Bandarawela trip planner

Bandarawela is the second largest town in the Badulla District which is 30km away from Badulla. Bandarawela is 200km away from Colombo and about 125km away from Kandy, the two capital cities of Sri Lanka. Thanks to its higher altitude, compared to surrounding locations, Bandarawela has milder weather conditions throughout the year making it a popular tourist destination for locals. Bandarawela is within hours reach of surrounding towns and cities by both road and rail. The town is influenced by its colonial history and rests among dense, lush forestation occupying a niche among visitors as a base for eco-tourism.PoliticsThe town is governed by a municipal council and headed by a mayor. The council is elected by popular vote and has nine members. There were 16,673 registered voters in the 2011 local authorities elections. Currently the municipal council is controlled by the United National Party which is one of the largest political parties in Sri Lanka.The area outside the municipality is governed by the "Pradeshiya Saba" which is similar to the urban council. The Pradeshiya Saba is elected by popular vote and has 10 members. In the 2006 local authorities election there were 37,972 registered voters.HeritageThe ancient Dhowa Buddhist rock temple is one of the well-known heritage sites in this region. Other historic areas of interest include the Roman Catholic St. Anthony's Church and a local Methodist church.The ancient Dhowa Rock Temple was founded by King Walagamba in the first century B.C.E. (1 B.C.E.) and is located beside Badulla-Bandarawela highway, 6km from Bandarawela. The temple contains a 12m-high Buddha image sculpted from rock and paintings depicting Jataka stories belonging to the Kandyan era.