The Maduru Oya Dam is an irrigation dam located in Sri Lanka's Eastern Province. It’s an impressive structure, stretching 1,090 meters in length and standing 41 meters high. Built in the 1980s, the dam created the Maduru Oya Reservoir, which holds a staggering 596 million cubic meters of water. If you're lucky, you might spot local fishermen heading out onto the lake in their colorful sailboats—a beautiful sight to see.

To explore the dam, you'll need to park your vehicle at one end and continue on foot. But the walk is absolutely worth it! While constructing the dam, engineers discovered an ancient sluice at the southern end of the reservoir—an incredible piece of Sri Lanka’s ancient hydraulic engineering that can still be seen today.

A Glimpse into Sri Lanka’s Hydraulic Civilization

Sri Lanka is famous for its ancient hydraulic civilization and massive irrigation systems—many of which date back over 1,000 years! The lakes around Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa are actually ancient reservoirs, some built as early as the 3rd century AD. These structures are often considered technically on par with modern engineering, and the ancient sluice gate road of Maduru Oya is a perfect example of this ingenuity.

The Maduru Oya Dam is located within Maduru Oya National Park, so there’s a chance you’ll spot wild elephants roaming nearby. According to security personnel working at the dam in spring 2024, elephants could be seen every evening—so keep your eyes open!

BEST TIME TO VISIT: After 3 PM Why? Because you must drive further along the road while you're there—it leads to Martina’s favorite route in all of Sri Lanka! Find out more @...

DO bring identification, as military personnel are stationed at the site. Access isn’t always guaranteed, so be polite and friendly.

DONT let the heat stop you from walking to the other end—it’s absolutely worth it!