Dondra Head Lighthouse

Dondra Head is the southernmost point of Sri Lanka, and the lighthouse on it, finished in 1890, stands about forty-nine metres, the tallest in the country, built of stone brought from Britain and assembled here. It marks the corner where shipping turns between the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, and the water offshore is one of the better places in the world for blue whales, which pass close to the point on migration.

Background

The lighthouse stands near the village of Dondra, about 6 kilometres southeast of Matara, and is run by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority. Sir James Nicholas Douglass designed it, and William Douglass of the Imperial Lighthouse Service began building it in November 1887. It rises 49 metres, its light sits 47 metres above the sea and reaches 28 nautical miles, and it ranks among the tallest lighthouses in South East Asia. The name Dondra comes from Devi Nuwara, the City of the Gods.

Source: Wikipedia, "Dondra Head Lighthouse"

The main sights

• The lighthouse - a 49-metre stone tower of 1890, the tallest in the country.
• The southernmost point - the actual tip of the island below the light.
• The whale route - blue whales passing close offshore on migration.
• The Dondra temple - the Vishnu temple in the village, an old pilgrimage site.

When to go

November to April is the season, and December to April is the whale-watching window from Mirissa nearby. The tower is generally not open. Mornings are calmest.

Things to know

The lighthouse itself is closed to visitors and the visit is the grounds and the point. There is little shade. Whale watching is done from Mirissa, not from the headland.

Nearby

Matara is northwest, and Mirissa is west along the coast.

Key facts