When looking for accommodation in Buttala, you can take nearby cultural and natural attractions into account when choosing your destination. There are two distinct highlights in the area: Dematamal Viharaya, with traditional Sinhalese Buddhist architecture, and Pareiyan-Ella Waterfall, with a pool and a walk through the forest. This lets you tailor your trip according to whether you are more interested in architecture and religious painting or in an outdoor activity by the water. Both destinations are in the vicinity of Buttala.
Dematamal Viharaya: Architecture and Cultural Monument
Dematamal Viharaya is about four kilometres from Buttala. Its traditional Sinhalese Buddhist architecture includes a stupa, also known as a dagoba, shrine halls, also known as image houses, and other structures. The structures are adorned with intricate carvings, sculptures and religious paintings, including frescoes. Stupa and dagoba, as well as shrine hall and image house, are alternative names for the same elements. The architectural forms and their artistic decoration can therefore be considered as distinct aspects of the temple. Frescoes are a form of painting, while carvings and sculptures are forms of plastic art.
The Sri Lankan government has recognised the vihara as a protected archaeological site and cultural monument. This recognition adds official protected status to the architectural description. For travellers interested in cultural heritage, it is a consideration in its own right, alongside the architectural forms and artworks. If you are particularly interested in religious art when choosing a destination, you can look out for the frescoes and sculptures; if you are more interested in architecture, the stupa and shrine halls are named architectural forms to consider.
Pareiyan-Ella Waterfall: Pool and Walk
Pareiyan-Ella Waterfall lies between Buttala and Badalkumbuta. At the foot of the waterfall is a pool suitable for swimming and relaxing. This natural attraction complements the cultural perspective offered by Dematamal Viharaya. When weighing up Buttala as a destination, you can consider the different highlights: here, the focus is on the pool, swimming and relaxation, while at the vihara it is on architecture and religious art. Before setting out, check whether access to the waterfall is possible during your visit.
A walk to the waterfall also leads from the village of Pareiyangala through the forest. It is described as relatively easy. The difference between the natural experiences lies in the activity: the pool is suitable for swimming and relaxing, while the walk follows a forest route to the waterfall. Describing the walk as relatively easy characterises the route without making a general statement about its suitability for any particular person. You can decide whether you would like to spend time by the pool or consider the walk from Pareiyangala.
Discover more destinations: Kuda Oya, Galge, Kataragama.
See the overarching travel overview: Moneragala.
