Dondra Head Lighthouse is the white 49-metre tower at the southern tip of Sri Lanka, on the headland at Dondra (Devinuwara), about 6 km south-east of Matara. It is still a working light, run by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, and the tallest lighthouse in the country. Most people come to stand at the bottom of the island, walk round the base under the coconut palms and watch the waves break on the rocks.
Is it worth visiting?
Go if you like lighthouses and odd corners of the map, or you are driving the coast between Matara and Dikwella and fancy a short stop at the southernmost point of the island.
Think twice if climbing the tower is the main reason for the trip, because visitors are not normally allowed inside and there isn’t much else to do once you have walked round the base.
Can you climb Dondra lighthouse?
Usually not. The lighthouse was closed to visitors for some years, and the Ports Authority reopened it for public viewing on 4 May 2017. At the reopening, the Authority’s chairman said that visitors would not be allowed into the tower for safety reasons, although it might look at opening the inside in future.
Since then, reports have been mixed. Some online listings say the tower is open, while recent visitors say that going up needs permission from the Ports Authority’s head office in Colombo, arranged well in advance. So plan on seeing it from the outside. If the climb really matters to you, contact the Sri Lanka Ports Authority before your trip rather than asking at the gate.
The tower
Sir James Nicholas Douglass designed the tower, and work began in 1887. The light was completed in 1890. The tower is octagonal, with seven floors and a staircase of 196 steps up to the lantern. From the ground you mostly notice the white walls and the small yellow-shuttered windows climbing the sides.
It has been updated since: the Ports Authority renovated the lighthouse in 2000, and it counts Dondra as one of four lighthouses in Sri Lanka with international recognition.
Around the point
The tower stands in a grove of coconut palms close to a rocky shore, and the grounds are quiet. Recent visitors say there are rarely many other tourists. Come early in the morning or in the late afternoon, when the light is softer and the heat less fierce. Waves break hard on the rocks below, so keep off wet rocks near the waterline and heed any local warnings.
Dondra itself is far older than its lighthouse. Its Sinhala name, Devinuwara, means “city of the gods”, and before the Portuguese destroyed its temples in the late 16th century it was a famous temple town and port. Today the rebuilt Vishnu shrine in town is still a place of pilgrimage, and its Esala festival in July or August brings big crowds and slow traffic on the coast road. Our Matara guide tells that story in more detail.
Getting there and visiting
The lighthouse is on the headland about 6 km south-east of Matara, an easy tuk-tuk ride from town; agree the fare and the waiting time before you set off. It also makes a short detour if you are driving between Matara and the beaches at Dikwella and Hiriketiya or Tangalle.
We found no official opening hours or fees for the grounds, so visit in daylight. Recent visitors report that there is no ticket. You can easily see Matara’s Dutch forts in the same half day, or carry on to the temple at Wewurukannala Vihara near Dikwella. Our guide to getting around Sri Lanka covers tuk-tuks and drivers.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Can you climb Dondra Head Lighthouse?
Not normally. When the Ports Authority reopened the lighthouse for public viewing in 2017, it said visitors would not be allowed inside the tower. Recent visitors report that going up needs permission from the Ports Authority, arranged in advance.
How tall is Dondra Head Lighthouse?
It is 49 metres tall, with seven floors and 196 steps to the top. It is the tallest lighthouse in Sri Lanka.
Where is the southernmost point of Sri Lanka?
Dondra Head at Devinuwara, about 6 km south-east of Matara. The lighthouse stands on the headland.
When was Dondra lighthouse built?
Work began in 1887 and the light was completed in 1890. It was designed by Sir James Nicholas Douglass.
Is there an entrance fee at Dondra lighthouse?
We found no official fee. Recent visitors report that there is no ticket to walk round the grounds.
Sources: slpa.lk (22a165685b3875ffcae36e928524dea0), slpa.lk (abb8f3dc4aedb16cf38806b4ce3b2c4feda707c5), sundaytimes.lk, en.wikipedia.org (Dondra Head Lighthouse), en.wikipedia.org (Dondra), ibiblio.org and recent visitor reports. Header photo: vivali / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.
