Chilaw
A west coast town about 53 km north of Colombo airport, best known for the Munneswaram Hindu temple and nearby Manavari, both on Sri Lanka Tourism's Ramayana list. Temple hours and pooja times from the official temple site, train and bus fares from Colombo, road times, the latest Puttalam line notices and rain by month. Checked 23 October 2026.
Is Chilaw worth visiting?
Quick answer: Yes, if you are interested in Hindu temples or the Ramayana story. Chilaw is a coast town about 53 km north of Colombo airport, around an hour by road. Its Munneswaram temple, about 1.2 km from town, is open from 5.30 am to 8.00 pm every day, per the temple's own website. Manavari, another Ramayana site, is about 10 km further north.
Chilaw is in Puttalam District, North Western Province, between Negombo and Kalpitiya. It works as a half-day trip from Negombo or a first stop north from the airport.
What should you know about Munneswaram temple?
The temple's official site gives these daily details:
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | 5.30 am to 8.00 pm, every day including Sundays and holidays |
| Ushakkala pooja | 5.30 am |
| Kalasanthi pooja | 7.30 am |
| Uchikala pooja | 12.00 pm |
| Sayaratsa pooja | 5.00 pm |
| Sandyakala pooja | 7.00 pm |
| Ardajama pooja | 8.00 pm |
| Free meal (Annadhanam) | Daily since 4 February 2023 |
| Phone | +94 32 222 4833, helpline +94 72 777 6530 |
The temple says pooja times may change during festivals. Hours differ between sources: Sri Lanka Tourism's Ramayana page gives 6.00 am to 8.00 pm. We use the temple's own hours, but arriving after 6 am covers both.
Sri Lanka Tourism places the temple about 1.2 km from Chilaw town on the Chilaw to Kurunegala road, and says it has two annual festivals, in February and August. For how to dress and behave at Hindu temples, see our Hindu temple circuit guide and visiting sacred sites.
What is Manavari?
Sri Lanka Tourism says Manavari is the first place Lord Rama installed a Shiva lingam after the war with Ravana, and the lingam is called Ramalingam. It is on the Chilaw to Puttalam road, about 10 km from Chilaw.
| Item | Munneswaram | Manavari |
|---|---|---|
| Distance from Chilaw | About 1.2 km (SLT); about 3 km by road (OSRM) | About 10 km (SLT) |
| Hours | 5.30 am to 8.00 pm (temple site) | 6.30 am to 12.30 pm and 4.00 to 7.00 pm (SLT) |
| Festival | February and August (SLT) | 10 days in July (SLT) |
Visiting both in a morning works: Munneswaram early, then Manavari before it closes at 12.30 pm. Both are on our Ramayana trail itinerary.
How do you get to Chilaw?
| From | Distance (OSRM) | Time with no traffic |
|---|---|---|
| Colombo airport | 53 km | 1 h |
| Negombo | 45 km | 49 min |
| Colombo Fort | 81 km | 1 h 23 min |
| Puttalam | 52 km | 57 min |
| Kurunegala | 74 km | 1 h 27 min |
| Kalpitiya | 84 km | 1 h 40 min |
| Dambulla | 129 km | 2 h 27 min |
By train. Chilaw is on the Puttalam line. Fares from Colombo Fort on the Sri Lanka Railways fare table dated July 2022, still the published table on 23 October 2026:
| From Colombo Fort to | Distance | 1st class | 2nd class | 3rd class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Katunayake | 32.45 km | Rs 350 | Rs 200 | Rs 80 |
| Madampe | 72.00 km | Rs 650 | Rs 350 | Rs 160 |
| Chilaw | 82.46 km | Rs 750 | Rs 400 | Rs 180 |
| Puttalam | 135.12 km | Rs 1,050 | Rs 550 | Rs 260 |
Line status. The railway's notices page lists services on the Puttalam line between Colombo Fort and Chilaw as resumed from 29 December 2025. A later notice, last updated 13 May 2026, is titled "Train Services Limited up to Chilaw Due to Floods". There was no newer Puttalam line notice on 23 October 2026, and the online timetable did not load, so ask at the station before you travel.
By bus. NTC fares from 6 July 2026:
| Route | NTC number | Normal | Air-conditioned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colombo to Chilaw | 4-11 | Rs 346 | Rs 677 |
| Negombo to Chilaw | 907 | Rs 215 | Rs 422 |
| Colombo to Puttalam | 4-7 | Rs 555 | Rs 1,082 |
When is the best time to visit Chilaw?
These are WMO 1991 to 2020 normals for Puttalam, the nearest station, about 52 km north:
| Month | Rain (mm) | Rain days | Average high (°C) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 50.5 | 5.6 | 30.7 |
| February | 42.1 | 4.2 | 32.3 |
| March | 56.9 | 4.5 | 33.5 |
| April | 154.4 | 9.5 | 33.2 |
| May | 101.8 | 6.5 | 32.5 |
| June | 32.1 | 4.2 | 31.7 |
| July | 23.5 | 2.1 | 31.5 |
| August | 23.3 | 3.4 | 31.7 |
| September | 69.2 | 5.8 | 31.8 |
| October | 230.6 | 12.8 | 31.3 |
| November | 254.6 | 15.3 | 30.7 |
| December | 143.7 | 10.8 | 30.0 |
June to August and January to March are dry. October and November are the wettest months. If you want to see a festival, Munneswaram's are in February and August and Manavari's in July, per Sri Lanka Tourism.
What does a half day in Chilaw look like?
| Time | Plan |
|---|---|
| 6.30 am | Leave Negombo (about 49 min) |
| 7.30 am | Munneswaram for the Kalasanthi pooja |
| 9.30 am | Drive about 10 km to Manavari |
| 11 am | Head back south, or on north to Kalpitiya |
Where does Chilaw fit in a trip?
- First or last day near the airport: an easy half day from Negombo.
- On the way north: a stop on the road to Kalpitiya or Wilpattu.
- Ramayana trail: day 1 of our 10-day Ramayana trail.
Going north? Puttalam, about 52 km on, is the gateway to Kalpitiya and the Anawilundawa wetland.
Heading inland? Kurunegala is about 74 km away. South along the coast, quiet Marawila is about 20 km away, with the Holy Cross national shrine on the beach.
Frequently asked questions
What is Chilaw known for?
The Munneswaram temple, a large Hindu temple to Shiva about 1.2 km from Chilaw town, and Manavari, about 10 km away. Sri Lanka Tourism lists both on its Ramayana trail.
What are the Munneswaram temple opening hours?
The official temple website says it is open from 5.30 am to 8.00 pm every day, including Sundays and holidays. Sri Lanka Tourism's Ramayana page gives 6.00 am to 8.00 pm, so go by the temple's own hours and arrive after 6 am to be safe.
What are the pooja times at Munneswaram?
The temple site lists daily poojas at 5.30 am, 7.30 am, 12.00 pm, 5.00 pm, 7.00 pm and 8.00 pm, and says times may change during festivals.
How far is Chilaw from Colombo airport?
About 53 km, around 1 hour with no traffic, on the OpenStreetMap route checked 23 October 2026. Colombo Fort is about 81 km away and Negombo about 45 km.
How much is the train from Colombo to Chilaw?
The Sri Lanka Railways fare table dated July 2022, still the published table on 23 October 2026, lists Colombo Fort to Chilaw, 82.46 km, at Rs 750 in 1st class, Rs 400 in 2nd and Rs 180 in 3rd. Check train times at the station, as the online timetable did not load on 23 October 2026.
Is there a bus from Colombo to Chilaw?
Yes. The National Transport Commission lists route 4-11 Colombo to Chilaw at Rs 346 on a normal bus and Rs 677 air-conditioned, and route 907 Negombo to Chilaw at Rs 215 or Rs 422 air-conditioned, on fares from 6 July 2026.
When are the Munneswaram festivals?
Sri Lanka Tourism says the temple has two annual festivals, in February and August. Manavari's 10-day festival is in July.
What are Manavari temple hours?
Sri Lanka Tourism lists Manavari as open from 6.30 am to 12.30 pm and from 4.00 pm to 7.00 pm. It is on the Chilaw to Puttalam road, about 10 km from Chilaw.
Sources
Last verified 2026-10-23
- https://www.munneswaram.com/about/
- https://www.srilanka.travel/ramayanaya/places.php
- https://www.railway.gov.lk/web/images/pdf/Ticket_Price_Line/main_line/1_fot.pdf
- https://www.railway.gov.lk/web/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=60&Itemid=241&lang=en
- https://ntc.gov.lk/bus_fare/2026/July/Inter%20Provincial%20Full%20Bus%20Fare.pdf
- https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-2-WMO-Normals-9120/SriLanka/CSV/
- https://www.openstreetmap.org/
Plan your Chilaw trip
Hindu Temple Circuit
A realistic regional-choice guide for active Hindu temples in Jaffna, Trincomalee and Kataragama.
