A beautiful 50 ft waterfall which hasn’t gained much publicity, the Ethini Wala Falls which was originally called the Ethinnna Mala Ella is located six km from Padiyapelella towards Mandaramnuwara, in the Maturata area.
The origin of the name is based on a folktale about a she-elephant (ethinna or ethini) who had been killed after falling into the deep pool while bathing. Hence the original name Ethinna (she-elephant) Mala (died) Ella (falls). With the passage of time however the name has changed to its present form.
The brook rising in the jungles above the falls plunges down through a black granite rock without cascades into a very deep pool which overflows, crosses the road under a bridge and joins the Mahaweli River to flow into the ocean.