Buttala

Is Buttala worth visiting?

Quick answer: Buttala is worth a stop if you like ancient sites and are driving between Ella, the south coast and Arugam Bay. It is a quiet junction town in Monaragala District, and the base for the Maligawila Buddha (17 km away), the Yudaganawa stupa (3 km) and Dematamal Viharaya (7 km). Ella is about 52 minutes away by road and Kataragama about 50 minutes.

Buttala is not a holiday town. There are no beaches or big hotels, and most visitors pass through on the way somewhere else. That is the point of this page: it shows what is close to the road, so you can turn a long transfer into a day with something to see. The Uva tourism board describes the area as forest and hills, with wildlife nearby.

What are the main sights near Buttala?

Distances are OpenStreetMap routes checked on 26 October 2026. The board also lists the Katugaha cave temple and the Pareiyan Ella waterfall in the Buttala zone.

What is the Maligawila Buddha?

The Uva tourism board says the Maligawila Buddha is about 14 metres (46 feet) tall, while Wikipedia gives 37 feet 10 inches (11.53 metres), so treat it as about 11.5 to 14 metres depending on the source. The board says it is carved out of a single limestone rock, which makes it one of the largest free-standing Buddha statues in Sri Lanka. It dates it to the 7th century CE, in the reign of King Aggabodhi I, in the ancient kingdom of Ruhuna.

The statue was broken in ancient times. In the 1950s, archaeologists found its fragments buried near the Maligawila temple, and they were put back together. The Buddha stands with the right hand raised in the Abhaya mudra, the gesture of fearlessness and protection. The site is in the Monaragala District and is still a place of worship.

From Buttala, it is a 17 km drive. It makes a half-day trip with Yudaganawa, or a stop on the way between Buttala and Monaragala.

What is Yudaganawa?

Yudaganawa is an ancient archaeological site 3 km from Buttala town. The Uva tourism board says it may date to the reign of King Devanampiya Tissa in the 3rd century BCE, and that it was probably a monastery or meditation centre. The remains include stupas, monastic buildings, meditation halls and living quarters.

The large stupa at Yudaganawa, shown in the photo on this page, is the main sight. It is close enough to the main road that you can see it on a short break during a transfer.

What is Dematamal Viharaya?

Dematamal Viharaya is in Dematamal village, about 7 km from Buttala. The Uva tourism board says historical records place its founding in the reign of King Devanampiya Tissa (250 to 210 BCE), and that it is a protected archaeological site. It has a stupa, image houses, carvings and paintings. The board says it hosts Vesak, Poson and Kathina ceremonies, when it fills with pilgrims. The festival calendar explains these days.

How do you visit the temples respectfully?

The UK government's travel advice says that when you enter a Buddhist temple you should cover your legs and shoulders and take off shoes and hats. It also says not to pose for photographs standing in front of a statue of Buddha, and that disrespecting Buddhist images is a serious offence. At Maligawila, that means photos taken from the side or with the statue clearly respected, not selfies with your back to it. See visiting sacred sites and the what to wear guide.

These are active places of worship. Go early, carry water and a scarf, and keep your voice down.

How do you get to Buttala?

By road. These are OpenStreetMap routes with no traffic, checked on 26 October 2026:

By bus. The National Transport Commission's inter-provincial fare table (in force from 6 July 2026) does not list a route that starts or ends in Buttala, so we cannot give an official fare. Ask at the Wellawaya, Monaragala or Kataragama bus stand which buses stop in Buttala.

By train. There is no railway in this part of Uva.

How can you fit Buttala into a route?

• Ella to the south coast or Yala. Instead of driving straight from Ella to Tissamaharama, go via Buttala and Kataragama, with a stop at Yudaganawa. Kataragama's temples are covered in the Kataragama pilgrimage guide.
• Ella to Arugam Bay. Leave the main road at Buttala for Maligawila, then continue to Monaragala and the coast. The Arugam Bay to Ella guide covers that road in the other direction.
• Arugam Bay to Yala. Buttala is on one of the inland roads; see Arugam Bay to Yala.

Where do you stay near Buttala?

Most travellers stay in Ella, Wellawaya, Tissamaharama or Kataragama and visit Buttala on the way. We do not recommend or take payment from any hotel here. If you plan to see Maligawila at opening time, staying in Buttala or Wellawaya saves an early drive.