131 km south of Kandy and 83 km southeast of Colombo. Like many other cities, Ratnapura has known its hour of glory. It is said that King Solomon sent his best emissaries here to find the precious stones he wanted to give to the Queen of Sheba. The "city of gems", as its name means, has remained entirely devoted to this trade. Sapphires, rubies, starbursts, Cat's Eyes, alexandrites, aquamarines, quartz and moonstones are the main stones found in the area. All the population seems to have inherited a mine: official or unofficial sellers (impossible to differentiate), cab drivers, hotel owners... Each inhabitant has in his pockets treasures to sell, in addition, of course, to the many jewelers who have a storefront.Ratnapura is a good starting point for Uda Walawe (73 km south-east) or Sinharaja Forest Reserve (47 km south). You can also reach Adam's Peak (on foot) by its most difficult road, the one that passes through Gilimale and Carney Estate. Beware, because this is not an easy hike, but a multi-day expedition during which the climb alone represents 8 hours of time.

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