Hunas Falls Waterfall
A pretty waterfall in the Elkaduwa hills above Kandy, dropping beside a hotel of the same name, with cool tea-country air and short walks nearby.
Tucked into the hills near Elkaduwa, northeast of Kandy, Hunas Falls has an origin story that surprises most people the first time they hear it. This isn't some ancient, naturally carved cascade, it's actually man-made, a stream diverted onto a natural rock cliff as part of a landscaped garden decades ago. Somehow that fact doesn't take anything away from it once you're standing there, the water still drops a solid 48 to 60 meters down a steep granite face, and the whole scene still feels wild and untouched despite the human hand behind it.
The falls sit on the grounds of what's now the Hunas Falls Hotel, run by Amaya, at an elevation around 950 meters where daytime temperatures rarely climb much above 20 degrees Celsius. That altitude brings its own personality to the place, morning mists roll through regularly, sunsets tend to put on a show, and the whole area gets absolutely drenched, over 4000mm of rain a year, making it one of the wetter corners of Sri Lanka. It also means the falls look genuinely different depending on when you show up, thin and delicate in dry spells, thundering and dramatic after heavy rain.
Down at the base there's a natural pool where visitors can wade in and cool off, along with a few huts and resting sheds scattered around for shade. The walk in from the entrance covers roughly 1.5 km of uneven ground, and reviewers are pretty split on whether it's worth the effort, some call it a peaceful highlight of their Kandy trip, others shrug it off as a fairly modest stop. Slippery rocks and the odd leech during wetter months are worth knowing about too, nothing dramatic, just standard hill country hiking hazards.
What tends to win people over in the end is less the waterfall itself and more the whole setting around it, jungle paths, birdsong, the sound of water carrying through the trees long before you actually see it. It's not a five minute photo stop, it rewards slowing down, sitting by the pool for a while, maybe chatting with locals selling snacks nearby, and just letting the cooler mountain air do its thing after the heat of Kandy town.
At a glance
- Entry fee: Around LKR 100 for locals, roughly LKR 300 for foreign visitors.
- Opening hours: Generally accessible during daylight hours, no fixed official closing time.
- Time needed: About 1 to 1.5 hours covers the walk in, falls and pool.
- Best time: Rainy season brings the strongest flow and most dramatic waterfall views.
Getting there
About 25 km northeast of Kandy near Elkaduwa, roughly an hour's drive via the A26 and A10 roads, followed by a short local road and a 1.5 km walk in from the parking area.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost to visit Hunas Falls Waterfall?
- Around LKR 100 for locals, roughly LKR 300 for foreign visitors.
- What are the opening hours at Hunas Falls Waterfall?
- Generally accessible during daylight hours, no fixed official closing time.
- How long should I spend at Hunas Falls Waterfall?
- Plan for about 1 to 1.5 hours covers the walk in, falls and pool.
- When is the best time to visit Hunas Falls Waterfall?
- Rainy season brings the strongest flow and most dramatic waterfall views.
- How do I get to Hunas Falls Waterfall?
- About 25 km northeast of Kandy near Elkaduwa, roughly an hour's drive via the A26 and A10 roads, followed by a short local road and a 1.5 km walk in from the parking area.