Moratuwa is a large suburb of Colombo on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka, near Mount Lavinia and Dehiwala. It is located 18km south of the heart of Colombo. The city is bounded on three sides by the waters of Moratuwa, with the exception of the Indian Ocean on the north, Lake Bolgoda on the east, and the Moratuwa River on the south. The population of the suburbs was 168,280 at the 2012 census.
Moratuwa can be reached by the Colombo-Galle-Matara (A2) main road as well as the Colombo-Galle-Matara Southern Railway. The city is famous for its high-quality furniture industry. Moratuwa has long been famous for its musicians and cricketers. The Ceylon Government Railways (GCR) has launched its first and largest workshop in Ratmalana, adjacent to Moratuwa.
Bolgoda Lake, a tributary of the Kalu River, starts at the top of Adams Hills and is a popular destination for swimming, hiking and surfing, and boating. Lake Blogoda stretches from Ratmalana through Moratuwa and Panadura until it is close to the beach resort of Wadduwa, the gateway to the beautiful southwest and south coasts. Moratuwa consists of 18 administrative areas. Buddhist temples and Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Protestant churches are located here. It also houses several churches, including St. Emmanuel’s, the tallest cathedral in Colombo.
