Tissamaharama ෴ තිස්සමහාරාමය

Tissamaharama is located 264 km south of Colombo in the district of Habantota. Tissamaharama can be reached by Colombo-Galle-Hambantota (A1) main motor road that terminates at Wellawaya of Monaragala district. Though Tissamaharama isn't connected by a railway line, it is a road transportation hub of the Southern province.

The well shaded town is very pleasantly set amidst the expansive paddy fields swaying with the breeze from vast Tissa Wewa rainwater reservoir, 1 km north of the city. In the center of the paddy fields stands the impressive Snowy-white Santagiri Dagoba stupa, 56m in height and 165 meters in circumference. At the far end of the Tissa Wewa rainwater reservoir is a foot path leading to a smallest man-made lake called Debera Wewa. also located in Tissamaharama is Menik dagoba stupa and the famous Yatala dagoba stupa believed to contain the relics of Buddha.

Most of the hotels and guest houses are located near the Tissa Wewa rainwater reservoir. The village of Deberwewa too is home to guesthouses located near its man-made lake.

Surrounding attractions: Being a transportation hub and also having a couple of decent hotels and tourist guest houses,Tissamaharama doubles up as the base for the tours to Bundala Sanctuary, Ruhuna Yala National Park, Kataragama and Situlpahuwa monastery.

About Hambantota District

Hambantota is a rural town in southeastern coastal area of Sri Lanka. It is also the capital of the Hambantota District in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka. Approximately 240 kms from Colombo, Hambantota is in the midst of transformation into a strategic port and commercial centre, undergoing extensive infrastructure development. Flanked by sweeping sandy beaches, Hambantota is a convenient location from which to visit nearby sights.

The Bundala National Park lays 20 km east of Hambantota and the Wirawila Sanctuary a little further off. The Ruhuna National Park and the Kataragama Temple are other attractions that can be accessed easily from this city.

About Southern Province

The Southern Province of Sri Lanka is a small geographic area consisting of the districts of Galle, Matara and Hambantota. Subsistence farming and fishing is the main source of income for the vast majority of the people of this region.

Important landmarks of the Southern Province include the wildlife sanctuaries of the Yala and Udawalawe National Parks, the holy city of Kataragama, and the ancient cities of Tissamaharama, Kirinda and Galle. (Although Galle is an ancient city, almost nothing survives from before the Portuguese invasion.) During the Portuguese period there were two famous Sinhalese poets called Andare who was from Dickwella and Gajaman Nona who was from Denipitiya in Matara District, composing poems on common man.