-meaning a 100,000 bulbs- reminding us the first hydroelectric project that was undertaken successfully in this country.

It is 129m (413ft) height and now flows less water due to the tank made.

Movini Ella Falls

This beautiful 20m (66ft) waterfall is situated along the road from Maskelliya to Adam's peak and the water flows to the Maskelliya tank

Adam's peak (Seetha Gangula) Falls

Situated at the southern corner of the "Maskeliya oya" tank and flowing from the sacred Adam's peak (Sri Pada) mountains. It is about 10m (33ft) height.

The name in sinhala means Cold river.

Diyagalla Ella Falls

This was a beautiful water fall which had been completely wiped off by man. It was situated close to Ginigathhena along the N'Eliya road.

It was 20m (66ft) in height and now non-existing due to the diversion of its flow for some irrigation scheme. This may be one of it's last photographs.

Hunnas Falls

A man made waterfall close to Kandy, the Last Kingdom of Sri Lanka. 

It is about 60m (200ft) in height and plunges over a steep rock from an artificial lake made by the famous "Hunnas Tourist Hotel".

Gerandi Ella Falls

A 100m (330ft) waterfall very close to the "Ramboda Fall" plunges to the same "Ramboda basin".

You can see, there it's upper part was covered with fog and yet a very attractive scenery

Devathura Ella Falls

This also consists of three falls and the lowest which is close to the road at the "ramboda pass", is shown in the photo. it is about 10m (33ft) in height. If the Weather permits one can see the rest within the jungle above the fall.

Poona Oya Ella Falls

In the same location as above (at Ramboda Inn), there are about 5 waterfalls descending down to make the Kothmale river. One of them is "Poona Oya Ella Falls" which is actually a twin fall.

It is about 100m (330ft) and both falls about 4m away from each other. This is seen from A-5 road at 53km post and there is an observation site there.

Ramboda Ella Falls

A gigantic water fall having three parts and very close to the 53km post along the above A-5 trunk road. The first part is above the road in the jungle (100m), second part is close to the road (3m) and the third part (100m)is below the road.

Traveler should descends to the "Ramboda basin", where the famous "Ramboda Inn" situated from where he can see the whole fall. When we were there the upper part was covered with a fog and what you see in the picture was the third part. If look carefully, one can notice a bus on the bridge over the A-5 road at the top of the photo.

Hellboda Ella Falls

This is by the side of A-5 trunk route Kandy to N'Eliya east of Pussellawa.

It is about 60m (197ft) when both parts taken together and a very attractive yet simple water fall. It is by the side of the road and one can almost descends to the foot of the fall.

Galagediyana Ella Falls

This water fall is very close to Colombo can be reached off Dedigama - where the famous Kotavehera Dagaba. If travel from Kotavehera to Stripura (where palace queens were hidden in times of war)- a cave temple with a magnificent stone arch- and then alone the same road to Kegalle.

The Lovers Leap Ella

The 100 feet high Lovers Leap begins it`s journey as a fountain at the Southern slope of Sri Lanka`s highest mountain Pidurutalagala. The falls can be seen from the town Nuwara Eliya.

Wadakada Waterfall

Wadakada is a typical rural Sri Lankan village encompassed between two highways which connect Colombo to the city of Kurunegala. There lived a poet called Wadakada Navaratne who shared the unspoilt beauty and calmness in his village with many a stranger through his ever-remembered poems which begins to linger and echo in one's ears as one steps into this far away place

St.Clair's Waterfall

These majestic "St.Clairs" falls are close to the main road from Avissawella to Nuwara-Eliya and can well be seen from the Main Line rail track close to Talawakelle. It falls down in two cascades and is an inviting site for regular bathers because it is fairly easily reacheable from a footpath ( actually there are many ) downhill through greeny tea shrubbery. Named after a British colonist, these are one of two waterfalls threatened by a proposed hydro-power scheme in the area.

Rikille Ella

Bulathkohupitiya is a small town hidden among the mountains of the hill country. From there , a motorable road leads through hair pin bends to Dedugala. On the way can be seen this waterfall in a very serene landscape . Where it originates and whither it flows , unknown to me. In Sinhalese Rikilla means branch of a tree , and Rikille stands for its possesive noun.

Ravana Ella

Situated in the Dry zone off Welimada this beautiful water fall is a continuous stream of life to the villagers. It provides much needed water for the cultivation of vegetables, their main income. The life-line role of this tiny, yet beautiful waterfall is seen when we first arrived the village. While the surrounding mountains were dirty and dry this particular mountain was greenish and cultivated. According to villages the water of this stream has to be protected from smugglers day and night and for that they have " a shift duty". It is 40m (131ft) tall and in the Uduhawara village .

Olu Ella

This is situated in a remote village called Malalpola off Yatiyantota on the High Level road from Avissawella to Nuwara-Eliya. Dancing its way through several cascades before finding its way under a wooden bridge along the road, this waterfall adds to the rustic scenery of the village . Not very famous among the people here, it still attracts a considerable number of people going there informed by locals. During the periods when the foliage gets covered by lush greenary and the air gets cooly one is greeted with a momentary drizzle when traversing the wooden planks of the bridge.

Mapanana Ella

Mapanana Falls" found at the foot of the "Sri Pada"( Adam's Peak ) range are one of the tallest and the most beautifully formed falls meandering its way down from a height about 150 meteres. Carrying cooly and crystal clear waters from the springs where they are born in the Peak Wilderness Sanctuary this fall is difficult to get near to due to many reasons,the hazard of sudden gushes of water during especially, rainy seasons,being one of them.During my visit there in '95 I also was prevented from wading upstream for the same reason by the villagers.The photo here appeared on The Lankadeepa,95-8-20 Sunday, by Kamilus Wanigasuriya.

Kirindi Oya Waterfall

The Kirindi Oya Falls is the third largest waterfall. It cascades down 200 metres. It can be seen when you go from Ratnapura to Pelmadulla and get on to the Katupitiya road which goes by a tea factory. You have to go along a foot path just beyond the tea factory and if you do not mind the wild grass and reeds, you could go quite close to the waterfall.

Dunhinda Waterfall

"Dunhinda" is one of the mostly spoken-about waterfalls in Sri Lanka. Although she couldn't come even close to the highest waterfalls of the planet in height she rivals many of them when it comes to the natural beauty that it bestows on the environment . Situated about 2 km distance from the main road which runs to Taldena from the remote city Badulla in the Uva Province this is easily accesible and frequently visited by local and foreign visitors. On the way can be seen the "Kuda Dunhinda" ( "Kuda" means small in Sinhala ) which is the prologue to its mighty brother . In native tongue "Dun" means mist or vapour which is the ideal explanation for a waterfall creating wreathes of mist on its way down.

Diyaluma Waterfall

With an appearance and location which often make people believe that it is the highest waterfall in the isle, this lanky "Diyaluma" waterfall pours its way down and flows towards Kirindi Oya underneath a bridge on the highway from Beragala to Wellawaya. The extent of water spilt downwards is so great during the rainy season that it makes amends for the monotonously undisturbed water trunk falling from head to foot with no intermediate cascade whatsoever. Its geographical location by one of the mostly used Highways spanning the Hill Country to the Plains speaks for its reputation not only here but in other parts of the world as well.

Devon Waterfalls

With a peculiar appearance imparted to it by its formation in three continuous cascades this waterfall christened "Devon Falls" pours down to the valley beneath not a long distance away from its brother the "St. Clairs". On the main road opposite to it there is situated a modern tea centre finding its abode thankful to this "Veil ( Bridal ) of the Vale ( i.e. valley )". Driving from Colombo, the capital, via Avissawella one suddenly catches this unearthly sight which is to be soon enhanced by the grandeur of the "St. Clairs". This beauty too is endangered by the above-mentioned power plant beast

Bopath Ella

"Bopath Ella", not like many of the others of her kind , finds her abode in a busy surrounding in the village called Devipahala off Kuruwita on A4 High Level road close to Ratnapura. Being within 3 hours driving distance from the capital, it thus claims the honour of having the highest turn-over of enthusiasts seeking respite from the grimy and monotonous town life .Nevertheless, it has the notorious reputation of devouring its visitors off and on who , attracted by the surroundings ,indulge in over-enjoyment .Here again, the falls take the shape of a "Bo" leave ( "Bo" tree is a sacred tree here ) from which the name has been derived.

Bambarakanda Ella

Sri Lanka is blessed with over one hundred waterfalls. The tallest is the Bambarakande Falls which cascades down 263 metres like liquid light. It is only four miles away from the Colombo-Bandarawela road in a forest glade, but it is not visited often, though well worth the trip.

Bambarakande is taller than the famous Diyaluma falls which is only 220 metres but thought to be the tallest waterfall in Sri Lanka. The Diyaluma or Diya Haluma collects its water from the Poonagala Oya in the vicinity of Koslanda and Wellawaya. Located six miles from Koslanda and 13 miles from Wellawaya, its waters originate from the Mahakande Pass in Koslanda. You can see this waterfall if you stop a while on your way to Haputale and detour.

Due to the geological formation of Sri Lanka, the central highlands are surrounded by peneplains, plateaus and valleys. Rainfall sends a large volume of water hurtling down the precipitous edges of the highland mass. The up thrust millions of years ago has caused several peneplains to form, the highest being well over 6000 ft. It is in this area that the water is collected when there are showers and flows down along tributaries down the mountain slopes.

Aberdeen Waterfalls

A mere 5 Km away from Laxapana you will find the 322 feet high Aberdeen Falls.

Baker's Waterfalls

The Baker's Falls in the Horton Plains gets its water from the Belihul Oya. It is close to World's End. The icy waters glisten in the sunshine amid a backdrop of mountain terrain and deep valleys and the patna through which you traverse give it contrast. If you are lucky you may see the rare black monkey and rhododendrons in bloom.

The island is blessed with 103 rivers and streams radiating from the central hills, rushing down rocky precipices forming a number of roaring waterfalls of Sri Lanka, various shapes and heights, all ending up loosing the momentum at the Indian Ocean. 

Here are some of the most picturesque waterfalls, out of which only a few can be viewed with ease, where as the others can only be seen by penetrating thick forests and tea plantations.