Madiha taxi & cab service at fixed prices
Taxi from Madiha from $35 (Rs 11,000) per vehicle, not per person
Madiha is the stretch of reef and sand just west of Matara, between Mirissa and Polhena, and it has become one of the quieter surf bases on the south coast. There is no resort strip here: a lane of guesthouses, surf camps and small cafés behind the beach, a few breaks over the reef, and fishermen at the eastern end. People come for Madiha Left and the other reef waves, stay longer than planned, and need a car for the in-between moments: the airport run, a day at a different break, a move along the coast. Our taxi service in Madiha does those trips at a fixed price for the whole vehicle, not per person: an economy or comfort sedan, a six-seat or eight-seat van, with an English-speaking driver, fuel, expressway tolls and parking included. You pay the full price online by card when you book and hand the driver nothing on the day; or pay 50% online and the rest in cash to the driver, an option that costs 10% more. Colombo Airport is 175 km, about 3 h by the Southern Expressway, from $95 (Rs 30,500). Mirissa is 10 km up the coast, from $35 (Rs 11,000).
- Fixed price, no surprises
- Free cancellation up to 24 h before pickup
- All-inclusive, nothing to pay on the day
- Secure card payment by Stripe
Taxi & cab fares from Madiha
Fixed price for the whole vehicle: driver, fuel and tolls included. Each one books in two minutes.
City to city: choose your hotel from the start
The price covers the journey between the two towns. Pick your hotel, guesthouse or beach directly in the pickup and drop-off search, or send the exact address on WhatsApp after booking. Anywhere inside the towns shown, the price stays the same.
You pay online, securely by card, at the price above: fixed, all-inclusive, nothing left to pay on the day. Prefer to pay only 50% now and the rest to your driver? That option costs 10% more.
Going somewhere else? We drive from Madiha to every town we serve — choose yours on the next screen.
Book a transfer from MadihaHow booking works
1.Choose your transfer
Pick the destination and the vehicle. The price you see is the price you pay, for the whole car, whatever your exact address in town.
2.Pay online to confirm
Securely by card, at the price shown. It locks your driver and your price. You may also pay only 50% now and the rest to the driver, for 10% more.
3.Meet your driver
You receive your driver’s name and phone number on WhatsApp 48 hours before pickup. Free cancellation up to 24 h before.
What every price includes
What's included
- Fuel and all mileage
- Professional driver
- Expressway tolls (E01 / E03)
- Parking fees
- All taxes
- Air conditioning
- Bottled water
- 15 minutes free waiting elsewhere
What's not included
- Driver tips (appreciated, never required)
- Entrance tickets to sites and parks
- Meals and drinks along the way
- Driver accommodation on multi-day hires
- Extra stops not agreed in advance
Things to do by taxi around Madiha
Half-day and day trips from Madiha that travellers book again and again, with the drive time and the fixed price per car. Swipe through, pick one, and book the ride.
Madiha
Polhena Reef and its Sea Turtles
≈ 10 min by carAllow 2 h
Much of the shore at Madiha is reef and rock, so for an easy swim most people head a few minutes east to Polhena, where an outer reef encloses a shallow, calm pool. Green turtles often graze on the seagrass close to the beach; watch them without touching or feeding. Take snorkel gear in the car from Madiha and go early, before the water clouds up and the weekend families arrive.
Best time : Morning, Dec to Apr
Madiha
Surf Check Run to Midigama’s Reef Breaks
25 min by car · 20 kmAllow 3 h
When Madiha Left is flat or crowded, the reef breaks around Midigama, west past Weligama, often have a wave, from easier peaks to fast, shallow rights. A morning surf check with a driver lets you look at several breaks and paddle out where it is best, boards secured inside the car rather than strapped to a tuk-tuk. Tell us how many boards and their length when you book, so the right vehicle comes to Madiha.
Best time : Dawn, Nov to Apr
from $35 (Rs 11,000) · Taxi to Surf Check Run to Midigama’s Reef Breaks
Madiha
Weherahena Temple (Buddha and painted tunnel)
≈ 15 min by carAllow 1 h
Just beyond Matara, a short drive from Madiha, Weherahena temple combines a giant seated Buddha with an unusual underground tunnel whose walls and ceiling are covered in painted stories from the Buddha’s lives. It is a quiet, local place rather than a tour stop. Dress with shoulders and knees covered, and leave your shoes at the entrance; your driver will keep your bags and board in the car while you visit.
Best time : Morning, or a Poya day
Madiha
Dondra Head Lighthouse and Devinuwara
≈ 25 min by carAllow 1 h 15
From Madiha, the southern tip of Sri Lanka is only the other side of Matara. The white tower of Dondra Head lighthouse stands on a rocky point facing open ocean, and the village of Devinuwara behind it has an old temple of great importance to Sri Lankan Buddhists and Hindus. Go late in the day for softer light on the rocks, and let your driver bring you back to Madiha in the dark rather than flagging a tuk-tuk.
Best time : Late afternoon
Madiha
Whale Watching from Mirissa
15 min by car · 10 kmAllow 5 h
Mirissa harbour, a short way west of Madiha on the A2, is the base for whale-watching boats from roughly December to April, when blue whales and dolphins pass offshore. Boats leave at first light, and at that hour the coast road is empty and tuk-tuks are scarce, so a pre-booked car from Madiha makes the start easy. Expect a few hours at sea and a real chance, not a guarantee, of sightings. Seasickness tablets help.
Best time : First light, Dec to Apr
from $35 (Rs 11,000) · Taxi to Whale Watching from Mirissa
Madiha
Hiriketiya Bay Day Trip
40 min by car · 30 kmAllow 4 h
Past Matara and Dickwella, east of Madiha, Hiriketiya is a palm-lined cove with a mellow sandy break, good for a day when Madiha’s reef feels too sharp for beginners in your group. Swimmers get calmer corners too, depending on the swell. Leave Madiha after breakfast, and arrange the return for after sunset: the A2 between Dickwella and Matara is slow and badly lit at night, and your driver knows where the buses stop.
Best time : Day trip, Nov to Apr
from $35 (Rs 11,000) · Taxi to Hiriketiya Bay Day Trip
Madiha
Rekawa Beach Turtle Watch (near Tangalle)
≈ 1 h 20 by carAllow 2 h 30
East of Tangalle, Rekawa is a long, wild beach where sea turtles come ashore at night to lay their eggs, watched over by a community conservation project. Visits start after dark and involve waiting quietly on the sand, with no flash and no torches near the animals; a sighting is never guaranteed. From Madiha it means a late drive home on unlit coast roads, exactly when a booked driver who waits for you is worth having.
Best time : After dark, calm nights
Prices are per vehicle and fixed before you book. For several stops in one day with the car waiting for you, a driver for the day is usually simpler.
Private taxi, tuk-tuk, ride-hailing app or train in Madiha?
Tuk-tuks wait along the main road and near Matara, and they are the normal way to cover a few kilometres with a daypack or a board under your arm; agree the fare before you get in. App rides through PickMe are patchy this far south: around Matara you may find a tuk-tuk through the app, rarely a car, and almost never for a long trip. Buses run constantly on the A2 and express buses leave Matara for Colombo, but with a board bag or suitcases they are hard work. The coastal railway from Matara to Colombo is cheap and scenic, though it does not go to the airport and trains get crowded. For the airport, Hiriketiya, Tangalle or any trip with luggage, a cab booked in advance with the price fixed before you travel is the simple choice.
Transfers to Madiha
Coming to Madiha from elsewhere? Same fixed prices, the other way round.
Where we pick up in Madiha
We pick up from any guesthouse, surf camp or villa in Madiha, including the places on the narrow lanes between the main road and the beach. Some of those lanes are too tight for a large van, so when you book, give the property name and we will tell you if the driver waits at the A2 end. Polhena guesthouses next door are covered the same way. Matara railway station and the bus stand are both close, useful if you arrive by train on the coastal line and want to continue by car. The driver’s name and number come to you on WhatsApp before the day, and 15 minutes of waiting are included at every pickup. For airport arrivals the driver meets you in the arrivals hall with a name sign, follows your flight and waits up to 60 minutes for free, so a late bag or a slow immigration queue is not a problem.
Getting to and from Madiha
Madiha sits on the A2 coast road, so almost every trip starts by turning east or west along it. East, Matara town is only 5 km away, about 15 min, and just behind it is the start of the Southern Expressway (E01): that is the road to Colombo Airport (175 km, about 3 h) and, in the other direction, towards Mattala airport (90 km, about 1 h 40). Past Matara the coast continues to Talalla (15 km, about 20 min), Dickwella (25 km) and Hiriketiya (30 km, about 40 min), then Tangalle at 40 km. West, the A2 runs to Mirissa (10 km, about 15 min) and on to Weligama (10 km), Midigama and Ahangama, each about 20 km and 25 min. These are short hops, but the coast road is slow in places, with buses stopping wherever they like and school traffic around Matara in the morning and mid-afternoon.
Travel tips for Madiha
The south coast has its good surf and calm weather from roughly November to April, when the north-east monsoon is falling on the other side of the island. From May to September the south-west monsoon brings wind, rain and big, messy swell to Madiha; some guesthouses close or slow down, and experienced surfers often move to the east coast. Travelling with boards, send us the number and length before you book: shortboards usually fit inside a van with the seats arranged, while a sedan is fine for one or two passengers with a soft bag. Flights into Colombo often land late at night, and a pickup or arrival between 22:00 and 05:00 carries a 15% night surcharge, shown before you pay. Booking more than 14 days ahead takes 5% off. Child seats are free on request, and you can ask for a short stop on the way, for a supermarket in Matara or a look at another break. For a day of surf checks along the coast with the same driver, see our car hire with driver page.
About Madiha
The surf is the reason most people stop in Madiha. Madiha Left breaks over a shallow reef and suits surfers who are already comfortable on a board; on smaller days the inside sections and the breaks towards Polhena are friendlier, and local surf schools take beginners there. A lot of the shoreline is reef and rock, so for an easy swim people walk or take a tuk-tuk to Polhena, where the reef encloses a calm pool and sea turtles are often seen feeding near the shore.
Matara, minutes away, has a compact Dutch fort by the river, the small Star Fort, and Paravi Duwa, a temple on an islet reached by a footbridge. Further east, the lighthouse at Dondra Head marks the southernmost point of the island. West, Mirissa has the harbour for whale-watching boats in season, Coconut Tree Hill and a busier beach scene when you want one, and Weligama has the long, gentle bay where many people first learn to surf.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a taxi service in Madiha?
Yes. We run private taxis from any guesthouse or surf camp in Madiha to the airport, the rest of the south coast and beyond, at a fixed price per vehicle booked online. For a few kilometres along the beach, a tuk-tuk from the main road is the usual choice.
How much is a taxi from Madiha to Colombo Airport?
From $95 (Rs 30,500) for the whole car, up to three passengers in an economy sedan, or $130 (Rs 40,500) for a six-seat van. The drive is 175 km, about 3 h on the Southern Expressway, tolls included. Coming from the airport, the driver tracks your flight and waits 60 minutes for free.
How much is a cab from Madiha to Mirissa or Weligama?
Mirissa is 10 km, about 15 min, from $35 (Rs 11,000). Weligama is 10 km, from $35 (Rs 11,000). Ahangama and Midigama, further west, start at $35 (Rs 11,000) and $35 (Rs 11,000).
Can we take surfboards in the taxi?
Yes, tell us how many boards and their length before you book. Shortboards usually go inside a van with the seats arranged; a longboard may not fit in a sedan. Message us on WhatsApp and we confirm the right vehicle.
How much is a taxi from Madiha to Hiriketiya, Talalla or Tangalle?
Talalla is 15 km, from $35 (Rs 11,000). Hiriketiya is 30 km, about 40 min, from $35 (Rs 11,000). Tangalle is 40 km, from $35 (Rs 11,000). All are along the A2 east of Matara.
Can we fly into Mattala instead of Colombo?
If your flight uses Mattala, it is 90 km from Madiha, about 1 h 40, from $50 (Rs 16,000). The driver meets you in the arrivals hall with a name sign, exactly as in Colombo.
Do you go from Madiha to Ella or Yala?
Yes, enter Madiha and your destination in the booking form to see the fixed price. Those are long drives inland, so we suggest leaving in the morning and asking for a stop on the way.
How do we pay, and can we cancel?
You pay the full price by card when you book, and nothing is due to the driver. You can also pay 50% online and the rest in cash to the driver, which costs 10% more. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before pickup.
How far is Madiha from Colombo airport?
175 km by road, about 3 h by car. A private taxi from the airport costs $95 (Rs 30,500) for the whole car.
Car hire with driver, for the whole trip
Keep the same car and the same driver for the whole trip. 250 km a day included, and his room and meals are on us.
$90 (Rs 28,000)a day
See private driver pricesBook your taxi or cab from Madiha
from $35 (Rs 11,000) per vehicle, not per person
A stop on the way, a wait, a child seat, a multi-day trip: ask us on WhatsApp and we reply with a firm price.