Colombo Airport to Buttala Taxi
A junction town in the dry south-east, and the way in to Yudaganawa and the Maligawila Buddha.
Airport to Buttala: what to expect
Five hours from the terminal, past Wellawaya into dry monsoon-forest country. Buttala is a small town on the road between the hill country and Monaragala, in an area that sees very few foreign visitors.
Two things nearby justify a stop. Yudaganawa is a vast, squat brick stupa said to date from the 2nd century BC, unusual in shape and almost never visited. And at Maligawila, half an hour south, stands a 10-metre free-standing stone Buddha carved in the 7th century, re-erected in the 1980s after centuries lying broken in the forest.
Your driver meets you inside the arrivals hall with a name board, helps with luggage and SIM cards, and the price agreed on WhatsApp is final — fuel, tolls and parking are all inside it. We accept LKR, USD, EUR and GBP, and confirm payment terms with your quote. Our team has handled mishandled-baggage delivery for Emirates passengers at this airport since the 1990s, which is how we know the terminal and the roads as well as we do.
Book this transfer on WhatsAppFixed prices — Airport → Buttala
Per vehicle, one way, luggage included. Rupee equivalents are LKR 44,000 and LKR 51,500. Return trips and en-route stops quoted on WhatsApp.
Get your exact price for Buttala
Set your group size and we will pick the right vehicle. The WhatsApp message arrives with your details already filled in.
Worth a stop on the way
Maligawila Buddha
A 10-metre 7th-century standing figure in forest clearing, half an hour south.
Yudaganawa
An enormous early brick stupa on the edge of town.
Colombo Airport to Buttala — FAQ
What is at Maligawila?
One of the largest free-standing ancient stone Buddha figures in Sri Lanka, around 10 metres tall and carved in the 7th century. It lay broken in the forest for centuries and was re-erected in the 1980s.
Is Buttala near Yala?
Not directly — Yala's main gates are around two hours south-west. Buttala is closer to Monaragala and the eastern route towards Arugam Bay.
Why so few visitors?
It is simply off the main circuit. The sites here are significant but unmarketed, which for some travellers is exactly the appeal.
Other transfers in this direction
Airport → Kalawana
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2.5 – 3 hrs · from US$ 65Airport → Rakwana
3.5 hrs · from US$ 80Airport → Sinharaja
4 hrs · from US$ 80Airport → Udawalawe
4 hrs · from US$ 90Airport → Embilipitiya
4 hrs · from US$ 95Airport → Deniyaya
4 hrs · from US$ 100Airport → Bibile
5.5 hrs · from US$ 120Send your flight number
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