Belihuloya is a village in the Ratnapura district of Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka. It is located 150 km (93 mi) southeast of Colombo. Andalso it is located at an altitude of 616 m (2,021 ft) above sea level. Belihul Oya is a picturesque little village situated in the midway of a beautiful road that connects the Badulla and the Ratnapura valley of the central hills. This hill station is a climatically transitional region, which connects the dry and wet zones as well as the mountainous and low country.
Rathnapura district is the center of a long-standing industry of precious stones, including gems, sapphires, and other gems. Apart from gem mining, the town is famous for its rice and fruit cultivation. Large plantations of tea and rubber surround the city. The tea grown in this region is called low country tea. There is a well-established tourism industry in Ratnapura. Sinharaja Forest Reserve, Udawalawa National Park, Kitulgala, and Sri Pada are especially popular among tourists.
Samanala Dam is Sri Lanka’s second-largest hydropower project generating 405 GWh of energy annually. The dam is about a kilometer from Belihuloya. 9.4 (5.8 miles) to the south.
[envira-gallery id=”3406″]The area around Belihuloya contains many waterfalls.
Pahanthuda Ella
It is also called Galagama Ella. The base of the 4.6 m (15 ft) waterfall is shaped like an oil lamp. The name Pahandu is derived from the Sinhala word Pahana for the lamp. It is 1.5 km (0.93 mi) from Belihuloya.
Bambarakanda Ella
It is also known as Bambarakele Ella. The highest waterfall in Sri Lanka, it is 263 meters (863 ft) and is the 299th highest waterfall in the world. It is located 18 kilometers (11 miles) from Belihuloya.
Surathalee Ella
It is a water-slip, not a waterfall. About 20 meters (66 ft) of water passes along a stone wall on the eastern slope of the Ellamama Mountains, forming this water slip. It is located 8 km (5.0 mi) from Belihuloya.
Brampton Falls
It is a tributary of Weli Oya that flows off the eastern slope of the Papulagala (1530 m). The falls are approximately 6 meters (20 ft) high and are located among several other small waterfalls. It is located about 10 km (6.2 mi) from Belihuloya.
Papulagala Ella
It is located on the Brampton Estate (tea plantation) on the slopes of the mountain Papulagala. During the rainy season, this waterfall, 30 meters (98 ft) high, forms a river. It is located in Lower Hiralouvah which in 5 km (3.1 mi) east of Belihuloya.
Hirikatuwa Oya
It is located 4 km (2.5 mi) from Belihuloya.
