Marawila

Is Marawila worth visiting?

Quick answer: Marawila is a quiet beach town about 34 km and 39 minutes from Colombo airport, between Negombo and Chilaw. It suits a calm first or last night, the Holy Cross shrine on the beach, and trips to Chilaw's Munneswaram temple or the Anawilundawa wetland. Come between December and March, when it is driest.

Marawila is in Puttalam District, North Western Province. The SLTDA lists Marawila with Kalpitiya and Waikkal in its West Coast resort region, and the Wayamba tourism site names it as one of the province's coastal stops.

What is there to do in and around Marawila?

Road times are by car with no traffic.

What is the Holy Cross shrine in Marawila?

The National Shrine of the Holy Cross, known locally as Kurusa Palliya, belongs to the Diocese of Chilaw, according to GCatholic. The Sunday Times described it in 2014 as a simple open building with a sandy floor, standing in the cemetery of the Church of Our Lady of Presentation, about 350 m up the road. You can see the sea over its low wall.

Inside is a life-size statue of Christ on the cross. The paper reported that the statue was ordered from Bangalore by Fr. Ferdinand Thiri, parish priest from 1909 to 1924. It also said the shrine is open day and night and draws people of all faiths, not only Catholics. The Wayamba site calls it a sacred Catholic place near the beach where many come to pray. The Chilaw diocese has a second national shrine, St Anne's at Talawila, further north.

Dress modestly, keep quiet and avoid taking photos of people praying. Our Christian heritage guide covers churches and shrines elsewhere in Sri Lanka.

How do I get to Marawila?

Marawila is on the coast road between Negombo and Chilaw, so buses to Chilaw and Puttalam pass through. The NTC fare is for the whole route, so ask the conductor for the fare to Marawila; it should be less. Route 4-7 runs on to Puttalam for Rs 555. From the airport, a taxi is the simplest option. Our Colombo airport arrival guide explains how the airport taxi counter works.

There is a railway along this coast, but the Sri Lanka Railways website did not load on 25 October 2026, so we could not check trains.

What is the weather like in Marawila?

Marawila has no WMO station, so we use Katunayake, about 34 km south. Average highs stay between 30.6°C and 32.7°C all year, and lows between 22.2°C in January and 25.6°C from May to July.

January and February are the driest months. October and November are the wettest. The west coast gets the south-west monsoon from about May to September, so the sea can be rough then. Puttalam, further north, is drier in June to August. See our monsoon guide.

Marawila or Negombo?

Both work for an early or late flight. Choose Marawila for quiet and Negombo for choice.

Where does Marawila fit in a trip?

• First or last night: Fly in, sleep in Marawila, then head north to Kalpitiya or inland to Kurunegala and the Cultural Triangle.
• West coast run north: Negombo, Marawila, Chilaw, then Puttalam and Wilpattu.
• A faith day: The Holy Cross shrine in the morning and Munneswaram near Chilaw in the afternoon. Our Hindu temple circuit has more on Munneswaram.