Panadura is surrounded on all sides by water; the Indian Ocean, the Bolgoda Lake and river is reason for that.

Panadura is famed as the location of important events in the Buddhist revival movement of Sri Lanka.

[citation needed] The Panadura Debate, held in 1873, was the climax of the first phase of the Buddhist revivalist movement which began with the establishment of the Society for the Propagation of Buddhism at Kotahena and the establishment of the Lankopakara Press in Galle.

[2][3] It was the success of the Panadura Debate that prompted Colonel Henry Steel Olcott to come to Ceylon.

"Kethumathi" (Sinhala: කේතුමතී කාන්තා රෝහල) is the fourth largest hospital in the country, dedicated for Obstetrics and Gynecology.