Sunil Rest Guest House & Restaurant

Matara


Run by Sunil and Ureka, a charming local couple, this fine guesthouse is about 150m from the beach. Rooms in the main building are simple and clean, or there are other options managed by the family close by. Ureka is an excellent cook, too. As they don’t pay commission, many three-wheeler drivers will tell you it’s closed – it’s not.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Matara attractions

1. Polhena Beach

0.09 MILES

The best beach in the area is a small sandy cove that's sheltered by a reef offshore. There's good snorkelling in the bay, and though visibility is not…

2. Old Dutch Trade Centre

0.92 MILES

On the western side of town, this magnificent T-shaped building (once the town's market) will fascinate architectural buffs: it has an imposing, steeply…

3. Matara Fort

1.38 MILES

This historic, though run-down district, was once the heart of Dutch, and later British, Matara. There are no real sights, but it's an intriguing area…

4. Dutch Rampart

1.52 MILES

The smallish Dutch rampart occupies the promontory separating the Nilwala Ganga from the sea. Built in the 18th century to protect the VOC’s kachcheri …

5. Parey Dewa

1.57 MILES

A pedestrian bridge near the bus station leads to a small island, Parey Dewa (Rock in Water), which is home to a tiny Buddhist temple with a very fancy…

6. Temple

1.65 MILES

This modest structure overlooks the river.

7. Star Fort

1.67 MILES

This fort was built by the Dutch to compensate for deficiencies in the neighbouring rampart, but it’s so small it could only have protected a handful of…

8. Weherahena Temple

3.51 MILES

On the east side of Matara, turn inland 1km off the main road for this gaudy temple that features an artificial cave decorated with about 200 cartoon-like…