Sabaragamuwa

Sabaragamuwa is a province in Sri Lanka. It is named after its former indigenous inhabitants, the Sabara, an Indic term referring to hunter-gatherer tribes.

• 🌍 Ratnapura — Sri Lanka's gem mining capital surrounded by tea and rubber plantations
• 🌍 Kitulgala — one of the wettest places in the country, on a wide stretch of the Kelani river

• 🌍 Sinharaja Forest Reserve — a national park and a biodiversity hotspot which has been designated a Biosphere Reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• 🌍 Udawalawe National Park — famous for its large wild elephant population, making an excellent destination for safari-style tours

The province has a strong Buddhist heritage, with monasteries such as the Palabaddala Monastic University, established during the Dambadeniya period in the 13th century by King Parakramabahu II.

The mining of sapphires, rubies, and garnets have gone on in this province for centuries. Visitors can tour the mines, watch the gems being cut, polished and then sold in bustling gem markets.