Gavin Thomas/Rough Guides
POLONNARUWA
North of Kandy, the tangled green hills of the central highlands tumble down into the plains of the dry zone, a hot and denuded region of dense jungle and thorny scrub interspersed with isolated mountainous outcrops towering dramatically over the surrounding flatlands. Despite the unpromising natural environment, these northern plains served as the crucible of the island’s earliest civilizations, spawning the great kingdoms of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa along with vast irrigation works which transformed the face of the land. Physical evidence of this history survives in the region’s extraordinary surfeit of ancient monuments (including five of the island’s eight World Heritage Sites), now collectively protected as the so-called “Cultural Triangle” and still serving as a potent reminder of the golden age of Sinhalese art and architecture.
The largest of the Triangle’s myriad attractions is the huge ruined city of Anuradhapura, capital of the island from the third century BC to 993 AD and one of medieval Asia’s great metropolises, dotted with vast monasteries, elaborate palaces, enormous tanks and a trio of monumental dagobas, surpassed in scale in the ancient world only by the Egyptian pyramids. The remains of Polonnaruwa, the island’s second capital, are more compact but equally absorbing, while few visitors miss the chance to climb the spectacular rock citadel of Sigiriya, perhaps Sri Lanka’s single most extraordinary sight. Other leading attractions include the marvellous cave temples of Dambulla, a magical treasure box of Buddhist sculpture and painting, and the religious centre of Mihintale, scene of the introduction of Buddhism to the island.
Major attractions aside, the Cultural Triangle is peppered with other intriguing but relatively little-visited ancient monuments, including the abandoned cities of Yapahuwa and Panduwas Nuwara; the great Buddha statues of Aukana and Sasseruwa; the absorbing temples of Aluvihara and Ridi Vihara; and the haunting forest monasteries of Arankele and Ritigala. And there is no shortage of natural attractions, either, at the national parks of Minneriya, Kaudulla and Wasgomuwa.
Planning an itinerary The major Cultural Triangle sites are all relatively close to one another, and there are all sorts of different permutations when it comes to planning an itinerary or choosing where to stay. One possibility is to base yourself in or around Dambulla, Sigiriya or Habarana, from where it’s possible to visit all the other major sights on day-trips, assuming you have your own transport.
Public transport Regular buses connect Kandy, Dambulla, Sigiriya, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, while occasional trains run from Colombo, via Kurunegala, to both Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. All the major monuments can be easily reached by public transport; smaller sites are trickier to access without your own car, although local buses will get you to most of them in the end if you don’t mind sometimes time-consuming and laborious journeys.
The biggest town between Colombo and Anuradhapura, busy KURUNEGALA sits athwart a major junction on the roads between Colombo, Dambulla, Anuradhapura and Kandy, so you may well change buses here – although there’s no huge reason to stay. The town enjoyed a brief moment of pre-eminence in Sri Lankan affairs during the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries when it served as the capital of Sinhalese kings Bhuvanekabahu II (ruled 1293–1302) and Parakramabahu IV (r. 1302–26), though hardly anything remains from this period.
Gavin Thomas/Rough Guides
THE WATER GARDENS, SIGIRIYA
Rock temples, Dambulla An extraordinary Aladdin’s cave of Buddhist art, packed with hundreds of statues and decorated with the finest murals in the country.
Sigiriya The spectacular rock outcrop of Sigiriya was the site of Sri Lanka’s most remarkable royal capital and palace, complete with water gardens, paintings of celestial nymphs and 1300-year-old graffiti.
“The Gathering”, Minneriya National Park Asia’s largest gathering of wild elephants, as three-hundred-plus pachyderms congregate around the retreating waters of Minneriya Tank during the northern dry season.
Polonnaruwa Polonnaruwa is home to some of Sri Lanka’s finest ancient stupas and shrines, dating back to its brief but brilliant period as the island’s capital.
Anuradhapura The remains of the vast ancient city of Anuradhapura are one of the island’s most compelling historical sites, as well as a major place of Buddhist pilgrimage.
Mihintale Revered as the place where Buddhism was introduced to the island, Mihintale boasts an interesting collection of religious monuments scattered across a beautiful hilltop location.
HIGHLIGHTS ARE MARKED ON THE MAP
On the northern side of the centre, attractive lakeside walkways ring the breezy Kurunegala Tank, with views of the huge bare rock outcrops that surround the town and lend the entire place a strangely lunar air. The inevitable legend professes that these are the petrified bodies of a strange menagerie of giant animals – including an eel, tortoise and elephant – who were threatening to drink the lake dry, only to be turned to stone by a demoness who inhabited the waters.
If you’ve an hour or so to kill, it’s worth heading up to the enormous seated Buddha statue atop Etagala (Elephant Rock), signed “Samadhi Buddha Statue Athugala 1.9km” along a twisting road behind the People’s Bank. The statue itself was finished in 2003 and stands 27m high, although it’s the superb views over town and surrounding countryside that really impress.
The plains of northern Sri Lanka have been known for millennia as Rajarata, “The King’s Land”, although nowadays the traditional name has largely lapsed and the region is generally referred to as the Cultural Triangle (its monuments run under the auspices of the government’s Central Cultural Fund, 
ccf.gov.lk). The origins of the name – perhaps inspired by the “golden triangles” of Thailand and India – date back to the 1970s when the Sri Lankan government and UNESCO first began restoring the region’s great monuments and promoting them to the international tourist market. The three points of this imaginary triangle lie at the great Sinhalese capitals of Kandy in the south, Anuradhapura in the north and Polonnaruwa in the east, although in fact, this tourist-oriented invention presents a rather warped sense of the region’s past, given that the history of Kandy is quite different and separate – both chronologically and geographically – from that of the earlier capitals.
By bus Buses arrive at the overcrowded station bang in the town centre.
Destinations Anuradhapura (every 20min; 3hr); Colombo (every 20min; 2hr); Dambulla (every 15min; 2hr); Kandy (every 15min; 1hr); Negombo (every 30min; 1hr 30min).
By train The train station is just over 1km southeast of the bus station on Kandy Rd.
Destinations Anuradhapura (8 daily; 2–3hr); Colombo (11–14 daily; 2hr); Maho (for Yapahuwa; hourly; 40min–1hr 40min).
Most of Kurunegala’s small selection of accommodation is clustered around Kurunegala Tank, north of the town centre, although most places are more used to local wedding parties than to foreign tourists. Another possibility is the upmarket Brook Boutique Hotel & Spa, midway between Kurunegala and Dambulla.
Hotel Kamrel 604 Malkaduwawa 
037 494 7504, hotelkamrel.com; map. Clean, modern hotel with thirty comfortable and well-equipped rooms, all with a/c, flatscreen satellite TV and tea- and coffee-making facilities. There’s also an in-house restaurant and bar. B&B $50
Richards Welangola Rd 037 222 5087, 
richardsguesthousekurunegala@gmail.com; map. This friendly guesthouse is the most comfortable place to stay in Kurunegala. The en-suite rooms are small and clean, with mosquito nets and free toiletries, and there’s a spacious communal lounge area. B&B: $20, a/c $30
Seasons 7 North Lake Rd 037 222 3452, diyadahara@sltnet.lk; map. In a fancy new building directly opposite the Diya Dihara restaurant, this hotel currently has six spacious, modern rooms with a/c, TV, coffee machine and fridge, as well as two function halls. More rooms, as well as a pool and rooftop lounge, are currently under construction. B&B $60
Littlemore Estate Bungalow 8km northwest of Kurunegala (3km west off the A10 highway from Pellandeniya village) 076 696 9383, facebook.com/littlemoreestate; map. Three attractive rooms done up in cool colonial style, set inside a gracious old verandaed bungalow nestled in the middle of a working coconut plantation, with a large pool. B&B $120
There are few good places to eat in Kurunegala, and not many places to get a drink, either – for a sundowner, the lake-side terrace of the Diya Dihara is the best option.
Diya Dahara 7 North Lake Rd 037 526 6662; map. Kurunegala’s nicest place to eat, occupying a garden terrace overlooking the lake and serving up a competently prepared range of Sri Lankan, Chinese and Continental dishes. Often closes for functions, however, and some days there’s a buffet only. Mains around Rs.850. Daily 6am–11pm.
In & Out Puttalam Rd; map. Smart, modern bakery near the bus station dishing up a wide selection of cakes and short eats along with a few simple hot meals (Rs.300–400), served in the small dining area at the back. Daily 6am–10pm.
The little-visited area north of Kurunegala is home to an intriguing range of attractions: the abandoned cities of Yapahuwa and Panduwas Nuwara; the absorbing forest monastery of Arankele; the beautiful Kandyan-era temples at Padeniya and Ridi Vihara; and a striking Buddha statue at the Monaragala Vihara near Ridigama. If you have your own transport, all of these sites could be visited in a leisurely day’s excursion, either as a round trip from Kurunegala or en route to Anuradhapura. (If you don’t want to pay for a car all the way to Anuradhapura, ask to be dropped at Daladagama, from where it’s easy to pick up a bus.)
2km outside Ridigama village • No set hours • Donation • Take a bus from Kurunegala to Ridigama (hourly; 45min) then either walk or take a tuktuk; by car, the temple is easily reached from either the Kurunegala–Dambulla highway (turn off at Talgodapitiya) or the Kandy–Dambulla highway (turn off at Palapatwela)
Tucked away in beautiful rolling countryside around 20km northeast of Kurunegala, the cave temple of Ridi Vihara is well worth hunting out if you have your own transport (although difficult to reach if you don’t). According to legend, Ridi Vihara, or “Silver Temple”, was built by the legendary King Dutugemunu. Dutugemunu lacked the money to complete the great Ruwanwelisaya dagoba at Anuradhapura until the discovery of a rich vein of silver ore at Ridi Vihara allowed the king to finish his masterpiece – he expressed his gratitude by creating a temple at the location of the silver lode.
When you enter the complex, bear left in front of a cluster of modern monastery buildings and a fine old bo tree to reach the diminutive Varakha Valandu Vihara (“Jackfruit Temple”), a pretty little structure built up against a small rock outcrop. Originally constructed as a Hindu temple, the building was converted into a Buddhist shrine around the eleventh century but still looks decidedly South Indian in style, with heavy rectangular columns overhung by a very solid-looking stone roof.
Beyond the Varakha Valandu Vihara lies the main temple, built beneath a huge rock outcrop said to resemble the shape of a cobra’s hood. The temple is in two parts. The older Pahala Vihara (Lower Temple) is built into a cave beneath the rock. An exquisite ivory carving of five ladies stands next to the entrance door, while inside a series of huge statues pose solemnly in the semi-darkness. A huge sleeping Buddha occupies the left-hand side of the cave, in front of which is a platform inset with blue-and-white Flemish tiles, donated (it’s said) by a Dutch ambassador to the Kandyan court and showing pictures of village life in the Netherlands along with a few biblical scenes – a sneaky bit of Christian proselytizing in this venerable Buddhist shrine. The weather-beaten statues at the far end of the temple include one eroded image said to be of Dutugemunu himself.
To the right of the Pahala Vihara, steps lead up to the eighteenth-century Upper Temple, or Uda Vihara – the work of Kandyan king Kirti Sri Rajasinha. The main chamber has an impressive seated Buddha set against a densely peopled background (the black figures are Vishnus), while the entrance steps outside boast a fine moonstone flanked by elephant-shaped balustrades. Note, too, the door to the small shrine behind, topped with an unusual painting of nine women arranged in the shape of an elephant. Outside, a dagoba sits almost completely covered under another part of the overhanging rock.
Back at the entrance to the monastery, more than a hundred steps, some cut into bare rock, lead up to a small restored dagoba, from which there are fine views across the surrounding countryside.
Rambadagalla village, about 5km south of Ridigama (and 4km south of Ridi Vihara) down the Keppetigalla Rd • No set hours • Donation • samadhibuddhastatue.lk
Worth a visit if you’re in the Ridigama area is the Monaragala Vihara, home to a gigantic Samadhi Buddha statue, begun in 2003 in response to the destruction of the famous Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan and finished in 2014. Carved out of a huge rock outcrop and standing (or, rather, sitting) around 22m tall, the image is variously claimed to be the world’s largest Buddha statue in the samadhi (meditation) pose and also the largest rock-carved Buddha in Sri Lanka, outstripping even the famed statues at Polonnaruwa’s Gal Vihara.
Between Hiripitiya and Kumbukwewa, 2km down the small back road connecting the two • Daily 6am–6pm • Free • Driving (there’s no public transport to Arankele), the back road to the site is unsurfaced on the Hiripitiya side, although passable in a car, and signage is minimal, so you may have to ask for directions; approaching from Kurunegala and Kumbukwewa, the road passes the rear entrance to the site (where the modern monastery is) first, before reaching the main entrance around 1km further down the road
Hidden away on a jungle-covered hillside some 25km north of Kurunegala, the ruined forest hermitage of Arankele is one of the Cultural Triangle’s least-visited but most intriguing sites. Arankele was occupied as far back as the third century BC, although most of what you see today dates from the sixth to eighth centuries AD, while extensive parts of the site have yet to be excavated. A community of pamsukulika monks who have devoted themselves to a reclusive, meditative life still live at the monastery at the back of the site.
Just before you reach the entrance to the site, note the fine Jantaghara (literally “hot water bath” – perhaps some kind of monastic hospital similar to the one in Mihintale), which has a fine old stone bathing tank enclosed in stout rectangular walls.
Immediately beyond the entrance lie the extensive ruins of the main monastery, distinguished by their fine craftsmanship and the staggeringly large chunks of stone used in their construction – the fact that early Sinhalese engineers and craftsmen were able to transport and work such huge rocks slightly beggars belief. Major structures here include the impressive chapter house, surrounded by a large moat to help cool the air, and, beside it, a large step-sided pond. Nearby you’ll find the monastery’s main reception hall, floored with just four enormous slabs of granite; an elaborate stone toilet; and, next to it, a small meditation walkway, which was originally roofed – the only one of its kind in Sri Lanka. The roof is long gone, although the footings that supported the columns which formerly held it up can still be seen.
Beyond the main monastery begins Arankele’s remarkable main meditation walkway: a long, perfectly straight, stone walkway, punctuated by small flights of steps, its geometrical neatness making a strange contrast with the wild tropical forest through which it runs. At the time of research, small lamp posts were being inserted along the path, suggesting that night walks may be possible in the future. After some 250m you reach a miniature “roundabout” on the path, popularly believed to have been built to allow meditating monks to avoid walking into one another, although it more likely served as a rest area, covered with a (long since vanished) roof. Close by stand the remains of the principal monk’s residence, with the base of a large hall, a stone toilet and (below) a jumble of pillars, partly collapsed, which would have supported an open-air meditation platform.
The meditation walkway continues a further 250m or so, ending at a small cave-shrine built beneath a rock outcrop. This is the oldest part of the ruins, dating back to the third century BC – the original drip-ledge and the holes where a projecting canopy was once fixed can still be seen. Inside, a small Buddha shrine sits flanked by two tiny meditation cells.
Beyond here the path continues to the modern monastery, with a long covered walkway leading to the rear entrance to the site.
Catch any bus travelling from Kurunegala to either Anuradhapura or Puttalam and get off in Padeniya – although the temple’s only really worth visiting if you’ve got your own transport
Some 25km northwest of Kurunegala, right in the centre of the village of PADENIYA, the Padeniya Raja Mahavihara is one of Sri Lanka’s most attractive Kandyan-era temples, and well worth a halt. The unusual main shrine is set on a small rock outcrop and enclosed by fine walls, topped with cute lion statues. Inside, the fine old wooden roof is supported by around thirty beautifully carved wooden pillars showing various figures including a double-headed swan, a lion, an elephant, a man smoking a pipe, a Kandyan drummer and a dancing girl.
Next to the shrine sits a beautiful pond and a fine old bo tree growing out of an imposing three-tiered platform – the roots of the tree have worked their way down through the bricks, with marvellously photogenic results.
Daily 24hr • Free • Buses run approximately every hour from Kurunegala to Chilaw, passing through Panduwas Nuwara village, from where it’s a 1km walk to the site
Buried away in little-visited countryside around 35km from Kurunegala, midway to Chilaw, are the ruins of the ancient city of Panduwas Nuwara. The city is popularly believed to date back to the very earliest days of Sinhalese civilization, taking its name – “Town of Panduwas” – from the legendary Panduvasudeva, and said to be the location of the mythical Ektem Maligaya, although as with much early Sinhalese history the line between fact and fiction is somewhat blurred, if not totally smudged.
Most of the surviving ruins date from the reign of Parakramabahu I, the royal adventurer who established his first capital here before eventually seizing Polonnaruwa. The city that Parakramabahu created at Panduwas Nuwara is often seen as a trial run for his spectacular achievements at Polonnaruwa, and although the individual remains are relatively low-key in comparison, the overall scale of the place is undeniably impressive, and exudes an Ozymandias-like aura of vanished splendour.
The ruined city sprawls over an area of several square kilometres. At its centre lies the citadel, surrounded by sturdy walls, protected by a (now dried-up) moat and pierced by just a single, east-facing entrance. Inside the citadel, facing the entrance, the main ruin is the two-tiered royal palace, reminiscent in layout of Parakramabahu’s royal palace at Polonnaruwa – not much of it survives, although you can still see the footings for pillars which would have supported the long-since-vanished wooden palace building. At the top of the steps on the left a table inscription records a visit by the bumptious Nissankamalla, while at the rear right-hand side of the same terrace are the remains of an ingenious medieval latrine with a water channel leading into a well-like cesspit.
The slight remains of a few further buildings around the palace have been neatly restored, but the rest of the citadel remains unexcavated, with the mounds of numerous old buildings still buried under established woodland.
South of the citadel are the extensive remains of a trio of monasteries. The first is some 200m south, with a ruined brick dagoba, bo tree enclosure (bodhigara) and the ruins of a pillared image house (only the Buddha’s feet survive). Immediately south lies a second monastery, with a Tamil pillar inscription at its entrance, plus two more ruined dagobas and further monastic buildings.
Some 250m further south lies the third, and perhaps most impressive of the trio, with the remains of an imposing stupa on a huge raised square base facing a smaller vatadage (on a round base), a high-walled bodhigara and the remains of a tampita (a shrine raised on pillars).
Further south lies a fourth, much more modern monastery, still very much in use. The core of the monastery dates back to the Kandyan period, and has a rustic tampita fronted by an old wooden pavilion and surrounded by a cluster of colourful modern buildings.
Just a few metres from the modern monastery lies Panduwas Nuwara’s most enigmatic and intriguing site, comprising the foundations of a small round building at the exact centre of a large, partially walled and perfectly circular depression – a structure completely unlike anything else on the island. According to popular legend, this is nothing less than the remains of the legendary Ektem Maligaya, although the more plausible historical explanation is that it served as a place where Parakramabahu received oaths of loyalty, the circular space symbolizing the universe, with the king at its centre.
Daughter of the legendary King Panduvasudeva, Unmadachitra (which loosely translates as “she whose beauty drives men mad”) was one of the great femmes fatales of early Sri Lankan history. When she was still a girl, a prophecy foretold that her future son would kill his uncles and usurp the throne. Panduvasudeva, anxious to prevent such an occurrence, had Unmadachitra shut up in a windowless circular tower, the Ektem Maligaya. As is generally the case with young princesses locked up in tall towers, however, Unmadachitra rapidly contrived to meet and fall in love with an eligible young prince, a certain Digha-Gamini. The young couple were allowed to marry on condition they give up any son born to them, although when their first child, named Pandukabhaya, arrived he was instead spirited away into hiding. Coming of age, Pandukabhaya revealed himself and went into battle against his uncles, all of whom were duly killed with the exception of a certain Anuradha, the only one who desisted from taking up arms against the upstart nephew, and in whose honour Pandukabhaya subsequently named his new city: Anuradhapura.
Mon & Wed–Sun 8am–4.30pm • Free
On your way out of the complex it’s worth dropping by the modest Panduwas Nuwara Museum, which displays finds from the site. Highlights include an unusual polished-stone mirror and a tiny metal figurine of Parakramabahu posed in a very similar style to that of the famous statue of the king at the Potgul Vihara in Polonnaruwa.
Daily 7am–6pm • Rs.620
Around 45km north of Kurunegala, just off the road to Anuradhapura, lies the magnificent citadel of Yapahuwa, built around a huge granite rock rising almost 100m above the surrounding lowlands. One of the short-lived capitals established during the collapse of Sinhalese power in the thirteenth century, Yapahuwa was founded by Bhuvanekabahu I (r. 1272–84), who transferred here from the less easily defensible Polonnaruwa in the face of recurrent attacks from South India, bringing the Tooth Relic with him. The move proved to be of no avail, however. In 1284, Yapahuwa was captured by the army of the South Indian Pandyan dynasty, who carried off the Tooth Relic to Madurai in Tamil Nadu. Following its capture, Yapahuwa was largely abandoned and taken over by monks and hermits, and the capital was moved to Kurunegala.
Yapahuwa’s outstanding feature is the marvellous stone stairway, which climbs with Maya-like steepness up to the palace – its neck-cricking gradient apparently designed to protect the Tooth Relic at the top from potential attackers. Its top flight is a positive riot of decoration. Statues of elephants, makara toranas, dwarfs, goddesses and a pair of goggle-eyed stone lions flank the stairs, which are topped by a finely carved doorway and windows. Panels around the base and sides of each window are embellished with reliefs of dancers and musicians, one playing a Kandyan drum, the oldest pictorial record of Sri Lanka’s most famous musical instrument. The quality of the craftsmanship and materials (solid stone, rather than plebeian brick) is strikingly high, and doesn’t suggest the residence of a king on the run – although the decidedly Indian style pays unintentional tribute to the invaders who had driven Bhuvanekabahu here in the first place.
At the top of the palace stairway, the so-called Lion Terrace is deeply anticlimactic after the grandiose approach. This was the site of the Temple of the Tooth itself, though there’s not much to see now. At the rear left-hand side of the terrace, a rough path, crisscrossed with trailing tree roots, leads to the summit of the rock – a breathless ten-minute scramble offering panoramic views.
The extremely modest remains of the rest of the city lie scattered around the base of the rock, including the foundations of various buildings dotted across the area at the bottom of the palace stairway, bounded by a limestone wall and surrounded by a dried-up moat.
Close to the site entrance and ticket office is a gorgeous old Kandyan-style wooden barn (on the right as you come in) with a quaint bell tower attached. Behind this is a cave temple, its entrance projecting from the rock outcrop, inside which are some extremely faded Kandyan-era frescoes plus assorted old plaster, wood and bronze Buddha images. The temple is usually locked, though someone from the ticket office may offer to open it for you.
By bus Catch any bus travelling between Anuradhapura and Kurunegala and get off at Daladagama, 8km west of the site, from where you can pick up a tuktuk for the return trip to Yapahuwa.
By train Yapahuwa is 5km from Maho train station, which is served by regular local trains from Kurunegala and by fast trains between Colombo and Anuradhapura. Trains run roughly hourly throughout the day.
Destinations Anuradhapura (7 daily; 1hr 15min–2hr); Colombo (11 daily; 3–4hr); Kurunegala (hourly; 40min–1hr 40min).
Yapahuwa Paradise 1.5km west of the site 037 397 5055, hotelyapahuwaparadise.com. This cheery place, complete with obligatory stone lions, makes a more luxurious base than any of the guesthouses in Kurunegala for exploring the local area. Accommodation is in bright and comfortable rooms (all with a/c, satellite TV and minibar) in attractive white cottages dotted around the garden. There’s also a large pool and a new beer garden. B&B $100
From Kandy, most visitors heading for the Cultural Triangle plough straight up the main road north to Dambulla, Sigiriya and beyond. If you have your own transport, however, there are several interesting sites en route. Two of these – the famous monastery of Aluvihara and the wonderful little temple at Nalanda – are right on the main highway.
The main road between Kandy and Dambulla is also littered with innumerable spice gardens. The temperate climate of the region – halfway in altitude between the coastal plains and the hill country – offers ideal horticultural conditions, and if you’re interested in seeing where the ingredients of Sri Lankan cuisine come from, now is your chance. Entrance is generally free, but you’ll be encouraged to buy some spices at inflated prices in return for a look at the various plants and shrubs.
Around 25km north from Kandy, the bustling town of MATALE (pronounced mah-ta-lay) and surrounding area is an important centre for the production of traditional Sri Lankan arts and crafts (Matale itself is famous for its lacquerware) – and also a major traffic bottleneck when travelling to or from Kandy.
Main St • Daily 7am–11.45am & 5–7.45pm (although you can still see the temple exterior outside these hours) • Rs.200
Modern Matale is unremarkable apart from the huge Sri Muthumariamman Thevasthanam, right next to the main road through town. This is one of the biggest Hindu temples in Sri Lanka outside the north, east and Colombo, and is dedicated to the goddess Mariamman (Mari meaning shakti, or female energy and power, and amman meaning “mother”), the major female deity in South Indian and Sri Lankan Hinduism. The temple itself is characteristically cavernous and colourful, while a couple of rickety corrugated-iron garages in the surrounding courtyard are used to store the towering chariots used in the temple’s annual festival. The entrance fee helps support local social projects, including the little pre-school around the back.
Daily 6am–6pm • Rs.250 • All buses heading north from Kandy to Dambulla go right past the entrance • No photography
Sitting right next to the main Kandy–Dambulla highway, 2km north of Matale, the small monastery of Aluvihara is of great significance in the global history of Buddhism as the place where the most important set of Theravada Buddhist scriptures, the Tripitaka (“Three Baskets”), were first committed to writing. During the first five centuries of the religion’s existence, the vast corpus of the Buddha’s teachings were simply memorized and passed orally from generation to generation. Around 80 BC, however, fears that the Tripitaka would be lost during the upheavals caused by repeated South Indian invasions prompted the industrious King Vattagamani Abhaya (who also created the Dambulla cave temples and founded the great Abhayagiri monastery in Anuradhapura) to establish Aluvihara, staffing it with five hundred monks who laboured for years to transcribe the Pali-language Buddhist scriptures onto ola-leaf manuscripts. Tragically, having survived for almost two thousand years, this historic library was largely destroyed by British troops when they attacked the temple in 1848 to put down a local uprising.
The heart of the complex consists of a sequence of cave temples, tucked away in a picturesque jumble of huge rock outcrops and linked by flights of steps and narrow paths between the boulders. From the first temple (home to a 10m-long sleeping Buddha), steps lead up to the main level, where a second cave temple conceals another large sleeping Buddha and various pictures and sculptures demonstrating the lurid punishments awaiting wrongdoers in the Buddhist hell – a subject which seems to exert a ghoulish fascination on the ostensibly peace-loving Sinhalese. Opposite, another cave houses a similarly gruesome tableau vivant showing bloodthirsty punishments meted out by Sri Wickrama Rajasinha, the last king of Kandy.
From here, steps lead up past the side of the second temple to another cave temple behind, which is devoted to the great Indian Buddhist scholar Buddhaghosa, who worked at Anuradhapura during the fifth century AD (though there’s no evidence that he ever visited Aluvihara), producing a definitive set of commentaries on the Tripitaka. A statue of Vattagamani Abhaya stands in the corner of the cave, offering the scholar an ola-leaf manuscript, while a brilliant gilded Buddhaghosa image from Thailand stands sentry outside. From here, a final flight of steps leads up past a bo tree (apparently growing out of solid rock) to the very top of the complex, where a dagoba and terrace offer fine views across the hills and over to a huge golden Buddha (also a gift from Thailand) which surveys the entire complex from a hillside far above.
Daily 7am–5pm
Just up the hill to the left of the temple complex, the International Buddhist Library and Museum houses a few random objects including a vast antique ola-leaf copy of the Tripitaka in many volumes. A resident monk may also be on hand to demonstrate the ancient and dying art of writing upon ola-leaf parchment (for a small donation): the words are first scratched out with a metal stylus, after which ink is rubbed into the leaf, causing the invisible words to magically appear.
1km east of the main highway to Dambulla • Daily 6am–5pm • Any bus from Kandy to Dambulla will drop you at the turn-off to the temple on the main road, from where it’s a 10min walk
Some 25km north of Matale stands the Nalanda Gedige, a little gem of a building and one of the most unusual monuments in the Cultural Triangle. The gedige (Buddhist image house) occupies a scenic location overlooking a tank, with fine views of the steep green surrounding hills – it originally stood nearby at a lower level among paddy fields but was painstakingly dismantled and reconstructed in its present location in 1980, when the Mahaweli Ganga hydroelectricity project led to its original site being flooded. The building is named after the great Buddhist university at Nalanda in northern India, though its origins remain mostly obscure – different sources date it anywhere between the sixth and tenth centuries. According to tradition, it’s claimed that Nalanda is located at the exact centre of Sri Lanka, although a glance at any map shows that it’s actually rather closer to the west coast than the east.
The gedige is pure South Indian in style, and looks quite unlike anything else in Sri Lanka. Constructed entirely of stone, it’s laid out like a Hindu temple, with a pillared antechamber, or mandapa (originally roofed), leading to an inner shrine encircled by an ambulatory. There’s no sign of Hindu gods, however, and it appears that the temple was only ever used as a Buddhist shrine. The main shrine is entered through a fine square stone door topped by an architrave comprising a line of miniature buildings. To the side, the southern tympanum of the unusual horseshoe-shaped roof features a carving of Kubera, the god of wealth, and the other walls are also richly carved, with many small faces in roundels. The carvings are now much eroded, although if you look carefully you may be able to find the erotic Tantric carving which adorns the southern face of the base plinth on which the entire gedige stands – the only example in Sri Lanka of a typically Indian sculptural motif. The brick base of a ruined (but much more modern) dagoba stands close by.
A tiny museum in the car park area houses a few more heavily eroded pillars and a pillar inscription recovered from the site.
Between Matale and Dambulla there are lush valleys of coconut and tea plantations. It’s a lovely area to spend a few quiet days unwinding before or after touring the Cultural Triangle or the Hill Country via Kandy.
Jim’s Farm Villas 9km south of Nalanda Gedige and 3km west of Madawala Ulpotha 077 782 8395, jimsfarmvillas.com. Three luxurious boutique villas, with single, double and family rooms, set on a hill overlooking a coconut and mango plantation. There’s also a pool, yoga pavilion, spa and excellent restaurant (open to non-guests with advance reservation) serving fresh organic produce from the farm. B&B $180
Daily 6am–6pm • $12, plus the usual additional fees and taxes
Wasgamuwa National Park is one of the most unspoiled of all Sri Lanka’s reserves, enjoying an isolated position and being largely enclosed – and offered a measure of protection – by two large rivers, the Mahaweli Ganga and Amban Ganga, which bound it to the east and west. Straddling the northeastern edge of the hill country, the park ranges in elevation from over 500m to just 76m along the Mahaweli Ganga, and comprises mainly dry-zone evergreen forest along the main rivers and in the hills, and open plains in the southeastern and eastern sections. The usual cast of Sri Lankan fauna can be found here, including up to 150 elephants, best seen from November to May (especially in February, March and April; at other times they tend to migrate to Minneriya and Kaudulla national parks). Other wildlife includes sambar and spotted deer, buffalo and rarely sighted leopards and sloth bears, plus around 150 species of bird, including a number of endemics.
Getting to Wasgamuwa is half the fun, with a range of scenic approach routes to the park providing views of pristine countryside and wildlife-spotting opportunities. The park’s entrance is along its southern flank, about 20km north of the village of Hettipola, where all the roads converge. Most visitors approach from Kandy, although the park is also reachable from Polonnaruwa/Giritale and Dambulla. The most convenient way to get the park entrance is with your own vehicle. Alternatively, take a bus to Hettipola and change there for a service to Handungamuwa, which is about 1km from the park entrance. At the entrance, it’s possible to hire a jeep with a guide to enter the park.
From Kandy via Mahiyangana/Hasalaka The easiest approach from Kandy is to head east to Mahiyangana and then north along the Mahiyangana–Polonnaruwa road, turning off at either Girandurukotte or Hebarawa to reach Hettipola via the Japan (Nippon) Bridge over the Mahaweli Ganga. This road is in good condition all the way to Hettipola. A more direct approach is to turn north off the Kandy–Mahiyangana road at Hasalaka, from where a heavily pot-holed road leads up to Hettipola via the broad Rathna Falls.
From Kandy via Matale An alternative but slower approach from Kandy is to head north to Matale and then east, along a minor road which climbs over the northern part of the Knuckles Range and through the villages of Rattota and Pallegama to reach Hettipola.
From Dambulla/Polonnaruwa via Elahera From Dambulla, head south down the Kandy road to Naula, then turn east to reach Hettipola via the village of Elahera, which is also connected by a reasonable road to Polonnaruwa via Giritale.
Guides Sumane Bandara Illangantilake (077 260 6069, trekkingexpeditor.com) and Ravi Desappriya (071 499 7666, srilankatrekking.com) in Kandy are both excellent guides to the park.
There are a couple of places to stay overlooking Dunvila Lake, a popular spot with local elephants, about 5km from the main gate in the park’s southeastern corner. Mahoora (mahoora.lk) also run mobile tented safari camps in the park.
Wasgamuwa Safari Village Dunvila Lake 075 796 0361, safarivillagehotels.com. Rustic place with a dozen thatched en-suite cabanas (fan only) overlooking the lake. B&B $30
Willys Safari Hotel Dunvila Lake 071 689 3392, facebook.com/WillysSafariBunglows. Basic hotel catering to trekkers with comfortable a/c rooms in a low-slung modern building, plus a fair-sized pool. Half board Rs.9000
More or less at the heart of the Cultural Triangle, the bustling little town of DAMBULLA is famous for its remarkable cave temples: five magical, dimly lit grottoes crammed with statues and decorated with exquisite murals, offering a picture-perfect snapshot of Sinhalese Buddhist art at its finest.
Dambulla stands at an important junction of the Colombo–Trincomalee and Kandy–Anuradhapura roads, and makes a convenient base for exploring the area. The town itself is one of the least attractive in the region, however, strung out along a single long, dusty and traffic-plagued main road. The centre is marked by the usual clocktower, north of which stretches the main run of shops. South of the clocktower lies the bus stand, an enjoyably anarchic wholesale market and most of the town’s guesthouses.
About 2km south of Dambulla centre • Daily 7am–6pm; ticket office 7am–5pm • Rs.1500; buy your ticket at the office in the car park behind the main road)
Dambulla’s cave temples enjoy a privileged position, set halfway up an enormous granite outcrop which rises more than 160m above the surrounding countryside, offering majestic views across the dry-zone plains as far as Sigiriya, over 15km distant. It’s a ten- to fifteen-minute walk up to the temples from the entrance – make sure you buy your ticket at the office at the bottom before climbing the steps up.
It’s best to visit the caves in reverse order, starting at the end (Cave 5) and working backwards – this way you get to see the caves in gradually increasing degrees of magnificence, culminating in the wonderful Cave 2.
The cave temples date back to the days of Vattagamini Abhaya (also known as Valagambahu or Valagamba; reigned 103 BC and 89–77 BC). Just five months after becoming king Vattagamini lost his throne to a group of Tamil invaders and was forced into hiding for fourteen years, during which time he found refuge in these caves. Having reclaimed his throne, Vattagamini had temples constructed here in gratitude for the shelter the rock had offered him – the individual “caves” are actually man-made, created by building partition walls into the space beneath what was originally a single huge rock overhang. The cave temples were further embellished by Nissankamalla – while comprehensive restorations and remodellings were carried out by the Kandyan kings Senerat (r. 1604–35) and Kirti Sri Rajasinha (r. 1747–82) – the latter also created the magnificent Cave 3 and commissioned many of the vast number of murals that now adorn the interiors. Most of what you now see dates from the reigns of these last two kings, although precise dating of individual paintings is made difficult since these were traditionally repainted on a regular basis when their colours faded, and further changes and embellishments were added right through to the twentieth century.
The small and atmospheric Cave 5, the Devana Alut Viharaya (“Second New Temple”), is the most modern of the temples. The statues here are made of brick and plaster, unlike the site’s other images, most of which were carved out of solid rock. A 10m reclining Buddha fills most of the available space, while on the wall behind its feet are paintings of a dark Vishnu flanked by Kataragama plus peacock, to the right, and Bandara, a local deity, to the left. To the right of the door as you exit is a mural of a noble carrying lotus flowers, perhaps the patron who originally endowed the temple.
Cave 4, the Paccima Viharaya (“Western Temple” – although Cave 5, constructed later, is actually further west), is relatively small. Multiple identical figures of seated Buddhas in the meditation pose sit around the walls, along with a few larger seated figures, one (curtained) under an elaborate makara torana arch. A small dagoba stands in the middle; the crack in its side is said to be the work of treasure-hunters who believed the dagoba contained the jewellery of Vattagamini Abhaya’s wife, Queen Somawathie. As in Cave 5, the walls are covered with pictures of Buddhas and floral and chequered decorative patterns, most of which were heavily repainted in the early twentieth century.
Cave 3, the Maha Alut Viharaya (“Great New Temple”) was constructed by Kirti Sri Rajasinha and is on a far grander scale, lined with over fifty standing and seated Buddhas; the sloping ceiling reaches a height of up to 10m and gives the cave the appearance of an enormous tent. To the right of the entrance stands a statue of Kirti Sri Rajasinha, with four attendants painted onto the wall behind him. The meditating Buddha, seated in the middle of the cave, and the sleeping Buddha by the left wall, are both carved out of solid rock – an extraordinary feat in an age when every piece of stone had to be hacked off using rudimentary chisels.
Cave 3 has several interesting murals. Two ceiling paintings show the future Buddha, Maitreya, preaching in a Kandyan-looking pavilion. In the first (look up as you enter the cave), he preaches to a group of ascetic disciples; in the second (to the right of the entrance) he addresses a gathering of splendidly adorned gods in the Tusita heaven, where he is believed to currently reside pending his arrival on earth roughly five billion years hence. To the left of the door as you exit (behind a pair of seated Buddhas) is another interesting mural showing an idealized garden with square ponds, trees, elephants, cobras and Buddhas – a folksy nineteenth-century addition to the original Kandyan-era murals.
Cave 2, the Maharaja Vihara (“Temple of the Great Kings”), is the biggest and most spectacular at Dambulla, an enormous, sepulchral space measuring over 50m long and reaching a height of 7m. Vattagamini Abhaya is credited with its creation, though it was altered several times subsequently and completely restored in the eighteenth century. The cave is named after the statues of two kings it contains. The first is a painted wooden image of Vattagamini Abhaya himself (just left of the door furthest away from the main steps up to the caves); the second is of Nissankamalla, hidden away at the far right-hand end of the cave and almost completely concealed behind a large reclining Buddha – a rather obscure fate for this most vainglorious of Sinhalese kings.
The sides and back of the cave are lined with a huge array of Buddha statues. The main Buddha statue on the left of the cave, set under a makara torana in the abhaya (“Have No Fear”) mudra, was formerly covered in gold leaf, traces of which can still be seen. To either side stand wooden statues of Maitreya (left) and Avalokitesvara or Natha (right). Against the wall behind the main Buddha are statues of Saman and Vishnu, while images of Kataragama and Ganesh are painted onto the wall behind, an unusually varied contingent of Theravada, Mahayana and Hindu gods within such a small space.
The ceiling and walls of Cave 2 are covered in a fabulous display of murals – the finest in Sri Lanka. On the ceiling at the western end of the cave (to the left as you enter), Kandyan-style strip panels show pictures of dagobas at Sri Lanka’s holy places and scenes from the Buddha’s life (you can just make out the small white elephant which appeared in a dream to the Buddha’s mother during her pregnancy, symbolizing the remarkable qualities of her future child). These murals pale in comparison, however, with the three adjacent ceiling panels showing the Defeat of Mara, which depict the temptations meted out to the Buddha during his struggle for enlightenment at Bodhgaya. In the first he is shown seated under a beautifully stylized bo tree while crowds of hairy grey demons attack him with arrows (one technologically advanced devil even carries a musket), supervised by a magnificent Mara riding on an elephant. This attempt to break the Buddha’s concentration having failed, the next panel, the Daughters of Mara, shows him being tempted by bevies of seductive maidens. The Buddha’s triumph over these stupendous feminine wiles is celebrated in the next panel, the Isipatana, which shows him delivering his first sermon to a vast assembly of splendidly attired gods.
Across the cave, a wire-mesh enclosure in the right-hand corner contains a pot fed constantly by drips from the ceiling which is said never to run dry, even in the worst drought.
Cave 1, the Devaraja Viharaya (“Temple of the Lord of the Gods”) is named in honour of Vishnu, who is credited with having created the caves; a Brahmi inscription outside the temple to the right commemorates the temples’ foundation. Inside, the narrow space is almost completely filled by a 14m-long sleeping Buddha, carved out of solid rock, which preserves fine traces of beautiful gold gilding on his elbow (often covered). By the Buddha’s head, images of Vishnu and other figures are hidden behind a brightly painted wooden screen, while a statue of the Buddha’s most faithful disciple, Ananda, stands at his feet. The cave’s unusual murals are quite badly eroded in places. Some are said to be the oldest at the site, though constant repainting over the centuries has dulled any clear sense of their antiquity; the bright frescoes behind Ananda’s head (including a weird tree sporting an Italian-style cherub) are clumsy twentieth-century additions.
At the bottom of the steps up to the cave temples stands the bizarre Golden Temple, a shamelessly kitsch building topped by a 30m seated golden Buddha. A nearby sign claims this to be the largest Buddha statue in the world – although in fact it’s not even the biggest in Sri Lanka (the actual largest Buddha statue in the world, at Henan in China, stands over four times as tall at 128m).
Daily 7am–6pm • Free
At the foot of the golden Buddha statue sits the Golden Temple Buddhist Museum, entered through the golden mouth of an enormous lion-like beast. The museum itself is large but rather lacking in exhibits apart from some dull copies of the cave temple paintings, a few Buddhas donated from around the world and a sprinkling of other artefacts, none of which is labelled.
Some 100m south of the Golden Temple (the easy-to-miss entrance is on the building’s ground floor) • Daily 7.30am–4pm • Rs.310 ccf.gov.lk
The recently spruced-up Museum of Wall Paintings offers a fascinating overview of the development of Sri Lankan art, showing the development of the island’s rock paintings and wall murals from the stick-figure scribbles of the Veddhas through to the genre’s golden era during the Kandyan period and on to the European-influenced work of colonial-era artists such as George Keyt. The seven dimly lit but absorbing rooms consist of an expertly executed series of copies (on canvas) of paintings from cave temples, shrines and other locations around the island, gathering together under a single roof a compendium of Sri Lankan art from widely scattered and often remote and inaccessible locations; the copies manage to superbly mimic the cracked and flaking plaster effects of the older murals, and in many cases you get a much better view of the paintings here than in their original settings.
Around 5km southeast of Dambulla town centre, along the Kurunegala road • Daily 7am–5pm • Rs.310 • 066 306 3323, ccf.gov.lk• Buses from Dambulla run every 20–30min past the entrance; alternatively, a tuktuk from Dambulla will cost around Rs.400–500 each way
Dating from the sixth century BC, the Ibbankatuwa Burial Site is the largest burial ground discovered in Sri Lanka so far. Opened to the public in 2017, the site exhibits the three major stages of excavation that took place here, beginning in the 1970s through to 2015, which uncovered forty-seven burial chambers enclosing stone urns containing ashes, as well as metal implements and a variety of bead and gemstone necklaces. None of the originals are on display at the site, although large colour photos of the finds can be seen at the entrance.
Around 3km east of the cave temples, along the Kandalama road • Daily 6am–6pm • Rs.1000 (including guided walk if you book ahead or if a member of staff is available to show you around); evening guided walks from 7pm Rs.1500 • 077 726 7951, facebook.com/sampophamarboretum • Buses from Dambulla run every 20–30min past the entrance; alternatively, a tuktuk from Dambulla will cost around Rs.300–400 each way (ask to be taken to the “Suddage Waththa”, as the arboretum is known locally)
The Popham Arboretum was the creation of British tea planter and keen dendrologist Sam Popham. Dismayed by the destruction of Sri Lanka’s dry-zone forests, Popham established the arboretum in 1963 as an experiment in reforesting an area of scrub jungle with minimal human interference, and it now preserves almost three hundred tree and plant species, including seven endemics, in a peaceful 36-acre stretch of woodland crisscrossed by a network of paths.
Visitors can explore the arboretum’s colour-coded walking trails on their own or alternatively call to book a guided walk; these start from the arboretum’s rustic visitor centre, a modest bungalow originally designed as Popham’s quarters by his friend Geoffrey Bawa. Evening guided walks (best to book in advance) offer an excellent chance of spotting some of the arboretum’s elusive wildlife, including loris, spotted and mouse deer and the rare pangolin, and there are even a couple of simple cottages (Rs.3000/2500) if you fancy staying overnight.
By bus The bus station is towards the southern end of town, a Rs.200–300 tuktuk ride from the various guesthouses. Many through buses however don’t actually go into the station but pick up and drop off on the main road, usually at the stops outside and opposite the Benthota Bake House, a bit further north along the road. Leaving Dambulla, it’s almost always quicker to catch a bus on the main road than at the station itself.
Destinations Anuradhapura (every 30min; 1hr 30min); Colombo (every 20min; 4hr); Habarana (every 20min; 45min); Inamaluwa Junction (every 15min; 20min); Kandy (every 20min; 2hr); Kurunegala (every 20min; 2hr); Polonnaruwa (every 30min; 1hr 45min); Sigiriya (every 30min; 30min).
Araliya Self Cooking Resort Lihiniya, Kandalama Rd 077 785 0829; map. If you want to learn the basics of traditional Sri Lankan home cooking, this welcoming guesthouse is a great place to learn. Located in the suburbs of Dambulla, its five basic but clean rooms (fan only) look out on to a pleasant garden. The kitchen is in a separate building with a wood stove, and the lessons are included in the cost of the meal (Rs.350–600). Rs.1500
Blue Sky Guest House 44 Mile Post Kandy Road 077 785 0829, dambullaguesthouse.com; map. One of Dambulla’s best cheapies, offering competitively priced rooms with hot water, remote-controlled wall fans, mosquito nets, bottled water and optional a/c (Rs.1000). The friendly owner can organize budget tours to the surrounding sites. Rs.1500
Dambulla City Hostel 320/25 Kurunegala Rd 076 561 6223, hostelslanka.com; map. Lively backpacker hostel in a stately old home with garden that’s a great hub for travel information and an excellent budget choice. There are communal kitchen and laundry facilities, and there’s also a comfortable TV lounge with a good selection of movies. Dorm beds come either mixed or women-only, and there are two doubles with kitchen and lounge rooms attached. Camping facilities were also in the works at the time of research. Dorms $10, a/c doubles $30
Dignity Villa 29 Yaya Rd, Sampath Watta (700m down the side road next to Cargills supermarket) 066 493 5335 or 077 518 0902, thesimpletraveler.com; map. Neat little guesthouse with a friendly-family atmosphere in a quasi-rural setting within five minutes’ walk of the town centre. Rooms overlook a rectangle of lush lawn. The owner (a former pro chef) can rustle up Western and Sri Lankan meals on request, served on the attractive garden veranda. $16, a/c $25
Gimanhala Hotel Anuradhapura Rd 066 228 4864, gimanhala.com; map. Attractive modern building in the centre of town, with pleasantly large and nicely decorated rooms, all with a/c, hot water and satellite TV. There’s also a decent-sized pool and an attractive pavilion restaurant. B&B $70
Golden Rainbow Off Kandy Rd 077 307 9437, rainbowguesthousedambulla.com; map. Three neat, inexpensive fan rooms in a pretty modern house hidden amid trees in a very quiet location just south of the cave temples, plus a wooden cabin (Rs.3500) and two new “luxury” a/c doubles (around Rs. 4500) currently under construction. Call for a free pick-up when you arrive. Rs.2000
Saman’s Guesthouse Kandy Rd 077 435 3484, facebook.com/samansrestaurantandguesthouse; map. Long-running guesthouse, with nine attractive modern rooms, all with hot water, smart bathrooms and big frame-nets. Excellent value – although optional a/c (Rs.1000) bumps up the price considerably. Also has a good in-house restaurant. Rs.4500
Sundaras Resort 189 Kandy Rd 072 708 6000, sundaras.com; map. Recently expanded mid-range hotel with comfortable and attractively furnished rooms, including two popular family suites ($100), located around a central garden with pool and bar. There’s also an Ayurvedic spa on site, and a gym. $45
Amaya Lake 9km east of Dambulla 066 446 8100, amayaresorts.com; map. Stylish resort in a beautiful rural location next to Kandalama Lake. The main building (with reception and restaurant) occupies a pair of striking interlocking wooden pavilions, while accommodation is in a string of stylishly decorated villas dotted around the extensive grounds. Facilities include a huge pool and seductive Ayurvedic spa, and birdwatching and boat trips on the lake can be arranged. $210
Brook Boutique Hotel & Spa Melsiripura, off A6 highway 30km southwest of Dambulla (25km northeast of Kurunegala) 066 750 0500, brook.lk; map. Idyllic rural hideaway and popular honeymoon destination, tucked away in a lovely 80-acre fruit farm, with fine views over the surrounding hills. Understated luxury and designer tranquillity are the order of the day, with rocking chairs on each veranda, a pillow menu and plenty of garden in which to unwind. Stylish rooms come with all mod cons; more expensive villas also have private gardens and plunge pools, and there’s also a huge coconut-shaded pool and excellent food. B&B $250
Heritance Kandalama 9km east of Dambulla 066 555 5000, heritancehotels.com; map. One of Sri Lanka’s most celebrated hotels, in a stunning location on Kandalama Lake and with sweeping views towards Sigiriya and beyond. Designed by Geoffrey Bawa, the whole place manages to be simultaneously huge but almost invisible, built into a hillside and largely concealed under a lush jungle canopy, so that nature is never far away. Rooms are stylishly furnished and well equipped, with big picture windows and marvellous views, while facilities include three excellent restaurants, a spectacular infinity pool, a gym and a gorgeous Six Senses spa. $285
Jetwing Lake Yapagama, 5km south of Dambulla 066 204 0700, jetwinghotels.com; map. All the rooms at this new lakeside resort have superb views of either the mountain ranges to the south, or Sigiriya to the northeast. The sprawling grounds include a 70m-long pool, a spa and a nature trail for birdwatching. There are also two in-house dining options – a Sri Lankan and international buffet and a Chinese restaurant. $200
Thilanka Resort and Spa Kandy Rd, 7km south of Dambulla 066 446 8001, thilankaresortandspa.com; map. This boldly simple luxury hotel and spa – all clean lines and right angles – is dominated by its dazzling pool, which flows almost into reception, and magnificent expanse of paddy. Rooms are bright and stylish, with huge picture windows, eye-catching oversized prints, DVD players, big TVs and private plunge pools. At the time of writing, a new wing of 24 rooms was under construction. $125
Benthota Bake House Kandy Rd; map. The lively Benthota Bake House dishes up the usual short eats and cheap helpings of rice and curry (Rs.350–500). There’s plenty of seating and it’s a good place to take a break if you’re on a long car trip, or just need to wait for a bus. Daily 6am–10.30pm.
Gimanhala Hotel Anuradhapura Rd 066 228 4864, gimanhala.com; map. If you’ve built up an appetite and want to enjoy a variety of Sri Lankan, Chinese and Western-style dishes, the Gimanhala’ s breakfast (Rs.750) or lunch (Rs.1500) buffet, including tea or coffee, offers a delicious and filling selection. Dinner is à la carte only, with a good range of mains from Rs.700. Daily 6.30am–9.30pm.
The Heritage Dambulla Kandy Rd 011 558 5858, chcresthouses.com/dambulla; map. A surprisingly chic little café for dusty Dambulla, and a convenient stop before or after a visit to the cave temples. Well-presented fare includes breakfasts, sandwiches, soups and salads, plus more substantial Sri Lankan and European-style mains (Rs.600–800). Daily 6am–10pm.
Saman’s Restaurant Saman’s Guesthouse, Kandy Rd 077 435 3484, facebook.com/samansrestaurantandguesthouse; map. This long-running restaurant is best known for its huge rice and curry spreads (Rs.800), often featuring unusual local vegetables and with plenty of authentic flavour and a fair bit of spice too. Also a good place for both Western and Sri Lankan breakfasts (Rs.500). Daily 7am–11pm.
Ballooning Sun Rise Ballooning (srilankaballooning.com) operate daily excursions departing just after sunrise (weather permitting) in the Dambulla/Sigiriya area from Nov to April for $210.
Banks The northern end of town has plenty of banks with ATMs accepting foreign cards.
Cricket The impressive modern Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, southwest of the centre, hosts regular international one-day matches (but no test fixtures).
Internet Try Excellence, opposite the post office (daily 9am–6pm; Rs.100/hr), and Kopi Kade (daily 9am–8pm; Rs.100/hr), at the northern end of town near the Gimanhala hotel.
Swimming Non-guests get free use of the pleasant pool at the Gimanhala Transit Hotel when they spend Rs.1000 on food and drink in the hotel.
The area northwest of Dambulla, en route to Anuradhapura, conceals the little-visited Jathika Namal Uyana, with its remarkable ironwood forest and rose-quartz hills, plus two of the island’s finest ancient Buddhas, at Aukana and Sasseruwa, all three of which can be easily combined into a rewarding short day-trip if you have your own vehicle.
Adiyagala road, 7km west of Madatugama junction on the Dambulla–Anuradhapura road • Daily 6am–6.30pm • Rs.500
Around 15km north of Dambulla is the remarkable Jathika Namal Uyana forest reserve. According to legend, the forest was originally planted by Devanampiya Tissa and later became a religious retreat – various monastic remains are dotted around the site. The reserve now protects Sri Lanka’s largest extant forest of the indigenous ironwood (na), the country’s national tree, often planted close to Buddhist temples where its fragrant, four-petalled white flowers are a popular offering during puja. Also contained within the reserve is an impressive range of 550-million-year-old rose-quartz hills, the biggest such deposit in South Asia, which rise lunar-like from the verdant woodland – tradition claims that Mughal emperor Shah Jahan himself had stone imported from here for use in the construction of the Taj Mahal.
From the entrance, a path leads for about 1km though the forest, at its prettiest from April to June when the na trees are in bloom, to a ranger’s hut, the ruins of a moss-covered dagoba, surrounded by a low wall decorated with pink-quartz stones, and a few other hard-to-decipher ruins. From here another trail climbs gently up the hillside (ask a ranger the way), the forest increasingly giving way to quartz outcrops. It’s about a ten-minute hike across the pinky-grey rock face above the tree canopy to the pleasantly breezy summit of the first low mountain, surmounted by a small pink fibreglass Buddha, from where there are magnificent views across to Dambulla.
Daily 7.30am–7.30pm • Rs.1000 • Aukana is difficult to reach by public transport; the best option is to catch one of the buses that run from Dambulla to Anuradhapura, get off at Kekirawa, then catch a local bus or tuktuk to Aukana
One of the island’s most iconic monuments, the magnificent Aukana Buddha statue (or Avukana Buddha, as it’s increasingly spelled), 30km northwest of Dambulla, offers a superb example of Sri Lankan religious art at its classical best. The 12m-high statue stands in the small village of Aukana, close to the vast Kala Wewa tank created by the unfortunate King Dhatusena in the fifth century, although the Buddha itself may date from some three or four centuries later, contemporaneous with the images at Buduruwagala, Maligawila and Polonnaruwa’s Gal Vihara and Lankatilaka.
The brief craze for such monumental statues may have been the result of Indian Mahayana influence, with its emphasis on the Buddha’s superhuman, transcendental powers. Like many of the finest Sinhalese statues, the Aukana image succeeds in striking a delicate balance between realism and symbolism in its portrayal of the Buddha, creating a figure at once recognizably human but also unquestionably divine – and also providing an interesting contrast with the more realistic but altogether lumpier Sasseruwa Buddha nearby.
The statue is in the unusual (for Sri Lanka) asisa mudra, the blessing position, with the right hand turned sideways to the viewer, as though on the point of delivering a swift karate chop. The figure is carved in the round, just connected at the back to the stone from which it’s cut, though the lotus plinth it stands on is made from a separate piece of rock. The walls at the foot of the statue would originally have enclosed a vaulted image chamber.
Daily 7am–7pm • Donation • Sasseruwa is difficult enough to find even with your own transport (follow the signs to Reswehera), and all but impossible by public transport
The remote and little-visited Sasseruwa Buddha (also known as the Reswehera Buddha), 11km west of Aukana, is only slightly smaller than the much better-known image at Aukana, though apparently uncompleted. The figure stands in the abhaya mudra (“have no fear” pose) and, as at Aukana, was originally concealed inside its own image house, as shown by the holes for beams cut into the rock around it.
The statue was once part of a monastery established, according to legend, by Vattagamini Abhaya, who found refuge here during his years in hiding from Tamil invaders. Assorted monastic remains can still be seen around the statue including a pair of cave temples, one with a large reclining Buddha and another with Kandyan-era paintings and further Buddha images.
Two legends connect the Sasseruwa and Aukana Buddhas. The first, and more prosaic, says that cracks in the Sasseruwa Buddha (which can be seen in the torso) started appearing during its construction, and that it was therefore abandoned in favour of a new statue being created at Aukana. A second and more poetic legend relates that the two Buddhas were carved at the same time in competition between a master and his student. The master’s Aukana Buddha was finished first and the frustrated student, realizing his own limitations, abandoned the Sasseruwa image in disappointment. A third, and perhaps more convincing, theory has it that the two statues were created at completely separate times, with the Sasseruwa Buddha perhaps dating from as early as the third century AD, some five hundred years before the Aukana image, and reflecting the Greek-influenced Gandharan style of sculpture, which originated in present-day Afghanistan and provided a model for early Buddha images across South Asia. Certainly the Sasseruwa Buddha’s realistic but rather ungainly square head and heavy features are in striking contrast to the much more delicate and expressive face of the Aukana image.
Around 15km northeast of Dambulla, the spectacular citadel of SIGIRIYA rises sheer and impregnable out of the plains of the dry zone, sitting atop a huge outcrop of gneiss rock towering 200m above the surrounding countryside. The shortest-lived but the most extraordinary of all Sri Lanka’s medieval capitals, Sigiriya (“Lion Rock”) was declared a World Heritage Site in 1982 and is the country’s most memorable single attraction – a remarkable archeological site made unforgettable by its dramatic setting.
Inscriptions found in the caves that honeycomb the base of the rock indicate that Sigiriya served as a place of religious retreat as far back as the third century BC, when Buddhist monks established refuges here. It wasn’t until the fifth century AD, however, that Sigiriya rose briefly to pre-eminence in Sri Lankan affairs, following the power struggle that succeeded the reign of Dhatusena (r. 455–473) of Anuradhapura. Dhatusena had two sons, Mogallana, by the most important of his various queens, and Kassapa, his son by a lesser consort. Upon hearing that Mogallana had been declared heir to the throne, Kassapa rebelled, driving Mogallana into exile in India and imprisoning his father. Threatened with death if he refused to reveal the whereabouts of the state treasure, Dhatusena agreed to show his errant son its location if he was permitted to bathe one final time in the great Kala Wewa tank, whose creation he had overseen. Standing in the tank, Dhatusena poured its water through his hands and told Kassapa that the water, and the water alone, was all the treasure he possessed. Kassapa, none too impressed, had his father walled up in a chamber and left him to die.
Mogallana, meanwhile, vowed to return from India and reclaim his inheritance. Kassapa, preparing for the expected invasion, constructed a new residence on top of Sigiriya Rock – a combination of pleasure palace and impregnable fortress, which he intended would emulate the legendary abode of Kubera, the god of wealth, while a new city was established around its base. According to tradition, the entire extraordinary structure was built in just seven years, from 477 to 485.
The long-awaited invasion finally materialized in 491, Mogallana having raised an army of Tamil mercenaries to fight his cause. Despite the benefits of his unassailable fortress, Kassapa, in an act of fatalistic bravado, descended from his rocky eminence and rode boldly out on an elephant at the head of his troops to meet the attackers on the plains below. Unfortunately for Kassapa, his elephant took fright and bolted at the height of the battle. His troops, thinking he was retreating, fell back and left him cut off. Facing certain capture and defeat, Kassapa killed himself.
Following Mogallana’s reconquest, Sigiriya was handed over to the Buddhist monks, after which its caves once again became home to religious ascetics seeking peace and solitude. The site was finally abandoned in 1155, after which it remained largely forgotten until modern times.
Daily 7am–6pm; last entrance 5pm • $30 • The ticket booth for foreign tourists is in Sigiriya Museum • ccf.gov.lk
You’ll need two or three hours to explore Sigiriya Rock; it’s best to visit in the early morning or late afternoon, when the crowds are less dense and the temperature is cooler – late afternoon also brings out the rock’s extraordinary ochre colouration, like a kind of Asian Ayers Rock. The site is best avoided at weekends (especially Sundays) and on public holidays, when its narrow staircases and walkways can become unbearably congested. The ascent of the rock is a stiff climb, and vertigo sufferers might find some sections unpleasant, though it’s less gruelling than you might imagine when standing at the bottom of the towering cliff face. Guides can usually be hired at the entrance, though it pays to ask a few questions to check their knowledge and level of English before committing to anyone.
The site divides into two sections: the rock itself, on whose summit Kassapa established his principal palace; and the area around the base of the rock, home to elaborate royal pleasure gardens as well as various monastic remains pre-dating Kassapa’s era. The entire site is a compelling combination of wild nature and high artifice – exemplified by the delicate paintings of the Sigiriya Damsels which cling to the rock’s rugged flanks. Interestingly, unlike Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, there’s no sign here of large-scale monasteries or religious structures – Kassapa’s Sigiriya appears to have been an almost entirely secular affair, perhaps a reflection of its unhallowed origins.
Included in Sigiriya Rock ticket, otherwise $5 • Daily 8.30am–5.30pm • ccf.gov.lk
Close to the site entrance, the lacklustre Sigiriya Museum showcases assorted prehistoric archeological finds alongside various artefacts discovered at the site. There’s also a bird’s-eye scale model of the rock and re-creations of the frescoes and a section of Mirror Wall.
From the entrance, a wide, straight path arrows towards the rock, following the line of an imaginary east–west axis around which the whole site is laid out. This entire side of the rock is protected by a pair of broad moats, though the Outer Moat is now largely dried out. Crossing the Inner Moat, you enter the Water Gardens. The first section comprises four pools set in a square which create a small island at their centre when full, connected by pathways to the surrounding gardens.
Beyond here is the small but elaborate Fountain Garden. Features include a serpentine miniature “river” and limestone-bottomed channels and ponds, two of which preserve their ancient fountain sprinklers. These work on a simple pressure-and-gravity principle and still spurt out modest plumes of water after heavy rain – after almost 1500 years of disuse, all that was needed to restore the fountains to working order was to clear the water channels that feed them.
Beyond the Water Gardens the main path begins to climb up through the Boulder Gardens, constructed out of the huge boulders that lie tumbled around the foot of the rock. Many of the boulders are notched with lines of holes – they look rather like rock-cut steps, but in fact they were used as footings to support the brick walls or timber frames of the numerous buildings built against or on top of the boulders.
The gardens were also the centre of Sigiriya’s monastic activity before and after Kassapa, with around twenty caves once used by resident monks, some containing inscriptions dating from between the third century BC and the first century AD. The caves would originally have been plastered and painted, and traces of this decoration can still be seen in a few places; you’ll also notice the dripstone ledges that were carved around the entrances to many of the caves to prevent water from running into them.
The Deraniyagala Cave, just to the left of the path shortly after it begins to climb up through the gardens (no sign), has a well-preserved dripstone ledge and traces of old paintings including the faded remains of various apsaras (celestial nymphs) very similar to the famous Sigiriya Damsels further up the rock. On the opposite side of the main path up the rock, a side path leads to the Cobra Hood Cave, named for its uncanny resemblance to that snake’s head. The cave preserves traces of lime plaster, floral decoration and a very faint inscription on the ledge in archaic Brahmi script dating from the second century BC.
Follow the path up the hill behind the Cobra Hood Cave and up through “Boulder Arch no. 2” (as it’s signed), then turn left to reach the so-called Audience Hall. The wooden walls and roof have long since disappeared, but the impressively smooth floor, created by chiselling the top off a single enormous boulder, remains, along with a 5m-wide “throne”, also cut out of the solid rock. The hall is popularly claimed to have been Kassapa’s audience hall, though it’s more likely to have served a purely religious function, with the empty throne representing the Buddha. The small Asana Cave on the path en route to the Audience Hall retains colourful splashes of various paintings on its ceiling (though now almost obliterated by idiotic contemporary graffiti) and is home to another throne, while a couple more thrones can be found carved into nearby rocks.
From the Asana Cave, you can carry on back to the main path, then head on up through “Boulder Arch no. 1”. The path – now a sequence of walled-in steps – begins to climb steeply through the Terrace Gardens, a series of rubble-retaining brick and limestone terraces that stretch to the base of the rock itself, from where you get the first of an increasingly majestic sequence of views back down below.
No flash photography
At the base of the rock, two incongruous nineteenth-century cast-iron spiral staircases lead to and from a sheltered cave in the sheer rock face above which you’ll find Sri Lanka’s most famous sequence of frescoes, popularly referred to as the Sigiriya Damsels. These busty beauties were painted in the fifth century and are the only non-religious paintings to have survived from ancient Sri Lanka; they’re now one of the island’s most iconic – and most relentlessly reproduced – images. It’s thought that these frescoes would originally have covered an area some 140m long by 40m high, though only 21 damsels now survive out of an original total of some five hundred (a number of paintings were destroyed by a vandal in 1967, while a few of the surviving pictures are roped off out of sight). The exact significance of the paintings is unclear: they were originally thought to depict Kassapa’s consorts, though according to modern art historians the most convincing theory is that they are portraits of apsaras, which would explain why they are shown from the waist up only, rising out of a cocoon of clouds. The portrayal of the damsels is strikingly naturalistic, showing them scattering petals and offering flowers and trays of fruit – similar in a style to the famous murals at the Ajanta Caves in India and a world away from the much later and more stylized paintings at nearby Dambulla. An endearingly human touch is added by the slips of the brush visible here and there: one damsel has three hands, while another sports an extra nipple.
Just beyond the damsels, the pathway runs along the face of the rock, bounded on one side by the Mirror Wall. This was originally coated in highly polished plaster made from lime, egg white, beeswax and wild honey; sections of the original plaster survive and still retain a marvellously lustrous sheen. The wall is covered in graffiti, the oldest dating from the seventh century, in which early visitors recorded their impressions of Sigiriya and, especially, the nearby damsels – even after the city was abandoned, the rock continued to draw a steady stream of tourists curious to see the remains of Kassapa’s fabulous pleasure dome. Taken together, the graffiti form a kind of early medieval visitors’ book, and the 1500 or so decipherable comments give important insights into the development of the Sinhalese language and script.
The small wire-mesh cages you can see standing on Sigiriya’s Lion Platform were built as a refuge in the event of bee attacks – several of which have occurred in recent years despite efforts (using a mixture of chemicals and exorcism rituals) to evict the offending insects from their nests, which can be seen clinging to the underside of the rock overhang above, to the left of the stairs. Local Buddhist monks claim that such attacks are divine retribution for the impious behaviour of visiting tourists. The site is closed in the event of an attack – and tickets are not refunded.
Beyond the Mirror Wall, the path runs along a perilous-looking iron walkway bolted onto the sheer rock face. From here you can see a huge boulder below, propped up on stone slabs. The popular explanation is that, in the event of attack, the slabs would have been knocked away, causing the boulder to fall onto the attackers below, though it’s more likely that the slabs were designed to stop the boulder inadvertently falling down over the cliff.
As you continue up the rock, a flight of limestone steps climbs steeply up to the Lion Platform, a large spur projecting from the north side of the rock, just below the summit. From here, a final staircase, its base flanked by two enormous paws carved out of the rock, leads up across all that remains of a gigantic lion statue – the final path to the summit apparently led directly into its mouth. Visitors to Kassapa were, one imagines, suitably impressed both by the gigantic conceit of the thing and also by the heavy symbolism – lions were the most important emblem of Sinhalese royalty, and the beast’s size was presumably meant to reflect Kassapa’s prestige and buttress his questionable legitimacy to the throne.
The whole section of rock face above is scored with countless notches and grooves which once supported steps up to the summit: in a supreme irony, it appears that Kassapa was afraid of heights, and it’s thought that these original steps would have been enclosed by a high wall – though this isn’t much comfort for latter-day vertigo sufferers, who have to make the final ascent to the summit up a narrow iron staircase attached to the bare rock.
After the tortuous path up, the summit seems huge. This was the site of Kassapa’s palace, and almost the entire area was originally covered with buildings. Only the foundations now remain, though, and it’s difficult to make much sense of it all – the main attraction is the fabulous view down to the Water Gardens and out over the surrounding countryside. The Royal Palace itself is now just a plain, square brick platform at the very highest point of the rock. The upper section is enclosed by steep terraced walls, below which is a large tank cut out of the solid rock; it’s thought that water was channelled to the summit using an ingenious hydraulic system powered by windmills. Below here a series of four further terraces, perhaps originally gardens, tumble down to the lower edge of the summit above Sigiriya Wewa.
The path down takes you along a slightly different route – you should end up going right past the Cobra Hood Cave (useful if you missed it earlier) before exiting the site to the south.
Daily 5am–6pm • Rs.300 (if there’s anyone around to sell you a ticket)
A couple of kilometres north of Sigiriya, another large rock outcrop is home to the fifth century AD Pidurangala Royal Cave Temple, offering superb views of Sigiriya Rock and an increasingly popular sunrise-viewing spot. According to tradition, the monastery here dates from the arrival of Kassapa, when the monks who were then living at Sigiriya were relocated to make room for the royal palace – the king provided new dwellings and a temple at Pidurangala to compensate them.
It’s a pleasant short bike or tuktuk ride to the foot of Pidurangala rock: head down the road north of Sigiriya and continue for about 750m until you reach a modern white temple, the Pidurangala Sigiri Rajamaha Viharaya (about 100m further on along this road on the left you’ll also find the interesting remains of some old monastic buildings, including the ruins of a sizeable brick dagoba). Behind the Pidurangala Viharaya take either of the two paths to the right, both of which come out on a terrace just below the summit of the rock (a stiff 15min climb), where you’ll find the Royal Cave Temple itself, although despite the rather grand name there’s not much to see apart from a long reclining Buddha under a large rock overhang, its upper half restored in brick. The statue is accompanied by figures of Vishnu and Saman and decorated with very faded murals.
From here you may be able to find the rough path up to the summit of the rock (a five-minute scramble), but you’ll need to be fit and agile, and take care not to lose your way when coming back down, which is surprisingly easy to do. The reward for your efforts will be the best view of Sigiriya you can get short of chartering a balloon: the far more irregular and interestingly shaped northern side of the rock, which you don’t get to see when climbing up it, the ant-like figures of those making the final ascent to the summit (which you’re almost level with) just visible against the huge slab of red rock.
It’s possible to fly to Sigiriya with Cinnamon Air, whose daily Colombo–Trincomalee flight touches down at Sigiriya’s airport, 4km due west of the rock, en route between the two cities; the fare is currently $229 one-way.
From Dambulla Regular buses (every 30min; 30min) connect Sigiriya with Dambulla.
From Polonnaruwa Take any bus heading to Dambulla and get off at Inamaluwa Junction, 10km west of Sigiriya on the main Dambulla–Trincomalee highway, from where you can pick up a tuktuk (around Rs.800) or wait for the half-hourly bus from Dambulla.
From Anuradhapura It’s probably easiest to take a bus to Dambulla, then pick up the Sigiriya bus from there. Alternatively, take a bus to Habarana, then another bus to Inamaluwa Junction.
Onward travel from Sigiriya If you’re heading up to Anuradhapura or Polonnaruwa, you will have to flag something down on the main road at Inamaluwa Junction, or alternatively go to Dambulla (every 30min; 30min) and take a bus from there. There are also twice-daily, early-morning services direct to Kandy (2hr 30min).
Village tours Sampath Village Tour (077 666 7110) near Sigiri Lion Lodge can organize unusual village tours (Rs.1500 per person) including a ride in a traditional bullock cart, a 20min boat trip on Sigiriya Wewa, traditional lunch and visit to local cottage workshops, before returning by tuktuk.
Wildlife Sigiriya is a convenient base for trips to Minneriya and Kaudulla national parks. Most of the accommodation options listed here can arrange jeeps for visits to either park (around Rs.4500–5000/half-day), or alternatively you can try Sigiriya Heritage Tours in the middle of the village (077 675 4595).
Ballooning Sun Rise Ballooning (077 352 2013, srilankaballooning.com) run daily rides departing just after sunrise (weather permitting) in the Sigiriya/Dambulla area from Nov to April for $210.
There’s a growing range of accommodation in all price ranges, both in Sigiriya village itself and scattered around the surrounding countryside – though you’ll need a car, tuktuk or bicycle to reach the rock itself if staying outside the village. During the dry season elephants can often be seen wandering at night on their way to a nearby tank along a local elephant corridor running roughly parallel with the Inamaluwa road, past the back of the Lakmini Lodge or Sigiri Lion Lodge.
Lakmini Lodge 50m off Main Rd, opposite the post office 071 709 8128, lakminilodge.com; map. Stylish and well-run guesthouse with a varied range of accommodation, from cheaper rooms in the old main building to smart, good-value modern rooms (some with superb views of Sigiriya) in a new block next door; all have optional a/c for Rs.1000. Their newly opened restaurant with resident chef serves sandwiches, smoothies and a wide selection of mains. Old block Rs.3000, new block Rs.7500
Lal Homestay 209 Main Rd 077 704 5386, lalhomestay@gmail.com.com; map. Friendly, family-run guesthouse with exceptionally clean and comfortable rooms (all with fans, one with a/c) looking onto a pretty garden. The beautifully prepared curry dinners (Rs.700) made with seasonal ingredients are a standout. Lal, the owner, is an excellent source of travel information. Rs.2000, a/c Rs.2500
Paradise Inn Sigiriya (also known as Sigiriya Paradise Inn) 75m off Main Rd, opposite the post office 072 433 7890, sigiriyaparadiseinn.com; map. Bright, modern and welcoming family guesthouse in a lovely setting next to a rice paddy, with nine rooms, including four deluxe and two family-sized ones, all with hot water, quality mattresses and optional a/c (Rs.700). A little pricier than other nearby places, but reasonable value given the quality. Rs.3000
Sigiri Lion Lodge 186 Main Rd 066 228 6368, sigirilionlodge.com; map. Centrally located family guesthouse, arranged around a small square of garden down a peaceful side road. Rooms are spacious and spotlessly maintained, and breakfast is served on the veranda in front of the rooms. Good value unless you take the pricey optional a/c (Rs.1000 extra). Rs.3000
Hotel Sigiriya Hotel Rd 066 493 0500, serendibleisure.com; map. Appealing and good-value resort-style hotel, set in a rambling collection of low-slung buildings topped with red-tiled roofs. The stylish a/c rooms come with TV and minibar, while amenities and activities include an Ayurveda centre, a swimming pool with fine views of the rock and nature walks with the resident naturalist. A major renovation is scheduled for 2019. B&B $140
Sigiriya Village Hotel Rd 066 228 6804, sigiriyavillage.com; map. Quaint chalet-style accommodation scattered around thematic cultural clusters including a small rice paddy and a temple. There’s also a pool and an Ayurveda centre, and birdwatching trips can be arranged on request. A refurbishment is expected to begin by late 2018. B&B $120
Back of Beyond Pidurangala – Kurulu Uyana Pidurangala 077 395 1527, backofbeyond.lk; map. Idyllic eco-retreat set in bird-rich jungle at the base of the Pidurangala. Accommodation is in three colourful little cottages and one larger three-bedroom bungalow, all comfortably appointed with hot water and fan, while staff rustle up good Sri Lankan food and serve as ad hoc nature guides. B&B $110
Back of Beyond – Dehigaha Ela Alakolawawe village, 6km from Sigiriya village 077 395 1527, backofbeyond.lk; map. Robinson Crusoe in the jungle, with three rustic tree houses and two “boulder cottages” (built around natural rocks) in pristine forest – as close to nature as it’s possible to get in a bed. B&B $130
Elephant Corridor 1.5km south of Sigiriya village 066 228 6950, elephantcorridor.com; map. This fancy boutique hotel boasts plenty of rather gimmicky opulence, with lavish suite-style rooms, all with private plunge pool, plus a fancy spa, although the real attraction is the setting in pristine dry-zone scrub, with stunning views of Sigiriya. B&B $260
Fresco Water Villa Kimbissa (2km west from Sigiriya along the Inamaluwa Rd) 066 228 6160, oakrayhotels.com/fresco-water-villa-sigiriya; map. Large resort hotel, with accommodation in pale-grey three-storey buildings set around a large slab of garden. The minimalist-verging-on-dull architecture and international-bland interior design hardly set the pulse racing, although rooms are comfy and well equipped and it’s a reasonable deal. Nice big pool, too, plus restaurant and bar. $110
Jetwing Vil Uyana 3.5km east of Inamaluwa Junction 066 492 3585, jetwinghotels.com; map. The island’s most audacious hotel project, born from an ambitious scheme to create an artificial wetland out of abandoned agricultural land, using ancient Sri Lankan irrigation techniques combined with modern know-how. It’s a fascinating, and very peaceful, environment, with its five habitats – marsh, paddy, forest, garden and lake – attracting plenty of wildlife. Accommodation is in a scatter of luxuriantly thatched villas, modelled on traditional Sinhalese dwellings, combining state-of-the-art mod cons with the homeliness of an über-luxurious Japanese ryokan, and facilities include a magnificent infinity pool and serene spa. $510
Sigiri Queens Rest Pidurangala, 2.5km from Sigiriya village 071 368 6671, sigiriqueens@gmail.com; map. Simple family-run establishment in a beautifully unspoiled setting. There are three basic rooms in an older building, plus five simple, rustic treehouses of various sizes (some with a/c) scattered amongst the trees. It’s also possible to camp here. Organic food is served fresh from the garden and there are bikes for rent. $30
Sigiriya Cottage Ehalagala, 1.5km west of Sigiriya village 072 751 3122; map. Attractive mid-range option, arranged around huge, immaculate gardens, and with a neat pavilion restaurant. Accommodation is in stylish and spacious a/c bungalows, attractively furnished with repro-colonial touches and high wooden ceilings. Free bikes or drop-off by tuktuk to the rock or village are included. B&B $50
Wild Grass Nature Resort Kumbukkadanwala, 1km south of Kimbissa village 066 567 0680; map. Idyllic but pricey boutique eco-retreat set in thirty acres of unfenced jungle – you may find yourself sharing the resort with elephants, deer or wild boar, plus a wide variety of birds. Accommodation is in five chic modern villas spread out around the grounds, all with private lounge, terrace and huge picture windows framing stunning views. B&B $280
Rasta Rant Main Rd, Sigiriya village 077 794 2095; map. Chilled-out riverside reggae bar with lounge seating and a “top secret” cocktail menu (from Rs. 450), fresh juices (from Rs.250) and a nightly BBQ (Rs.550). They also have the only espresso machine in the village (Rs.300). Daily 12pm–late.
View Sigiri 129 Main Rd, Sigiriya village 077 293 4497; map. Large, friendly restaurant with great views of the rock, serving up Western and Sri Lankan standards with lunch buffet spreads (Rs.600), an à la carte selection in the evening, plus a nightly BBQ (Rs.800–900). Satisfied customers have written their reviews in multiple languages all over the walls. Daily 7am–10pm.
Banks There’s a HNB ATM in the village next to the turn off to Sigiri Lion Lodge, and a Bank of Ceylon ATM at the rock.
Bike rental Bikes are available from some guesthouses. Alternatively try TMS Tours, next door to Croissant Hut in the village (Rs400/day).
Swimming Non-guests can use the pools at the Hotel Sigiriya (Rs.400), Sigiriya Village (Rs.350) and Fresco Water Villa (Rs.1000).
Sitting on a major road junction almost equidistant between Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura and Dambulla (and close to Sigiriya and Ritigala), the large village of HABARANA is situated near the fine Habarana Lake, which is home to plenty of resident birds and wildlife. It has a good range of accommodation, making it a convenient base from which to visit any of the Cultural Triangle’s major sights. It’s also the handiest point of departure for trips to Minneriya and Kaudulla national parks, which offer some of the island’s best elephant-spotting, as well as the magical forest monastery of Ritigala, one of the Triangle’s most atmospheric but least-visited attractions.
On a dirt track 8km north of the main Habarana–Anuradhapura highway, signposted 11km west of Habarana • Daily 7am–5pm • Rs.310 • ccf.gov.lk
North of Habarana, on the slopes of a densely wooded mountainside protected by the Ritigala Strict Nature Reserve, lie the mysterious remains of the forest monastery of Ritigala. The mountainside on which it sits is thought to be the Ramayana’s Aristha, the place from which Hanuman leapt from Lanka back to India, having discovered where Sita was being held captive. According to popular belief, Hanuman later passed by Ritigala again, carelessly dropping one of the chunks of Himalayan mountain which he was carrying back from India for its medicinal herbs (other fragments fell to earth at Unawatuna and Hakgala); this is held to account for the unusually wide range of plants and herbs found at Ritigala, although the mundane explanation is that the area, being higher and wetter than the surrounding plains, supports a correspondingly wider range of plant species.
Ritigala’s remoteness appealed to solitude-seeking hermits, who began to settle here as far back as the third century BC. In the ninth century, the site became home to an order of reclusive and ascetic monks known as pamsukulikas, who devoted themselves to a life of extreme austerity – pamsukulika, meaning “rag robes”, refers to the vow taken by these monks to wear only clothes made from rags either thrown away or recovered from corpses. The order seems to have started as an attempt to return to traditional Buddhist values in reaction against the self-indulgent living conditions enjoyed by the island’s clergy. So impressed was Sena I (r. 833–853 AD) with the spirit of renunciation shown by the order that he built them a fine new monastery at Ritigala, endowing it with lands and servants. Most of the remains you see today date from this era.
Ritigala is magical but enigmatic, while the setting deep in a totally undisturbed tract of thick forest (not to mention the lack of tourists) lends an additional sense of mystery. Parts of the complex have been carefully restored, while others remain buried in the forest, but despite the considerable archeological work that has been done here, the original purpose of virtually everything you now see remains largely unknown. One striking feature is the site’s complete lack of residential quarters – the monks themselves appear to have lived entirely in caves scattered around the forest.
Beyond the entrance, the path runs around the edge of the tumbled limestone bricks that once enclosed the Banda Pokuna tank – this possibly served a ritual purpose, with visitors bathing here before entering the monastery. At the far end of the tank, steep steps lead up to the beginning of a beautifully constructed walkway (similar to the meditation walkway at Arankele) which runs through the forest and links all the monastery’s major buildings. After around 200m the walkway reaches the first of several sunken courtyards, bounded by a retaining wall and housing three raised terraces. The nearest terrace supports one of the double-platform structures which are a characteristic feature of Ritigala. These generally consist of two raised platforms oriented east–west, linked by a stone “bridge” and surrounded by a miniature “moat”; one of the platforms usually bears the remains of pillars, while the other is bare. Various theories have been advanced as to the original functions of these structures. One holds that the “moat” around the platforms would have been filled with water, providing a natural form of air conditioning, while the platforms themselves were used for meditation – communal meditation on the open platform and individual meditation in the building on the linked platform opposite. A few metres to the right-hand (east) end of this enclosure is a second sunken courtyard, usually described as a hospital, although it may have been an almshouse or a bathhouse.
Beyond here, the pavement continues straight ahead to reach one of the “roundabouts” that punctuate its length – perhaps formerly a covered rest area, like the similar roundabout at Arankele. About 20m before reaching the roundabout, a path heads off to the right, leading through enormous tree roots to the so-called “Fort”, reached by a stone bridge high above a stream, and offering fine views over the forests below.
As you continue past the roundabout, a couple of unexcavated platforms can be seen off the path in the woods to the left, looking exactly as they must have appeared to British archeologist H.C.P. Bell when he first began exploring the site in 1893. After another 500m you reach two further sunken courtyards. The first courtyard contains a substantial double-platform structure, one of the largest buildings in the entire monastery. The left-hand side of the courtyard is bounded by two stelae; according to one theory, monks would have paced between these while practising walking meditation. A few metres beyond lies the second courtyard and another large double platform.
3km north of Habarana along the Trincomalee road • Daily 2–6.30pm • $10
When the season is not right for wildlife-spotting at Minneriya and Kaudulla, jeep operators often run trips to Hurulu Eco-Park, on the edge of the vast Huluru Biosphere Reserve that stretches west of the Habarana–Trincomalee road. There’s no lake here and the park’s terrain is more reminiscent of Uda Walawe, dominated by long grass that makes elephant-spotting easy: from January to March you stand a chance of seeing herds of thirty or more of the beasts, though you’re unlikely to see much other wildlife.
6km off the main Habarana–Trincomalee road • Daily 6am–6pm • $12, plus the usual additional fees and taxes; ask at the visitor centre at the entrance to arrange paddle boats for birdwatching on the tank • Jeep tours to Kadulla can be arranged through guesthouses and hotels in Habarana, Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya
Some 22km north of Habarana, Kaudulla National Park provides a link in the migratory corridor for elephants, connecting with Minneriya and Wasgamuwa national parks to the south, and Somawathiya National Park to the north and east – elephants move freely up and down the corridor, and local safari operators should know whether it’s best to head to Kaudulla or Minneriya at any one particular time.
As at Minneriya, the centrepiece is a lake, the Kaudulla Tank, where elephants collect when water dries up elsewhere. The best time to visit is between August and December, with elephant numbers peaking in September or October (slightly later than Minneriya’s “Gathering”) when up to two hundred congregate at the tank. Outside the dry season much of the park is under water, and elephants can be more difficult to spot. Other wildlife inhabiting the park’s mix of grasslands and scrubby forest includes sambar deer, monkeys and (very rarely seen) leopards and sloth bears, plus a characteristically wide array of birdlife.
6km east of Habarana on the Polonnaruwa road • Daily 6am–6pm • $15, plus the usual additional fees and taxes • Most hotels and guesthouses in Habarana, Polonnaruwa, Giritale and Sigiriya can arrange trips, while Mahoora (mahoora.lk) also run mobile tented safari camps in the park
Just a ten-minute drive east of Habarana, Minneriya National Park is one of Sri Lanka’s most popular and interesting nature reserves, centred around the large Minneriya Tank, created by the famous tank-builder and monk-baiter Mahasena. Despite its relatively small size, the park boasts an unusually wide range of habitat types, from dry tropical forest to wetlands, grasslands and terrain previously used for slash-and-burn (chena) agriculture. Much of the area around the entrance is covered in superb dry-zone evergreen forest dotted with beautiful satinwood, palu (rosewood), halmilla and weera trees – though the thickness of the forest cover can make wildlife-spotting difficult.
The principal attraction here is elephants. Minneriya forms part of the elephant corridor that joins up with Kaudulla and Wasgomuwa national parks, and large numbers of the beasts can be found here at certain times of year during their migrations between the various parks – local safari operators should know whether there are more elephants here or in Kaudulla at any given time. They are most numerous from July to October, peaking in August and September when water elsewhere dries up and as many as three hundred or more come to the tank’s ever-receding shores from as far away as Trincomalee to drink, bathe and feed on the fresh grass that grows up from the lake bed as the waters retreat – as well as to socialize and search for mates. This annual event has been popularly dubbed “The Gathering”, the largest meeting of Asian elephants anywhere in the world. At other times, you may spot only a few elephants, which in fact are often more easily seen from the main Habarana–Polonnaruwa road that runs along the park’s northern edge. Other mammals found in the park include sambar, spotted deer, macaque and purple-faced langur monkeys, plus sloth bears and around twenty leopards (although these last two are very rarely sighted), plus an enormous number of birds.
By bus Habarana is located on a major road junction at the crossroads of the Dambulla, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Trincomalee roads. Buses stop at (or close to) the junction itself, at the northern end of the town centre. Though Habarana sees a lot of passing buses, not many originate here, so you may struggle to get a seat.
Destinations Anuradhapura (every 45min; 1hr 30min); Colombo (hourly; 5hr); Dambulla (every 20min; 45min); Giritale (every 20min; 30min); Kandy (every 30min; 2hr 45min); Polonnaruwa (every 20min; 1hr); Trincomalee (every 30min; 1hr 30min).
By train Habarana station is 2.5km north of the village on the Trincomalee road. As well as the trains below, there’s also a service (2hr 30m) to Trinco (plus a second service to Colombo) but these leave and/or arrive in the middle of the night.
Destinations Batticaloa (2 daily; 3hr 30min–5hr 20min); Colombo (1 daily; 5hr 40min); Polonnaruwa (1hr 15min–2hr 25min); Valaichchennai (2 daily; 2hr 40min–4hr 20min).
Jeep tours Most local hotels and guesthouses, along with several local safari outfits, arrange jeep tours of the national parks; prices start from around Rs.3500–4000 for a 3hr jeep trip to either park (transport only); some places also offer inclusive ticket-and-transport deals starting from around Rs.4500 per person to Kaudulla or Rs.6000 to Minneriya per person in a group of at least two (in general, the larger the group, the lower the price). Compass Jeeps (077 717 1660), on the main road just south of the Prasanna café, is a reliable and inexpensive operator.
Cinnamon Lodge Dambulla Rd 066 227 0011, cinnamonhotels.com; map. One of the Cultural Triangle’s most appealing places to stay, this stylish five-star occupies an idyllic setting spread out across superb grounds running down to the beautiful Habarana Lake. Accommodation is in spacious, good-looking rooms in a string of attractive two-storey cottages scattered around the grounds, while facilities include a large pool, open-air pavilion restaurant and the Azmaara spa (which it shares with Chaaya Village). B&B $250
Habarana Village Dambulla Rd 066 227 0047, cinnamonhotels.com; map. Traditional resort-style hotel close to the lake, with large, comfortable rooms in chalets dotted around sylvan grounds and an unusual fan-shaped pool. There’s also the stylish Indonesian Azmaara spa, though overall it lacks the class of its sister establishment, Cinnamon Lodge, next door. B&B $110
Mutu Village Kashyapagama Rd 077 269 4579, mutuvillage.com; map. Smart, modern guesthouse in a wonderfully quiet location with seven bright modern rooms (all with a/c and hot water) boasting high ceilings and big French windows, plus a rather expensive but very nice “treehouse” (actually just an upstairs room made entirely of wood; $70). Their Ayurvedic spa includes a traditional herbal sauna. B&B $40
Other Corner Anuradhapura Rd 077 374 9904, tocsrilanka.com; map. Gorgeous (if slightly pricey) little eco-resort set amid sylvan gardens running down to the lake, complete with organic vegetable plots, fruit trees and a small pool. Accommodation is spread around the grounds in a string of faux-mud-brick thatched cabanas (all a/c with hot water) – beautifully rustic outside but very comfortable within – plus a couple of cute rooms on stilts. There’s also a good-looking thatched restaurant, and free nature walks with the resident naturalist. B&B $143
Paradise Guest Kashyapagama Rd 066 227 0227; map. Three very spacious, cool, and spotlessly clean tiled rooms (all with hot water) set alongside a sandy square of garden. Good value, unless you take the startlingly expensive optional a/c (Rs.3500 extra). Rs.2500
Sundari Eco Village Kashyapagama Rd 066 227 0099, sundariecovillage.com; map. Formerly the Mihipiya Guest House, this place has been spruced up with a new wing of stylishly appointed rooms with a/c, although it’s still unclear how “eco” it is. The older fan rooms, including three with no hot water, are rather grim in comparison. There’s also a new pavilion-style restaurant and a pleasant gazebo seating area. Fan Rs.2000, a/c Rs.5000
Kassapa Lions Rock Digampathaha, 7km from Habarana 066 567 7440, kassapalionsrock.com; map. Low-key resort hotel with attractively furnished rooms (all with TV, a/c and open-air showers) in attractive bungalows dotted around carefully manicured grounds with pool, spa and fine views of Sigiriya – although a new two-storey accommodation currently under construction may somewhat diminish its quasi-rural appeal. Good value, and with very inexpensive half- and full-board rates too. B&B $115
Acme Transit Hotel Polonnaruwa Rd, 500m from Habarana junction, 066 227 0280; map. A big green eyesore from the outside but pleasantly cosy within, with good Sri Lankan standards including big lunchtime rice and curry spreads and tasty devilled dishes. Mains Rs.700–1200. Daily 8am–8pm.
Prasanna Restaurant Dambulla Rd 066 227 0026; map. Friendly little no-frills place serving up simple lunchtime rice and curries (Rs.300) plus inexpensive noodles, fried rice and short eats throughout the day. Hoppers are available at breakfast time. No alcohol. Daily 7am–10pm.
Windy Corner Seafood Restaurant Dambulla Rd 066 565 8239; map. Small a/c restaurant that’s a great place to stop for a rice and curry lunch (Rs.700) but the real surprise is how good the seafood meals are (from Rs. 800). They also serve burgers, fried rice and devilled dishes. Daily 7am–10pm.
Ayurveda Aathreya Ayurvedic Spa on Kashyapagama Rd (066 227 0303, athreyaayurvedaspa@gmail.com) is a beautifully rustic little Ayurveda centre, with pretty little palm-thatched, mud-walled treatment rooms and 1–3hr packages (Rs.4500–12,000) featuring various combinations of body and facial massages, body scrubs, herbal steam baths and shirodhara.
Banks There’s a branch of the Commercial Bank with an ATM accepting foreign Visa cards at the main road junction, where the A6 meets the A11.
The great ruined capital of POLONNARUWA is one of the undisputed highlights of the Cultural Triangle – and indeed the whole island. The heyday of the city, in the twelfth century, represented one of the high watermarks of early Sri Lankan civilization. The Chola invaders from South India had been repulsed by King Vijayabahu and the Sinhalese kingdom he established at Polonnaruwa enjoyed a brief century of magnificence under his successors Parakramabahu and Nissankamalla, who planned the city as a grand statement of imperial pomp. They transformed it briefly into one of the great urban centres of South Asia, before their own hubris and excess virtually bankrupted the state. Within a century, their enfeebled successors had been driven south by new waves of invaders from southern India and Polonnaruwa had been abandoned to the jungle, where it remained, unreclaimed and virtually unknown, for seven centuries.
Polonnaruwa’s extensive and well-preserved remains offer a fascinating snapshot of medieval Sri Lanka and are compact enough to be thoroughly explored in a single (albeit busy) day. Remains aside, Polonnaruwa is also a good jumping-off point for the national parks at Minneriya and Kaudulla.
Many visitors to Sri Lanka only have the time or the archeological enthusiasm to visit one of the island’s two great ruined cities, but given how different the two are it’s difficult to call decisively in favour of either. The ruins at Polonnaruwa cover a smaller area, are better preserved and offer a more digestible and satisfying bite of ancient Sinhalese culture – and there’s nowhere at Anuradhapura to match the artistry of the Quadrangle and Gal Vihara. That said, Anuradhapura has its own distinct magic. The sheer scale of the site and the number of remains means that, although much harder to get to grips with, it preserves a mystery that much of Polonnaruwa has lost – and it’s far easier to escape the coach parties. In addition, the city’s status as a major pilgrimage centre lends it a vibrancy lacking at Polonnaruwa.
The history of Polonnaruwa stretches far back into the Anuradhapuran period. The region first came to prominence in the third century AD, when the creation of the Minneriya Tank boosted the district’s agricultural importance, while the emergence of Gokana (modern Trincomalee) as the island’s major port later helped Polonnaruwa develop into an important commercial centre. As Anuradhapura fell victim to interminable invasions from India, Polonnaruwa’s strategic advantages became increasingly apparent. Its greater distance from India made it less vulnerable to attack and gave it easier access to the important southern provinces of Ruhunu, while it also controlled several crossings of the Mahaweli Ganga, Sri Lanka’s longest and most important river. Such were the town’s advantages that four rather obscure kings actually chose to reign from Polonnaruwa rather than Anuradhapura, starting with Aggabodhi IV (r. 667–683).
Throughout the anarchic later Anuradhapuran era, Polonnaruwa held out against both Indian and rebel Sinhalese attacks until it was finally captured by Rajaraja, king of the Tamil Cholas, following the final sack of Anuradhapura in 993. Rajaraja made it the capital of his short-lived Hindu kingdom, but in 1056 the city was recaptured by the Sinhalese king Vijayabahu (r. 1055–1110), who retained it as the new Sinhalese capital in preference to Anuradhapura, which had been largely destroyed in the earlier fighting. Vijayabahu’s accession to the throne ushered in Polonnaruwa’s golden age, although most of the buildings date from the reign of Vijayabahu’s successor Parakramabahu. Parakramabahu developed the city on a lavish scale, importing architects and engineers from India (whose influence can be seen in Polonnaruwa’s many Hindu shrines). Indian influence continued with Parakramabahu’s successor, Nissankamalla, a Tamil from the Kalinga dynasty and the last king of Polonnaruwa to enjoy any measure of islandwide power.
Nissankamalla’s death ushered in a period of chaos. Opposing Tamil and Sinhalese factions battled for control of the city – the next eighteen years saw twelve changes of ruler – while at least four invasions from India threatened the stability of the island at large. This era of anarchy culminated with the seizure of the increasingly enfeebled kingdom by the notorious Tamil mercenary Magha (r. 1215–36). Under Magha the monasteries were pillaged, and onerous taxes imposed, while his soldiers roamed the kingdom unchecked and the region’s great irrigation works fell into disrepair, leading to a decline in agricultural produce and a rise in malaria. Magha was finally driven out of Polonnaruwa in 1236, but the damage he had inflicted proved irreversible and Polonnaruwa was finally abandoned in 1293, when Bhuvanekabahu II moved the capital to Kurunegala. The city was left to be swallowed up by the jungle, until restoration work began in the mid-twentieth century.
The Sri Lankan monarch most closely associated with Polonnaruwa is Parakramabahu I, or Parakramabahu the Great (r. 1153–86), as he’s often styled. Parakramabahu (a grandson of Vijayabahu) was born at Dedigama, capital of the minor kingdom of Dakkinadesa, which was ruled by his father. Upon becoming ruler of Dakkinadesa, Parakramabahu established a new capital at Panduwas Nuwara before rising up against the king of Polonnaruwa, his cousin Gajabahu. After an extended series of military and political manoeuvrings, Parakramabahu finally triumphed and was crowned king of Polonnaruwa in 1153, although it took a brutal and protracted series of military campaigns before the entire island was finally subdued.
Even while Parakramabahu was mopping up the last pockets of resistance in the south, he began to embark on the gargantuan programme of building works and administrative reforms which transformed Polonnaruwa into one of the great cities of its age, as well as finding the time to launch a couple of rare military offensives overseas, first in Burma and then India. According to the Culavamsa, the new king built or restored over six thousand tanks and canals, including the vast new Parakrama Samudra in Polonnaruwa, as well as restoring the three great dagobas at Anuradhapura and rebuilding the monastery at Mihintale. It was at his new capital, however, that Parakramabahu lavished his greatest efforts, supervising the construction of a spate of imposing new edifices including the Royal Palace complex, the majestic Lankatilaka, and the beautiful Vatadage, the crowning achievement of medieval Sinhalese architecture.
Daily 7.30am–5.30pm (last entrance) • $25; note that tickets (valid for one day only) aren’t sold at the entrance to the site itself and must be bought at the Polonnaruwa Museum in the village (ticket office open daily 7.30am–5pm) • Bikes are available from virtually all the town’s guesthouses for Rs.300–400/day • ccf.gov.lk
The ruins of Polonnaruwa are scattered over an extensive area of gently undulating woodland about 4km from north to south. You can see everything at Polonnaruwa in a single long day, but you’ll have to start early to do the city justice. The site is rather too large to cover by foot; the best idea is to rent a bike.
Polonnaruwa was originally enclosed by three concentric walls and filled with parks and gardens. At the heart of the city lies the Royal Palace complex, while immediately to the north is the city’s most important cluster of religious buildings, the so-called Quadrangle, containing the finest group of remains in Polonnaruwa – and, indeed, in Sri Lanka. Polonnaruwa’s largest monuments are found in the northern part of the city, comprising the buildings of the Menik Vihara, Rankot Vihara, Alahana Pirivena and Jetavana monasteries, including the famous Buddha statues of the Gal Vihara and the soaring Lankatilaka shrine.
Although Polonnaruwa doesn’t have the huge religious significance of Anuradhapura, the city’s religious remains are still held sacred and signs outside many of the ruins ask you to remove your shoes as a token of respect – quite painful, unless you’re accustomed to walking barefoot over sharp gravel, while the ruins’ stone floors can often reach oven-like temperatures in the midday sun. Wimps wear socks.
To the west of the city lies the great artificial lake, the Parakrama Samudra (“Sea of Parakramabahu”), providing a beautiful backdrop. The lake was created by the eponymous king, Parakramabahu, though sections of the irrigation system date right back to the third century AD. Covering some 26 square kilometres, it provided the medieval city with water, cooling breezes and an additional line of defence, and also irrigated over ninety square kilometres of paddy fields. The tank fell into disrepair after its walls were breached in the late thirteenth century, and was restored to its original size only in the 1950s.
Daily 8.30am–5pm • Entrance with site ticket only • No photography
Close to the lakeshore on the northern edge of Polonnaruwa town is the modern Polonnaruwa Museum, one of the best in the country and well worth a look before setting off around the ruins. Exhibits include some fascinating scale models showing how the city’s buildings might have looked in their prime, notably a fine mock-up of the Vatadage and a rather more conjectural model of Parakramabahu’s Royal Palace. There’s also an excellent collection of bronzes and sculptures recovered from the site – many are elaborately carved images of Hindu deities, proof of the huge influence which southern India exerted on the ancient city’s culture.
At the heart of the ancient city lie the buildings of the Citadel, surrounded by a (heavily restored) circuit of walls. At the centre of the complex lie the remains of Parakramabahu’s Royal Palace (Vijayanta Prasada). According to the Culavamsa, the palace originally stood seven storeys high and boasted a thousand rooms, although this was probably an exaggeration. The remains of three brick storeys have survived (any further levels would have been built of wood and have long since disappeared), although they don’t give much idea of how the building would originally have looked – the ruins now appear more like a medieval European castle than a Sinhalese royal palace. The holes in the walls were for floor beams, while the vertical grooves up to the first floor would have held wooden pillars; numerous patches of original plaster also survive.
Just east of the Royal Palace stand the remains of Parakramabahu’s Council Chamber (Raja Vaishyabhuganga), where the king would have granted audiences to his ministers and officials. The wooden roof has vanished, but the imposing base survives, banded with friezes of dwarfs, lions and galumphing elephants. The sumptuous steps are embellished with makara balustrades, a pair of fine moonstones, and topped with two of the rather Chinese-looking lions associated with Sinhalese royalty during this period – other examples can be seen at Nissankamalla’s Audience Chamber and at Yapahuwa.
Just east of here are the Royal Baths (Kumara Pokuna), designed in an unusual geometric shape (a square superimposed on a cross) and fed by two spouts carved with eroded makaras. Next to here stands the impressive two-tiered base of what is thought to have been the royal changing room, decorated with the usual lions and moonstone.
About 300m north of the Citadel lies the quaint little Shiva Devale no. 1, one of many temples at Polonnaruwa dedicated to either Vishnu or Shiva. The shrine dates from the Pandyan occupation of the early thirteenth century, following the collapse of Sinhalese power; the fact that the Indian invaders saw fit to construct an unabashedly Hindu shrine so close to the city’s most sacred Buddhist precinct says much about their religious sympathies, or lack of.
The temple is made of finely cut, slate-grey stone, fitted together without the use of mortar. The bottom halves of two rudely truncated guardian figures stand by the doorway into the inner shrine, inside which stands a rather battered lingam – the extraordinary treasure-trove of bronze images found here is now in the National Museum in Colombo. Along the southern (left-hand) side of the temple stand cute little carvings showing a pair of heavily bearded figures, possibly representing Agni, the pre-Aryan Indian god of fire, accompanied by two even smaller attendants.
Just north of the Shiva Devale no. 1 stands the Quadrangle – originally, and more properly, known as the Dalada Maluwa (“Terrace of the Tooth Relic”), since the famous relic was housed in various shrines here during its stay in the city. This rectangular walled enclosure, built on a raised terrace, was the religious heart of the city, conveniently close to the royal palace of Parakramabahu – the king would probably have come here for religious ceremonies – and is now home to the finest and most varied collection of ancient buildings anywhere on the island.
The Quadrangle is dominated by the flamboyant Vatadage (circular relic house), arguably the most beautiful building in Sri Lanka. Built by Parakramabahu, it was later renovated and embellished by the crafty Nissankamalla, who claimed credit for the whole building himself in the vast Gal Pota inscription.
The structure consists of a central shrine plus miniature dagoba (originally covered with a wooden roof) enclosed in a high brick wall set on a raised terrace. Four sets of steps, aligned to the cardinal points, lead up to the terrace, each one a little sculptural masterpiece, decorated with dwarfs, lions and makaras, as well as magnificently carved nagaraja guardstones and some of the finest moonstones in the city. The remains of further pillars and carved capitals that would once have supported the now vanished roof lie scattered about the terrace.
Nissankamalla the Vainglorious
Following Vijayabahu and Parakramabahu, Nissankamalla (r. 1187–96) is the third of the famous trinity of Polonnaruwan kings. A Tamil prince, Nissankamalla originally hailed from South India, but married into the Sinhalese nobility by wedding a daughter of Parakramabahu, and then succeeded in attaining the throne after a brief political skirmish following the death of his father-in-law.
Nissankamalla was notable chiefly for being the last king of Polonnaruwa to exercise real power over the whole island, even feeling secure enough to launch military expeditions against the Pandyans of South India. Perhaps conscious of his foreign birth, he seems to have endeavoured to become more Sinhalese than the Sinhalese, making a great show of his religious orthodoxy, purging the Sangha of disreputable monks and becoming the first king to make the pilgrimage to the summit of Adam’s Peak. He is also known to have embarked on extensive tours of the island to discover the conditions under which his subjects were living, rather in the manner of a contemporary politician at election time – not that Nissankamalla would have worried much about public opinion, since he considered himself (as did many later Sinhalese kings) a living god.
For all his genuine achievements, however, Nissankamalla is best remembered for the long trail of inscriptions he left dotted around Polonnaruwa and other places in Sri Lanka, recording his own valour, wisdom, religious merit and other outstanding qualities. The king’s bombastic scribbles can be found in Polonnaruwa at the Gal Pota, Hatadage and Vatadage in the Quadrangle, and at the Rankot and Kiri viharas (plus a couple more in the Polonnaruwa Museum), though some historians regard the claims made in them as somewhat dubious, while Nissankamalla also stands accused of having stolen the credit for many of the building works carried out by Parakramabahu.
The only image of Nissankamalla stands in the Maharaja cave temple at Dambulla. Ironically for this great self-publicist, it’s tucked away in a corner, and almost completely hidden from sight.
From the terrace, further steps, aligned with those below, lead up into the central shrine through four entrances, each presided over by a seated Buddha, to the eroded remains of the central brick dagoba in which the Tooth Relic may have been enshrined – strangely enough, the inner sanctum is virtually unadorned, in striking contrast to the remainder of the building.
Opposite the Vatadage stand the rather plain remains of the Hatadage, said to have been so named due to the fact that it was built in just sixty (hata) hours – which seems highly unlikely. Commissioned by Nissankamalla (who placed a long inscription just inside the main entrance on the right), the Hatadage may have been constructed to house the Tooth Relic and was originally two storeys high, though the upper storey has long since crumbled away. It now houses three Buddha statues, possibly intended to represent the Buddhas of the past, present and future; the central one is positioned to line up through the shrine’s doorway with the Buddha directly opposite in the Vatadage.
Immediately east of the Hatadage stands the Gal Pota (“Book of Stone”), an enormous slab of granite, some 9m long, covered in a densely inscribed panegyric praising the works of the bumptious Nissankamalla – an astonishing display of self-publicity that would put even a modern politician to shame. The stone itself, according to the inscription, weighs 25 tons and was brought over 90km from Mihintale, though exactly why this particular slab was considered so remarkable that it had to be dragged all the way here remains unclear. On the end of the stone facing the Vatadage a carving shows the Hindu goddess Lakshmi being given a shower by two elephants, a traditional symbol of wealth.
Next to the Gal Pota stands the strange Satmahal Prasada (the name means “seven-storey temple”, though only six storeys survive). The ziggurat-like structure is unique in Sri Lanka and its original function remains unclear, although it may have been an unusual kind of step-sided stupa similar to those found in Southeast Asia – it’s been hypothesized that Khmer (Cambodian) craftsmen may have been involved in the construction of the building, although no one really knows. The heavily eroded figures of a few deities and fragments of original white plaster can still be seen on its walls.
Just to the west of the Satmahal Prasada are the slight remains of a seventh-century Chapter House – just a tiny brick outline and a few pillars, including one in the unusual “thrice-bent” style of the Lotus Mandapa (see below).
On the other side of the Hatadage, the Atadage is one of the oldest structures in the city, having been constructed by Vijayabahu to house the Tooth Relic, although all that now remains are a few finely carved pillars and a delicate Buddha, standing contemplatively atop a lotus plinth in the middle of the now-derelict structure. A tablet inscription immediately to the west records details of the building’s construction and the arrival of monks from Burma, on the far side of which are the remains of an image house – the brick plinth inside would have supported a now-vanished reclining Buddha.
As you continue anticlockwise, the next building is the exquisite Lotus Mandapa (also known as the Latha Mandapaya or Nissankalata), a small open-air pavilion for religious rituals built by Nissankamalla. The mandapa features an unusual latticed stone fence, reminiscent of the Buddhist Railing at the Jetavana monastery in Anuradhapura, and a small platform surmounted by stone pillars shaped as thrice-bent lotus buds on stalks, a beautiful and very unusual design whose sinuous organic lines look positively Art Nouveau. In the centre of the platform are the remains of a tiny dagoba which was, according to different interpretations, either used to hold holy relics or which served as a seat for Nissankamalla during religious ceremonies (though not, presumably, both). In front of the Lotus Mandapa stands an armless statue, popularly thought to represent Vijayabahu, though it might be a bodhisattva.
In the southwest corner of the Quadrangle stands one of its oldest structures, the Thuparama, an exceptionally large and well-preserved shrine thought to date back to the reign of Vijayabahu. The building’s original name is unknown; it was confusingly christened the Thuparama (“The Stupa”) by the pioneering British archeologist H.C.P. Bell, though it isn’t actually a stupa at all but a gedige, a type of rectangular image house with a vaulted brick roof. At the time of research, it was covered in scaffolding for restoration work, but it was still possible to enter.
The exterior walls are decorated with elaborately carved vimanas (miniature representations of the dwellings of the gods). Inside, the shrine preserves part of its sturdy vaulted roof and traces of its original plasterwork, as well as exceptionally thick brick walls whose massive dimensions keep the interior pleasantly cool – the walls are so thick that the architects were actually able to construct a staircase inside them (you can see the doorway set in a recess on the left). At the back of the shrine are eight beautiful old standing and seated crystalline limestone Buddhas, which sparkle magically when illuminated.
The road north from the Quadrangle runs through attractive light woodland and past a scatter of minor monuments. The most interesting is the diminutive Shiva Devale no. 2, the oldest surviving structure in Polonnaruwa, dating back to the original eleventh-century Chola occupation. An inscription states that it was built in memory of one of his queens by the great Chola emperor Rajaraja, whose army destroyed Anuradhapura in 993. The pretty little domed building is pure Indian in style, boasting the same distinctive rounded capitals and niche windows that adorn the Shiva Devale no. 1. Four headless Nandis (Shiva’s bull) stand guard around the shrine.
Just to the southwest of the Shiva Devale no. 2 stands the Pabula Vihara (“Red Coral Shrine”), named by H.C.P. Bell after the red corals he discovered during excavations here. Said to have been built by a certain Rupavati, one of Parakramabahu’s wives, the vihara’s main structure is a large brick dagoba, the third largest in Polonnaruwa, though restorations have reduced it to a strange two-tier stump which gives no clue as to its original form. The remains of various brick image houses and Buddha statues lie scattered around the base.
Continuing north along the main track brings you to the remains of the Northern Gate, which marked the limits of the central walled city. The Vishnu Devale no. 2 and Ganesha Devale stand on the main track opposite one another on the south side of the gate. The former has a fine Vishnu image and the remains of stone (rather than brick) walls, though little remains of the latter. Immediately south of the Ganesha Devale are the equally slight ruins of another Shiva Devale, comprising the base of a tiny one-room shrine enclosing a battered lingam.
The city’s monastic areas begin immediately north of the northern gate with the scattered and rather scant remains of the Menik Vihara. Little survives other than heavily restored foundations of assorted monastic buildings, a few armless (and sometimes also headless) Buddha statues, and the remains of a small brick dagoba whose top has crumbled away, exposing the relic chamber within.
North of the Menik Vihara stands Nissankamalla’s monumental Rankot Vihara, an immense red-brick dagoba rising to a height of some 55m. The fourth largest such structure in Sri Lanka, it’s surpassed in size only by the three great dagobas at Anuradhapura, in imitation of which it was built, although its unusually steep sides and flattened top (it looks as though someone very large has sat on it) are less graceful than its Anuradhapuran antecedents. An inscription to the left of the entrance pathway describes how Nissankamalla oversaw work here, testifying to his religious devotion and the spiritual merit he presumably expected to gain from the stupa’s construction – whether the forced labourers who were obliged to raise this gargantuan edifice shared the king’s sense of religious idealism is not recorded.
A few hundred metres beyond the Rankot Vihara stretch the extensive remains of the Alahana Pirivena (“Monastery of the Cremation Grounds”), named after the royal cremation grounds established in this part of the city by Parakramabahu – the many minor stupas scattered about the area would have contained the relics of royalty or prominent monks. The monastery was one of the most impressive in the ancient city, and the remains here are some of the finest at the site.
At the heart of the Alahana Pirivena stands the majestic Lankatilaka Vihara (“Ornament of Lanka”), one of the city’s finest monuments, with towering brick walls enclosing a huge – though now sadly headless – standing Buddha. The shrine as a whole emphasizes the change in Buddhist architecture and thought from the abstract symbolic form of the dagoba to a much more personalized and devotional approach, in which attention is focused on the giant figure of the Buddha (more than 14m high) that fills up the entire space within.
Built by Parakramabahu, the Lankatilaka is (dagobas excepted) one of the biggest, and certainly the tallest, building to survive from ancient Sri Lanka, and still an imposing sight, despite the loss of its roof and much of its original decoration. The entrance is approached by two sets of steps; the outer face of the upper left-hand balustrade sports an unusually fine lion carving. More unusual are the intriguing low-relief carvings on the exterior walls showing a series of elaborate multistorey buildings, probably intended to represent the celestial dwellings (vimanas) of the gods.
Next to the Lankatilaka is the so-called Kiri Vihara, the best preserved of Polonnaruwa’s dagobas, believed to have been constructed at the behest of one of Parakramabahu’s wives, a certain Queen Subhadra. Kiri means “milk”, referring to the white lime plaster that covers the building and which was almost perfectly preserved when the dagoba was rescued from the jungle after seven hundred years – and which recent restoration has now returned to something approaching its original milkiness. As at the Rankot Vihara, Kiri Vihara boasts four vahalkadas and an unusual number of brick shrines around its base, while on its south side an inscription on a raised stone plinth records the location at which Nissankamalla worshipped.
South of the Lankatilaka is the Buddha Seema Pasada, the monastery’s chapter house, a substantial building which might originally – judging by the thickness of its outer walls – have supported several upper storeys of brick or wood. In the middle of the building is a square pillared hall with a raised dais at its centre, surrounded by monks’ cells and connected to the surrounding courtyard by four entrances, each with its own exquisite moonstone. Urns on pillars (symbolizing plenty) stand in the outer courtyard.
A short distance north of the Buddha Seema Pasada lies the magnificent Gal Vihara (“Stone Shrine”; also known as the Kalugal Vihara, or Black Stone Shrine), the undisputed pinnacle of Sri Lankan rock carving. The four Buddhas here, all chiselled from the same massive granite outcrop, originally formed part of the Alahana Pirivena monastic complex, with each statue formerly housed in its own enclosure – you can still see the sockets cut into the rock behind the standing image into which wooden beams would have been inserted. (Sadly, the modern answer to protecting the carvings from the elements is a pair of huge metal shelters which have plunged the statues into a permanent twilight.)
The massive reclining Buddha, 14m long, is the most famous of the statues, a huge but supremely graceful figure which manages to combine the serenely transcendental with the touchingly human; the face, delicately flecked with traces of natural black sediment, is especially beautiful. The 7m-tall standing Buddha next to it is the most unusual of the set: its downcast eyes and the unusual position of its arms led some to consider it an image of Ananda, the Buddha’s disciple, grieving for his departed master, though it’s now thought to represent the Buddha himself in the weeks following his enlightenment.
Two splendid seated Buddhas complete the group, posed against elaborately detailed backdrops which are rather unusual by the austere standards of Sri Lankan Buddhist art. The smaller of the two, unfortunately now kept behind a metal grille and fibreglass shield, is placed in a slight cave-like recess (the other three would have been housed in brick shrines), seated in the dhyani mudra (meditation posture); other deities stand in the background, along with a distinctive arch modelled after the one at the great Buddhist shrine at Sanchi in India. Tiny strips of the beautifully detailed murals that once covered the interior of the cave can be seen hidden away in each corner.
Gavin Thomas/Rough Guides
SIGIRIYA DAMSEL
The larger seated Buddha is also posed in dhyani mudra and entirely framed by another Sanchi-style arch, with tiny Buddhas looking down on him from their celestial dwellings – perhaps showing a touch of Mahayana Buddhist influence, with its belief in multiple Buddhas and bodhisattvas.
A kilometre north of the Gal Vihara, a rough side track leads to the Demala Maha Seya (or Damilathupa), an unfinished attempt by Parakramabahu to build the world’s largest stupa using labour supplied by Tamil (damila, hence the dagoba’s name) prisoners of war captured during fighting against the Pandyans. The dagoba is actually constructed on top of a natural hill: a retaining wall was built around the hill and the gap between filled with rubble, though it seems the dagoba was never finished. The remains of the structure had been completely buried under dense forest, although a short section of the massive three-tiered base was excavated and restored. A complete restoration of the entire structure is now underway, though the staggering scale of the project means that it will most likely take years to complete.
Around 500m north of the Demala Maha Seya, just to the west of the main track, is an unusual lotus pond (nelum pokuna), formed from five concentric rings of stone finely carved in the shape of stylized lotus petals. The pond may have been used as a ritual bath for those entering the Tivanka-patamaghara image house, an exceptionally large and sturdy gedige-style brick structure a further 400m on at the far northern end of the site, now protected from the elements by a huge metal shelter. Along with the lotus pond, the Tivanka-patamaghara is one of the few surviving structures of the Jetavana monastery. Tivanka means “thrice-bent”, referring to the graceful but headless Buddha image inside which is in a position (bent at the shoulder, waist and knee) usually employed only for female images.
The interior is also home to a sequence of outstanding (but rather difficult to see) frescoes, depicting scenes from the Buddhist Jatakas and lines of very finely painted Hindu-looking deities in sumptuous tiaras. The exterior shows the influence of South Indian architecture perhaps more clearly than any other Buddhist building in Sri Lanka, with densely pillared and niched walls decorated with the usual friezes of lions, dwarfs and vimanas. The overall effect is richly exuberant, and a world away from the chaste Buddhist architecture of Anuradhapura. Restoration work continues inside and out.
Two further complexes of ruins lie outside the main site: the Island Park, on a promontory jutting out into the lake a little north of the museum, and the southern ruins, a scenic fifteen-minute walk south along the raised bank of the lake. Although of lesser interest, they’re still worth a visit and, as entry to them is free, you don’t have to try to cram seeing them and the rest of the site into a single day.
Daily 24hr • Free
Reachable from behind either the museum or the The Lake House, the modest ruins of the Island Park (Dipanyana) complex comprise Parakramabahu’s former pleasure gardens along with a string of later buildings constructed during the reign of Nissankamalla. The most interesting structure here is Nissankamalla’s Council Chamber, similar to that of Parakramabahu. The roof has vanished, but the raised base survives, studded with four rows of sturdy columns, some inscribed with the titles of the dignitaries who would have sat next to them during meetings with the king. A marvellous stone lion stands at the end of the plinth marking the position of Nissankamalla’s throne.
Another of Nissankamalla’s interminable inscriptions sits on the south side of the Council Chamber, while close by, the overgrown remains of a many-pillared summer house jut out into the lake. On the other side of the Council Chamber lie the slight remains of a large building, possibly Nissakamalla’s Audience Hall (as it’s signed), although it may have been his royal palace.
Just south of the Council Chamber are the remains of a small, square brick-built structure (signed “White Edifice”), possibly some kind of royal mausoleum, and sometimes said to mark the site of Nissankamalla’s cremation. The surviving walls reach heights of around 5m and retain traces of red and white paint on their exterior – surprisingly bright and well preserved in places, considering that it’s more than eight hundred years old. Nearby lie the remains of the extensive sunken Royal Baths.
Daily 24hr • Free
Polonnaruwa’s final group of remains, the modest southern ruins, lie 1.5km south of the Island Park along the lakeshore. The best-preserved building here is the Potgul Vihara, a circular image house surrounded by four small dagobas and the pillared ruins of monastic living quarters. The central room is thought to have housed a monastic library where the city’s most sacred texts would have been stored, protected by massive walls that reach a thickness of around 2m at ground level.
The principal attraction, however, lies about 100m to the north: an imposing 3.5m-high statue of a bearded figure, thought to date from the ninth century, which has become one of Polonnaruwa’s most emblematic images. It’s usually claimed that the statue is a likeness of Parakramabahu himself, holding an object thought to be either a palm-leaf manuscript, representing the “Book of Law”, or a yoke, representing the burden of royalty (the less reverent claim that it’s a slice of papaya). Another theory holds that the statue could be the sage named Pulasti, a hypothesis lent credence by its position near the monastic library.
33km north of Polonnaruwa, and 3km northeast of Medirigiriya town • Daily 7.30am–6pm • Free • Buses run every 15min from Polonnaruwa to the village of Hingurakgoda, 13km north, where you can change onto a second bus, or take a tuktuk, for the bumpy 30min ride to Medirigiriya; hiring a vehicle from Polonnaruwa should cost around $30
The remains of Mandalagiri Vihara, which was built and flourished during the heyday of Polonnaruwa, are interesting, but the bother of reaching it mean that unless you have a particularly strong interest in Sinhalese Buddhist architecture, you probably won’t find it worth the effort. The main attraction here is the fine eighth-century vatadage, similar in size and design to the vatadage at Polonnaruwa, though the quality of the workmanship is of a far lower level. The remains of other monastic buildings lie around the vatadage, including the base of a sizeable brick dagoba, a couple of tanks and assorted shrines and Buddha statues, many of them now headless.
By bus The main bus station is in the town of Kaduruwela, 4km east along the road to Batticaloa. If you arrive by bus, ask to be put off at Polonnaruwa “Old Town”; buses stop close to the Seylan Bank, within spitting distance of the central guesthouses. Leaving Polonnaruwa you can hop on a bus at the stop on the main road, but to be sure of a seat it’s easiest to take a tuktuk to the station at Kaduruwela (around Rs.300) and catch a bus there.
Destinations Anuradhapura (hourly; 2hr 30min); Batticaloa (every 30min; 2hr 30min); Colombo (every 30min; 6hr); Dambulla (every 30min; 1hr 45min); Giritale (every 15min; 30min); Habarana (every 20min; 1hr); Kandy (every 30min; 3hr 45min).
By train The train station is close to the main bus station, in Kaduruwela.
Destinations Batticaloa (4 daily; 2hr 20min); Colombo (2 daily; 6hr 50min).
Jeep tours Polonnaruwa is a convenient starting point for trips to Minneriya and Kaudulla national parks; most guesthouses and hotels can arrange a jeep to either park for around Rs.4500–5500.
Tuktuk tours It’s also possible to visit the sites in Polonnaruwa and around by tuktuk. Nuwan Tuktuk Service (072 444 3599) is reliable and very reasonably priced, with day trips starting at Rs.1000.
Polonnaruwa has an ever-growing selection of budget and mid-range accommodation, but few luxury options. There are a couple of more upmarket hotels 15km down the road at the village of Giritale, perched on the edge of the beautiful Giritale Lake; a third, the long-running Royal Lotus hotel, was closed for major (and much-needed renovations) at the time of writing. From Giritale there are frequent buses to Polonnaruwa, or tuktuks for around Rs.1000 each way.
Clay Hut Village Rankot Vihara Rd 077 747 0560, clayhutvillage.com; map. Halcyon little place virtually in the shadow of the Rankot Vihara – the nearest you can get to actually staying in the ancient city. Set in a beautiful garden with its own small lake, the four spacious chalets resemble traditional village mud huts from the outside but are modern, tiled and very comfortable within; all have hot water and a/c. There’s also a pretty little stilted restaurant, and excellent food. Note that although there is a gate to the ancient city close by, you may not be able to enter or exit here. Rs.3500, a/c Rs.4500
Devi Tourist Home 31 New Town Rd 027 222 3181, facebook.com/devitouristhome; map. Long-running guesthouse and still one of the nicest in Polonnaruwa, set in a peaceful location 1km south of town with five comfy rooms (three with a/c and hot water), good home-cooking and a very friendly welcome. Rs.2000, a/c Rs.3000
The Lake Hotel Off Potgul Mw 027 222 2411, thelakehotel.lk; map. Set in a fine lakeside location, this dated old hotel (formerly the Seruwa) has been given a thorough interior refurb, with glassed-in restaurant, smooth modern rooms (all with lake view) and a postage-stamp-sized pool. Uninspiring, but decent value. B&B $105
The Lake House Island Park, behind the museum 027 222 2299, thelakehouse.lk; map. Attractive boutique hotel in a superb lakeside location, with a sleek modern design and spacious white rooms with beautiful lake views and dark wood-plus-saffron trimmings. The hotel sits on the plot of land previously occupied by Polonnaruwa’s historic colonial rest house, although all that survives of the old building is the iron bathtub rescued from the room in which Queen Elizabeth II stayed in 1954, now taking pride of place in the Queen’s Suite. B&B $300
Leesha Tourist Home 105/A New Town Rd 072 334 0591, leeshatouristhome.com; map. Run by the affable and energetic Upali, this guesthouse offers simple, clean and comfortable rooms in a great location. The newer rooms at the rear of the property are quieter. This is a good place to get information on safari tours and other travel destinations. A rooftop restaurant was under construction at the time of research. Rs.2000, a/c Rs.3000
Manel Guest House New Town Rd 027 222 2481, manelguesthouse.com; map. One of Polonnaruwa’s biggest guesthouses. Cheaper rooms in the old building (with hot water and fan) are functional but perfectly OK. The big, bright rooms in the smart new building at the back come with balconies and fine views over surrounding paddy fields. Old building Rs.2000, new building Rs.3500
Palm Garden 2nd Canal Colony, 1km from town 027 222 2622, palmgarden.lk; map. Low-key place in an attractively rural setting on the edge of town with four modern en-suite rooms, all with hot water and optional a/c (Rs.1000), plus two cheaper upstairs rooms sharing one bathroom (Rs.1500). Free pick-up/drop-off from town, and the owners can also arrange catamaran trips on the lake. Rs.2500
Ruins Chaaya 2nd Canal Colony 027 222 6999, ruinschaaya.com; map. Fancy new resort set amid lush gardens next to a paddy field. There are currently twelve tastefully furnished deluxe rooms, with TVs and fridges. The bathrooms are rather narrow with shower only. Good value for the price range. $89
Ruins Villa 99 Sri Nissankamallapura 077 861 9465, ruinsvilla.com; map. Four clean and spacious tiled rooms (two with a/c) in a newly built guesthouse stranded in the middle of a field. The welcome’s very friendly, and the setting very peaceful. Note that although this guesthouse is close to the ancient city, you may not be able to enter or exit at the nearby gate. Rs.2500, a/c Rs.3250
Seyara Holiday Resort Bendiwewa, 3km west of Polonnaruwa (signed around 250m north of the main road) 027 222 3990, seyaraholiday.com; map. Friendly and well-run family guesthouse with fourteen bright modern rooms, all nicely furnished and very comfortable; most have a/c and hot water, while some also have small balconies. Rs.3000, a/c Rs.5000
Sudu Araliya Potgul Mw, New Town 027 222 5406, hotelsuduaraliya.com; map. Polonnaruwa’s biggest hotel is in a fabulous lakeside location. Elephants regularly pass by in the late afternoon and there’s a treehouse where you can view more wildlife or request to have your dinner. The large a/c rooms are perfectly comfortable and there’s also a big pool and rustic little spa. B&B $110
Thisara Guest House New Town Rd 027 222 2654, thisaraguesthouse.com; map. One of the nicest of Polonnaruwa’s ever-expanding array of guesthouses, with spacious, comfy and very competitively priced rooms (all with hot water, plus optional a/c Rs.3500) set amid a large garden including a nice little outdoor restaurant with paddy-field views. The evening buffet is open to outside guests (call ahead to reserve). Rs.2000
Tishan Holiday Resort Bendiwewa, 4km west of Polonnaruwa (just west of the 64km post, on south side of the main road) 077 932 9451, tishanholidayresort.com; map. On a peaceful side road overlooking paddy fields, this welcoming family guesthouse is slightly plusher (and pricier) than most of the competition, offering very comfortable rooms with hot water, TV and optional a/c (Rs.500). The gardens are spacious and there’s also an attractive new pool area. B&B Rs.3000
The Village Potgul Mw, New Town 027 222 3366, thevillagehotel.org; map. Charming, very low-key hotel set around attractive gardens and a decent-size pool. Rooms (all with a/c, hot water and satellite TV) are modestly decorated and squeaky clean. Although it’s looking a bit dated, overall it’s a very reasonable deal for the price. Rs.5500
The Deer Park Giritale 027 777 7777, deerparksrilanka.com. Giritale’s most appealing address, with accommodation in a string of cute little buildings scattered around beautiful wooded grounds with fine lake views. Choose between the recently refurbished spacious rooms and even larger two-storey cottages, all with nice open-air showers. Facilities include a tranquil two-tier pool, gym and Ayurveda centre. B&B $150
Giritale Hotel Giritale 027 224 6311, giritalehotel.com. The longest-running of Giritale’s hotels with a commanding position high above Giritale Tank. All rooms have superb views. A major renovation is scheduled for mid-2018, which will no doubt bump up the price but improve the facilities. The excellent Ayurvedic health centre is open to outside guests. B&B $130
Kadamandiya Family Restaurant Main Rd 027 205 4438; map. Roadside restaurant in a rustic two-storey hut, serving the usual array of Sri Lankan dishes, some European standards (mains Rs.300–900) and a good daily buffet (Rs.450) of rice and curry. The sign is in Sinhala, so look out for “family restaurant”. Daily 8am–10pm.
Priyamali Gedara Bendiwewa, 3km from town 071 721 6480; map. Traditional rice and curry meals, served in the rustic gedara (house) of hosts Priya and Mali. The daily lunch spread (Rs.950) features around ten seasonally changing curries including chicken and fish, plus local fruit and veg (such as jackfruit, breadfruit, drumsticks and longbean), all cooked over firewood (imparting extra flavour, it’s claimed) and served with red rice on cute rattan plates and banana leaves. Best to reserve in advance for lunch, and they’ll also open for dinner (Rs.1100) if you book by 5pm. To find it, follow the dirt road by the big Buddha on the north side of the main road, opposite the side road to the Gimanhala Hotel, and follow the signs; it’s around 500m north of the road. Daily 11.30am–4pm & 6.30–8pm.
Bank The Seylan and People’s banks both have ATMs accepting foreign cards.
Bike hire All the guesthouses and hotels listed above have bikes for hire for around Rs.300–400/day.
Internet Try KIT-PIC Computer Shop (daily 8am–8pm; Rs.100/hr) on the main road in the middle of town.
Swimming Non-guests can use the large and attractive pool at the Sudu Araliya hotel for Rs.500 or the slightly smaller pool at the adjacent The Village hotel for Rs.300, or free if you have a drink at the poolside bar.
For well over a thousand years, the history of Sri Lanka was essentially the history of ANURADHAPURA. Situated almost at the centre of the island’s northern plains, the city rose to prominence very early in the development of Sri Lanka, and maintained its pre-eminent position for more than a millennium until being laid waste by Indian invaders in 993. Largely forgotten until its “rediscovery” by the British in the nineteenth century, Anuradhapura remains a magical place today. The sheer scale of the ruined ancient city – and the thousand-plus years of history buried here – is overwhelming, and you could spend days or even weeks ferreting around among the ruins.
The vast scatter of monuments and ruins contained within Anuradhapura’s Sacred Precinct can be seriously confusing. The easiest way to get a mental handle on the area is to think of it in terms of its three great monasteries: the Mahavihara, and the Jetavana and Abhayagiri monasteries – about two-thirds of the main sights belong to one of these complexes.
The obvious place to start is the Mahavihara, at the physical and historical centre of the ancient city, beginning at the Ruwanwelisaya dagoba and walking south to Sri Maha Bodhi, before doubling back towards the Thuparama. From here you can either head east to the Jetavana monastery or north to the Abhayagiri complex.
There are further important clusters of sights at the Citadel, between the Mahavihara and Abhayagiri monasteries; and south of the Mahavihara, between the Mirisavatiya dagoba and Isurumuniya Vihara. The major dagobas provide useful landmarks if you get disoriented, though beware confusing the Ruwanwelisaya and Mirisavetiya dagobas, which can look very similar when seen from a distance.
At its height, Anuradhapura was one of the greatest cities of its age, functioning as the island’s centre of both temporal and spiritual power, and dotted with dozens of monasteries populated by as many as ten thousand monks – one of the greatest monastic cities the world has ever seen. The kings of Anuradhapura oversaw the golden age of Sinhalese culture, and the temples and enormous dagobas they erected were among the greatest architectural feats of their time, surpassed in scale only by the Great Pyramids at Giza. The city’s fame spread to Greece and Rome and, judging by the number of Roman coins found here, appears to have enjoyed a lively trade with the latter.
Anuradhapura lies nestled between a trio of tanks – the lifeblood of the ancient city, although from the fifth century onwards their waters were supplemented by those from larger and more distant reservoirs such as the Kala Wewa. West of the Sri Maha Bodhi is the city’s oldest tank, the Basawakkulama, created by King Pandukabhaya around the fourth century BC. South of the city is the Tissa Wewa, built by Devanampiya Tissa (250–210 BC), while to the east lies the largest of the three, the Nuwara Wewa, completed in around 20 BC and significantly expanded by later kings to reach its present imposing dimensions. The raised bunds (lakeside embankments) on the west and south sides of Nuwara Wewa are perfect for an evening stroll and some birdwatching, while there are wonderful views of the city’s dagobas from the north shore of the Basawakkulama.
The centre of ancient Anuradhapura was the Mahavihara, the oldest of the city’s monasteries and for many centuries its most important. The monastery was founded around the Sri Maha Bodhi by Devanampiya Tissa, who also built Sri Lanka’s first dagoba here, the Thuparama, although this is now dwarfed by the great Ruwanwelisaya. The Mahavihara is still a living place of pilgrimage rather than an archeological site, with pilgrims flocking to the Ruwanwelisaya and Sri Maha Bodhi – the latter is still considered one of the world’s most important Buddhist relics, rivalled in popularity in Sri Lanka only by the Tooth Relic in Kandy.
Water world: irrigation in early Sri Lanka
The map of Sri Lanka is studded with literally thousands of man-made reservoirs, or tanks, as they’re usually described (wewa in Sinhalese, pronounced, and occasionally spelt, “vava”), ranging in size from modest lakes to huge expanses of water many kilometres wide – a remarkable feat of landscape engineering without parallel in the ancient world. The early Sinhalese obsession with tank-building was primarily a result of the island’s challenging climate, with its brief monsoonal deluges separated by long periods of drought. The ability to capture monsoon rains and then transport the stored waters where needed during the ensuing dry season was the major factor underpinning the economy of Anuradhapura, transforming the island’s arid northern plains into an enormous rice bowl capable of supporting one of early Asia’s most vibrant civilizations.
The first, modest examples of hydraulic engineering date back to around the third century BC, when farmers began to dam rivers and store water in small village reservoirs. As royal power increased, Sri Lanka’s kings began to take an active role in irrigation schemes, overseeing the highly evolved bureaucracy and engineering expertise necessary to maintain and develop the system. The first giant reservoirs were constructed in the reign of Mahasena (r. 274–301), who oversaw the construction of some sixteen major tanks, including the Minneriya tank, and Dhatusena (r. 455–473), who constructed the remarkable Jaya Ganga canal, almost 90km long and maintaining a steady gradient of six inches to the mile, delivering water to Anuradhapura from the huge Kala Wewa – whose waters ultimately hastened that unfortunate king’s demise. Further tanks and canals were built during the reigns of Mogallana II (r. 531–551), whose Padaviya tank, in Vavuniya district, was the largest ever constructed in ancient Sri Lanka, and Aggabodhi II (r. 604–614), who was responsible for the tank at Giritale, among other works.
Waters stored in these huge tanks allowed a second rice crop and other produce to be grown annually, supporting far higher population densities than would otherwise have been possible. The surplus agricultural produce and taxes raised from the system were also major sources of royal revenue, allowing expansive building works at home and military campaigns overseas, culminating in the reign of Polonnaruwan king Parakramabahu the Great, who famously declared that “not one drop of water must flow into the ocean without serving the purposes of man” and who oversaw the creation of the vast Parakrama Samudra at Polonnaruwa, one of the last but greatest examples of the Sinhalese genius for watering and greening the land.
Not included in the Sacred Precinct ticket; you may be asked for a donation of around Rs.200
At the spiritual and physical heart of Anuradhapura stands the Sri Maha Bodhi, or Sacred Bo Tree. According to popular belief, this immensely venerable tree was grown from a cutting taken from the original bo tree in Bodhgaya, India, under which the Buddha attained enlightenment, and brought to Sri Lanka by Princess Sangamitta, the sister of Mahinda. The original bo tree in India was destroyed not long afterwards, but the Sri Maha Bodhi survived. New trees from cuttings taken from it have been grown all over the island and at temples in other Southeast Asian countries, providing a living link with the religion’s decisive founding event.
The Sri Maha Bodhi sits at the centre of a large and elaborate enclosure, festooned with prayer flags and dotted with dozens of younger bo trees, some of which have grown, Angkor-style, out of (or even right through) the enclosure’s stone walls. A series of elaborate terraces decorated with gold railings have been built up around the trunk of the Sri Maha Bodhi, although the tree itself is disappointingly unimpressive, appearing neither particularly large nor old (despite one large trailing branch propped up on gilded metal supports). Far more interesting is the general scene in the enclosure, usually full of devout white-robed pilgrims, while during poya days huge crowds flock here to make offerings.
Closed to visitors, although you can see it through the fence
Just north of the Sacred Bo Tree stand the remains of the Brazen Palace (“Loha Pasada”), named on account of the copper roof which once covered it. The “palace” was built by Dutugemunu, though despite its name it only ever served as a monastic, rather than a royal, residence – the Mahavamsa describes a nine-storeyed structure with a thousand rooms (though the second part of this claim is doubtless hyperbole, and perhaps the first as well). Unfortunately, since most of the palace was made of wood, it burnt down just fifteen years after its construction and on a number of occasions thereafter, and had to be repeatedly rebuilt, most recently by Parakramabahu the Great in the twelfth century. Little remains now apart from a dense forest of plain, closely spaced columns – some 1600 in total – which would have supported the first floor. Confusingly, many of these did not belong to the Brazen Palace itself but were salvaged from other buildings at Anuradhapura. The only hint of decoration is on the fallen capitals, carved with dwarfs, that lie scattered around the ground in the southeast corner of the palace.
North of the Brazen Palace stands the huge white Ruwanwelisaya (also known as the Maha Thupa, or “Great Stupa”, though it’s actually only the third largest in the city), commissioned by Dutugemunu to commemorate his victory over Elara. It’s popularly believed to enshrine various remains of the Buddha, and is thus the most revered in the city.
The dagoba now stands 55m high, rather less than its original height, with the entire base encircled by a strip of coloured ribbon almost 300m long. According to tradition, the dagoba’s original shape was inspired by the form of a bubble – a perfect sphere – though the effects of subsequent renovations have flattened its outline slightly. It stands on a terrace whose outer face is decorated with life-sized elephant heads (most are modern replacements). Symbolically, the elephants support the platform on which the dagoba is built, just as, in Buddhist cosmology, they hold up the earth itself (at a more prosaic level, elephants also helped in the construction of the stupa, being used to stamp down the dagoba’s foundations). Four subsidiary dagobas stand in each corner of the terrace – considerable structures in their own right, but completely dwarfed by the main stupa.
From the entrance, steps lead up to the huge terrace on which the dagoba stands. Four vahalkadas mark the cardinal points around the base: tall, rectangular structures decorated with bands of elephant heads and, above, friezes of lions, bulls and elephants carved in low relief – the one on the western side is the oldest and yet to be restored. Walking clockwise around the dagoba you immediately reach a modern shrine holding five standing Buddha statues. The four identical limestone figures date back to the eighth century and are thought to represent three previous Buddhas and the historical Buddha; the fifth (modern) statue is of the future Buddha, Maitreya, wearing a tiara and holding a lotus. Continuing clockwise brings you to an extremely eroded limestone statue in a small glass pavilion, facing the dagoba’s south side and popularly believed to represent Dutugemunu contemplating his masterpiece.
Sacred precinct tickets
Most (but not all) of the sites at Anuradhapura are covered by a single ticket ($25), which can be bought at the Jetavana, Abhayagiri and Archeological museums, and at the ticket office at the northern entrance to the Jetavana dagoba. The ticket is only valid for one day which means (in theory) that if you want to spend more time exploring the site you’ll have to shell out $25 on a fresh ticket, although the whole area is actually open access and ticket checks are rare except at the museums and the Samadhi Buddha. Most visitors tend to cram all Anuradhapura’s sights into a day in any case, although this isn’t really long enough to get the full flavour of the place. Note that the Isurumuniya and Folk Museum aren’t covered by the main ticket, while you may also be asked for a donation when visiting the Sri Maha Bodhi.
Of all the two hundred or so kings who have ruled Sri Lanka over the past millennia, none is as revered as the semi-legendary Dutugemunu (r. 161–137 BC), the great warrior prince turned Buddhist king whose personality – a compelling mixture of religious piety and anti-Tamil nationalism – continues to provide inspiration for many Sinhalese today.
Dutugemunu grew up during the reign of the Tamil general Elara, who seized control of Anuradhapura in around 205 BC and reigned there for 44 years. Much of the island remained outside the control of Anuradhapura, however, being ruled by various minor kings and chiefs who enjoyed virtual autonomy, although they may have professed some kind of token loyalty to Elara. The most important of these subsidiary kings was Kavan Tissa, husband of the legendary Queen Viharamahadevi. From his base in the city of Mahagama (modern Tissamaharama), Kavan Tissa gradually established control over the whole of the south. Despite his growing power, the naturally cautious king demanded that his eldest son and heir, Gemunu, swear allegiance to Elara. On being asked to make this oath, the 12-year-old Gemunu allegedly threw his rice bowl from the table in a fury, saying he would prefer to starve rather than declare loyalty to a foreign overlord, and subsequently demonstrated his contempt for his father by sending him items of women’s clothing – all of which unfilial behaviour earned him the name of Dutugemunu, or “Gemunu the Disobedient”.
On the death of Kavan Tissa, Dutugemunu acceded to the throne, raised an army and set off to do battle armed with a spear with a Buddhist relic set into its shaft, accompanied by a large contingent of monks – like the leader of some kind of Buddhist jihad. The subsequent campaign was a laborious affair. For fifteen years Dutugemunu fought his way north, conquering a succession of minor kingdoms until he was finally able to engage Elara himself at Anuradhapura. After various preliminary skirmishes, Elara and Dutugemunu faced one another in single combat. A mighty tussle ensued, at the end of which Dutugemunu succeeded in spearing Elara, who fell lifeless to the ground.
As the leader who evicted the Tamils and united the island under Sinhalese rule for the first time, Dutugemunu is still regarded as one of Sri Lanka’s great heroes (at least by the Sinhalese). Despite his exploits, however, the fragile unity he left at his death quickly collapsed under subsequent, less able rulers, and within 35 years, northern Sri Lanka had once again fallen to invaders from South India.
A couple of hundred metres east of the Ruwanwelisaya is the Kujjatissa Pabbata, the remains of a small dagoba on a stone base with well-preserved guardstones. The structure dates from around the eighth century, but probably occupies the site of an earlier building – it’s been suggested that this was the place, just outside what was once the south gate into the city, where Dutugemunu buried Elara and raised a memorial in honour of his fallen adversary.
North of the Ruwanwelisaya, a broad walkway leads 300m to the Thuparama. This was the first dagoba to be built in Sri Lanka (its name means simply “The Stupa”), though by later Anuradhapuran standards it’s a modest affair, standing less than 20m high. It was constructed by Devanampiya Tissa shortly after his conversion to Buddhism at the behest of Mahinda, who suggested that the new Sinhalese faith be provided with a suitable focus for worship. A monk was despatched to Ashoka, the Buddhist emperor of India, who obligingly provided Devanampiya Tissa with two of his religion’s most sacred relics: the Buddha’s right collarbone and alms bowl. The bowl was sent to Mihintale (and subsequently disappeared), while the bone was enshrined in the Thuparama, which remains a popular pilgrimage site to this day.
By the seventh century, the original structure had fallen into ruins; Aggabodhi II had it restored and converted into a vatadage (circular relic house), a uniquely Sri Lankan form of Buddhist architecture, with the original dagoba being enclosed in a new roof, supported by four concentric circles of pillars of diminishing height – an excellent model in the Archeological Museum shows how it would all have looked. The roof has long since disappeared and the surviving pillars now topple unsteadily in all directions, though you can still make out the very eroded carvings of geese (hamsas, a protective bird) which adorn their capitals. The dagoba itself is actually a reconstruction of 1862, when it was restored in a conventional bell shape – the original structure was built in the slightly slope-shouldered “heap of paddy” form.
The area just south of the Thuparama is littered with the remains of buildings from the Mahavihara monastery, including numerous living units arranged in the quincunx pattern (like the five dots on the face of a die) which is characteristic of so many of the city’s monastic dwellings. About 100m south of the Thuparama is a pillared shrine set on an imposing brick platform, with one of the most magnificent moonstones at Anuradhapura, though sadly it’s protected – as are most of the city’s best moonstones – by an ugly metal railing. The outer faces of the balustrades flanking the entrance steps are decorated with unusual carvings showing canopied panels filled with deer, hermits, monkeys, delicately sculpted trees and a pair of large lions. Their meaning remains unclear, though they may be intended to depict an ideal Buddhist realm in which creatures of all persuasions live harmoniously together.
Daily 8.30am–4.30pm; kiosk daily 8am–5.30pm • Entrance only with site ticket • No photography
West of the Ruwanwelisaya dagoba lies a pair of museums, although they can’t be reached directly from the dagoba; you have to follow the road that runs north of Ruwanwelisaya and west to Basawakkulama, and then turn south along the lakeside road. Housed in a fine old colonial British administrative building, the Archeological Museum was still closed after a year-long restoration at the time of research, and it was unclear when it would re-open. In the meantime, you can still buy tickets to visit the Sacred Precinct from the kiosk by the entrance. Some exhibits from the museum’s rooms are on display in open pavilions in the garden and include numerous sculptures from Anuradhapura and beyond, an interesting cutaway model of the Thuparama, a reconstruction of the relic chamber from a dagoba at Mihintale, and colourful fragments of ancient murals recovered from inside the relic chamber of the great dagoba at Mahiyangana.
Tues–Sat 8.30am–5pm • Rs.300; camera Rs.250
A little further north along the same road as the Archeological Museum, west of the Ruwanwelisaya dagoba, is the less interesting Folk Museum, which explores rural life in the North Central Province, with some rather dull displays of cooking vessels, handicrafts and the like. Save your time and money.
The last of the three great monasteries built in Anuradhapura, the Jetavana monastery was raised on the site of the Nandana Grove – or Jotivana – where Mahinda once preached, and where his body was later cremated. The monastery was founded during the reign of the great tank-building king, Mahasena (r. 274–301), following one of the religious controversies that periodically convulsed the ancient city. Relations between Mahasena and the Mahavihara monastery had been strained ever since the king had disciplined some of its monks. They retaliated by refusing to accept alms from the king, who responded by pulling down some of the Mahavihara’s buildings and then establishing the new Jetavana monastery on land owned by the Mahavihara. The king gave the monastery to a monk called Tissa – who was then promptly expelled from the Sangha for breaking the rule that individual monks should not own any private property. Despite this, the new monastery continued under a new leader, becoming an important rival source of Theravada doctrine within the city.
The centrepiece of Jetavana is its monumental red-brick dagoba. Descriptions of this massive edifice tend to attract a string of statistical superlatives: in its original form the dagoba stood 120m high and was at the time of its construction the third-tallest structure in the world, surpassed only by two of the Great Pyramids at Giza in Egypt. It was also the world’s biggest stupa and is still the tallest and largest structure made entirely of brick anywhere on earth, having taken a quarter of a century to build and containing more than ninety million bricks – enough, as the excitable Victorian archeologist Emerson Tennant calculated, to build a 3m-high wall from London to Edinburgh (though why anyone would wish to erect such a pointless construction at this exact height and between these two particular cities has never been satisfactorily explained). The dagoba has now lost its topmost portion, but still reaches a neck-wrenching height of 70m – similar to the Abhayagiri dagoba. Vahalkadas stand at each of the cardinal points; the one facing the entrance on the southern side is particularly fine, studded with eroded elephant heads, with naga stones to either side and two figures to the right – the top is a nagaraja, the lower one an unidentified goddess.
The area south of the dagoba is littered with the extensive remains of the Jetavana monastery, all carefully excavated and landscaped. The monastery would once have housed some three thousand monks, and the scale of the remains is impressive, although except in a few places only the bases of the various structures survive. Most of what you see today dates from the ninth and tenth centuries.
Immediately behind the Jetavana Museum lies a deep and beautifully preserved bathing pool and the unusual latticed Buddhist Railing, which formerly enclosed either a bo tree shrine or an image house; the three tiers of the fence are claimed to represent Buddhism’s “Three Jewels”. Slightly east of here stands the Uposathagara (chapter house), with dozens of roughly hewn and very closely spaced pillars; these probably supported upper storeys, since a room with this many pillars crowded into it would have been of little practical use.
To the west of the dagoba is the Patimaghara (image house), the largest surviving building at Jetavana: a tall, slender door leads between 8m-high walls into a narrow image chamber, at the end of which is a lotus base which once supported a standing Buddha. Below this is a latticed stone “relic tray” consisting of 25 holes in which relics or statues of various deities would have been placed; further examples are on show in the Jetavana Museum. Around the image house are more extensive remains of monastic residences – many are laid out in the characteristic quincunx pattern, with a large central building, in which the more senior monks would have lived, surrounded by four smaller structures, the whole enclosed by a square brick wall.
Daily 7am–5.30pm • Entrance with site ticket only • No photography
The interesting Jetavana Museum holds a striking collection of objects recovered during decades of excavations around the monastery. The first of the three rooms contains fine fragments of decorative friezes and carvings from the site, including assorted Buddhas, a well-preserved guardstone and an unusually large relic tray. The second room is the most absorbing, filled with an assortment of finely crafted personal items that give a rare glimpse into the secular life of Anuradhapura, with displays of jewellery and precious stones. Next door is a less engaging collection of pottery, though look out for the ingenious three-tiered urinal pot. A pavilion outside has more stone sculptures: friezes, elephants and guardstones, although no descriptions or information.
The area north of the Thuparama, between the Mahavihara and Abhayagiri monasteries, is occupied by the Citadel, or Royal Palace area. This was the secular heart of the city, enclosed by a moat and thick walls, which perhaps reached a height of 5m.
At the southern end of the complex lie the remains of the Royal Palace, one of the last buildings to be erected in the Sacred Precinct, commissioned by Vijayabahu I after his victory over the Cholas in 1070 – although by this time power had shifted to Polonnaruwa and the palace here was no more than a secondary residence. Little of the palace remains apart from the terrace on which it stood and a few bits of wall, although two fine guardstones survive, flanking the main steps up to the terrace and featuring a couple of unusually obese dwarfs (a similar pair guard the steps on the far side). A wall on the terrace, protected by a corrugated-iron shelter, bears a few splashes of paint, all that remains of the frescoes that once decorated the palace.
About 100m east of the Royal Palace, on the opposite side of the road, are the remains of the Mahapali Refectory, or Royal Alms Hall. The huge stone trough here would have been filled with rice for the monks by the city’s lay followers and could have fed as many as five thousand – any monk could find food here, even during periods of famine. Next to the refectory is an impressively deep stepped well.
Immediately north of the Mahapali Refectory are the remains of a building studded with a cluster of columns reaching up to 4m high; this is thought to be the very first Temple of the Tooth, constructed to house the Tooth Relic when it was originally brought to the island in 313. The columns may have supported a second storey, and it’s been suggested that the Tooth Relic was kept on the upper floor, thus setting the pattern for all the shrines that subsequently housed it. The Tooth Relic was taken annually in procession from here to the Abhayagiri in a ceremony which was the ancestor of today’s great Esala Perahera at Kandy.
Just north of here are the partially reconstructed remains, reaching up to 8m high, of a brick gedige, with several original stone doorways and some of its window frames intact.
The third of Anuradhapura’s great monasteries, Abhayagiri was founded by King Vattagamini Abhaya (r. 89–77 BC), the creator of the Dambulla cave temples, in 88 BC. According to the Mahavamsa, Vattagamini had earlier lost his throne to a group of invading Tamils but subsequently returned with an army and drove them out. Upon returning to Anuradhapura he quickly established a new Buddhist monastery in the place of the existing one, naming it after the second part of his own name (meaning “fearless” – as in the abhaya, or “Have No Fear”, mudra).
Abhayagiri rapidly surpassed the older Mahavihara as the largest and most influential monastery in the country. By the fifth century it was home to five thousand monks and had become an important source of new Buddhist doctrine, and a flourishing centre of artistic activity and philosophical speculation. Although it remained within the Theravada tradition, elements of Mahayana and Tantric Buddhism were taught here (much to the disgust of the ultra-conservative clergy of the Mahavihara, who labelled the monks of Abhayagiri heretics), and the monastery established wide-ranging contacts with India, China, Myanmar (Burma) and even Java.
Abhayagiri is in many ways the most interesting and atmospheric part of the city. One of the great pleasures here is simply in throwing away the guidebook and wandering off at random among the innumerable ruins that litter the area – getting lost is half the fun. The sheer scale of the monastic remains is prodigious, while their setting, scattered amid beautiful light woodland, is magical – and particularly memorable early in the morning or at dusk.
Daily 8.30am–5.30pm • Entrance with site ticket only • No photography
At the centre of the complex, the small but informative Abhayagiri Museum gives a detailed account of the monastery’s history backed by an interesting selection of well-preserved artefacts including a fine (though armless) Buddha, and an unusually large nagaraja, both very eroded. Further stone sculptures are displayed on the veranda outside, including an impressive collection of guardstones and urinal stones.
Just south of the museum on the main road are the remains of the first-century BC Lankarama vatadage, thought to have originally formed part of the Abhayagiri nunnery. The vatadage’s unusually square central dagoba has been thoroughly rebuilt in modern times, though many of the original pillars which formerly supported the vatadage’s wooden roof have survived around it, some retaining their finely carved capitals.
As at Mahavihara and Jetavana, Abhayagiri’s most striking feature is its great dagoba, said to mark the spot where the Buddha left a footprint on one of his three visits to Sri Lanka, standing with one foot here and the other on top of Adam’s Peak. The dagoba was originally built by Vattagamini Abhaya and enlarged during the reign of Gajabahu I (r. 114–136); it formerly stood around 115m tall, only slightly smaller than the Jetavana dagoba, making it the second tallest in the ancient world – though the loss of its pinnacle has now reduced its height to around 70m.
Flanking the main entrance stand two guardian statues of Padmanidhi and Samkanidhi, two fat and dwarfish attendants of Kubera, the god of wealth. The statues have become objects of devotion in their own right, with pilgrims tying prayer ribbons to the grilles of the ugly little concrete sheds in which they are ignominiously confined. At the top of the steps stand a pair of the incongruously Grecian-looking urns, symbolizing prosperity, which can be found at several points around the monastery, while just beyond is a modern temple with a large reclining Buddha.
The dagoba’s four vahalkadas are similar in design to those at the Ruwanwelisaya. Most interesting is the eastern vahalkada, flanked by unusual low-relief carvings showing elephants, bulls and lions, all jumping up on their hind legs, plus two winged figures looking like a pair of angels who’ve flown straight out of the Italian Renaissance.
Around 250m east of the dagoba lies the so-called Samadhi Buddha, one of Anuradhapura’s most celebrated images, now sheltered by a large concrete structure. A classic early example of Sinhalese sculpture, the figure was carved from limestone in the fourth century AD and shows the Buddha in the meditation (samadhi) posture. The Buddha was originally one of a group of four statues (the base and seated legs of another figure can be seen opposite it); it’s thought that all four were originally painted, and sported gems for eyes.
Northeast of the Buddha lie the superbly preserved Kuttam Pokuna (“Twin Baths”), constructed in the eighth century for monks’ ritual ablutions. Standing at the far end of the smaller pond and looking to your right you can see a small stone pool at ground level. Water would have been fed into this and the sediment left to settle, after which the cleaned water would have been released into the smaller bath through the conduit with the eroded lion’s head on one side. The superb naga (snake) stone next to this conduit was a symbol of good fortune, while the urns at the top of the stairs down into the bath symbolize plenty. Water passed from the smaller to the larger bath through small holes connecting the two.
The area west of the Abhayagiri dagoba is particularly rich in small monuments, while copious signs help make some sense of the bewildering profusion of remains that litter the forest hereabouts. West of the dagoba, a side road (signed “Elephant Pool and Refectory”) leads past a second samadhi Buddha statue (similar to but less finely carved than the main Samadhi Buddha, and now missing its arms) to reach the Abhayagiri’s refectory, complete with the usual huge stone trough – more than big enough to hold food for the monastery’s five-thousand-odd monks.
A short distance further along stands the so-called Burrows Pavilion, a neat little stone structure named in honour of S.M. Burrows, archeological surveyor of Sri Lanka from 1884 to 1886, author of the Buried Cities of Ceylon and a leading figure in the nineteenth-century “discovery” of Anuradhapura. Nearby stand two impressive tenth-century pillar inscriptions recording various monastic rules and administrative details. The pavilion forms a kind of entrance to an extensive bo tree enclosure, signed Bodhi Tree Shrine III. The original tree has vanished, but the enclosing walls and a cluster of stone-slab seats survive largely intact along with another samadhi Budda, numerous sri pada carvings and a stone floor studded with lotus-shaped pillar bases.
From here it’s a short walk south to the colossal Et Pokuna (“Elephant Pool”). Dug out of the bedrock, this is the largest bathing pool in the ancient city and quite big enough to hold a whole herd of elephants, should the need arise.
Northeast of the Burrows Pavilion rise the slender pillars of the ruined Ratna Prasada (“Gem Palace”; signed as “Guardstone”), built in the eighth century to serve as the main chapter house of the Abhayagiri monastery, and originally standing five storeys tall. The main attraction here is the magnificent guardstone next to the building’s entrance showing the usual nagaraja standing on a dwarf, shaded by a seven-headed cobra and carrying various symbols of prosperity: lotus flowers, a flowering branch and an urn. The arch that frames this figure shows an extraordinary chain of joined images, with four makaras swallowing two tiny human couples and two equally microscopic lions, separated by four flying dwarfs; an unimpressed elephant stands to one side. Not surprisingly, the symbolism of this strange piece of sculpture remains obscure.
A short distance north of Ratna Prasada, on the other side of the main track through this part of the monastery, lies Mahasen’s Palace (signed as “Moonstone I”), though it’s not actually a royal residence at all but an image house dating from the eighth or ninth century. It’s famous principally for its delicately carved moonstone, sadly enclosed within a metal railing. Behind this rises a flight of finely carved steps supported by the inevitable dwarfs, squatting like tiny sumo wrestlers.
About 100m west of here is another magnificent (and unfenced) moonstone (signed as “Moonstone II”), almost the equal of the one at Mahasen’s Palace, with further portly dwarfs supporting the steps behind.
Northeast of Moonstone II lies the Dighapashana Cave (signed “Sudassana Padhanaghara”), comprising the remains of a rudimentary brick structure nestled beneath a giant boulder. On the right-hand side of the cave, steps lead up to a long Pali inscription, carved into the rock.
If you have the energy after seeing the rest of the site, make for the cluster of interesting remains that lie west and south of the Sri Maha Bodhi along the banks of the Tissa Wewa.
Around 1km west of the Sri Maha Bodhi stands the Mirisavatiya dagoba, a huge structure that was the first thing to be built by Dutugemunu after he captured the city, very similar to – and only slightly smaller than – the Ruwanwelisaya dagoba. The obligatory legend recounts how the new king went to bathe in the nearby Tissa Wewa, leaving his famous spear (in which was enshrined a Buddhist relic) stuck in the ground by the side of the tank. Having finished bathing, he discovered that he was unable to pull his spear out – an unmistakable message from the heavens. At the dagoba’s consecration, Dutugemunu dedicated the monument to the Sangha, offering it in compensation, the great king declared, for his once having eaten a bowl of chillies without offering any to the city’s monks, a small incident which says much about both the island’s culinary and religious traditions.
The dagoba was completely rebuilt by Kassapa V in the tenth century and is surrounded by various largely unexcavated monastic ruins. To its northeast you may be able to find the remains of a monks’ refectory, furnished with the usual enormous stone rice troughs.
South of the Mirisavatiya dagoba, on the banks of the Tissa Wewa, lie the royal pleasure gardens, known as the Goldfish Park after the fish that were kept in the two pools here. The pools were created in the sixth century and used water channelled from the tank; the northern one has low-relief carvings of bathing elephants very similar to those at the nearby Isurumuniya temple, cleverly squeezed into the space between the pool and the adjacent rock outcrop.
Daily 6am–6pm; museum daily 8am–6pm • Rs.200
Some 500m south of Goldfish Park is the Isurumuniya Vihara, a venerable rock temple that dates right back to the reign of Devanampiya Tissa in the third century BC. Though it’s a bit of a hotchpotch architecturally, it’s worth a visit for its interesting stone carvings.
The steps leading up to the main shrine (on your right as you enter) are embellished with the usual fine, though eroded, guardstones and moonstone, while to the right, just above the waterline of the adjacent pool, are low-relief carvings of elephants in the rock, designed so that they appear to be bathing in the waters. To the right of the shrine door is an unusual carving showing a man with a horse looking over his shoulder, while inside the shrine a gilded Buddha sits in a niche carved directly into the rock.
The ancient city is crowded with pilgrims at weekends and, especially, on poya days, and is also the focus of several festivals. The largest, held on Poson Poya day (June), commemorates the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka with enormous processions.
To the left of the main shrine is a small cave inhabited by an extraordinary number of very noisy bats.
The temple’s museum (in the modern building on your left as you enter) is home to a number of its most celebrated carvings, all rather Indian in style. Perhaps the most famous is the fifth-century sculpture known as The Lovers, probably representing either a bodhisattva and his consort or a pair of Hindu deities, though the figures are popularly thought to represent Prince Saliya, the son of Dutugemunu, and Asokamala, the low-caste girl he fell in love with and married, thereby giving up his right to the throne. Another carving (labelled “King’s Family”) depicts a palace scene showing five figures, said to include Saliya, Asokamala and Dutugemunu.
Squeezed between the museum and bat cave, steps lead up to the two small rock outcrops looming above the temple, offering sweeping views north to the Jetavana dagoba, and west over Tissa Wewa, best at sunset. Close by you can also see the base of the Sandahiru Seya (“Triumphant Stupa”; defence.lk/sadahiruseya), a gargantuan new dagoba begun in 2014 to commemorate soldiers who gave their lives fighting the LTTE, and which will contain an estimated thirty million bricks and stand 95m high when finished.
By bus There are two main bus stations in Anuradhapura: the New Bus Station, at the southern end of Main St is where most services arrive and depart, while the Old Bus Station, off the northern end of Main St, is the terminus for all public and private buses to/from Kandy via Dambulla as well as Colombo via Kurunegala (although many buses call at both stations). When leaving, check at your guesthouse to make sure you’re going to the right bus station. For Sigiriya, take a Kandy bus to Dambulla and pick up a connection from there. For Polonnaruwa, it’s often quicker to catch a bus to Habarana and pick up a connection there. For Jaffna, you’ll have to change at Vavuniya. For Trinco, if you can’t get a direct bus catch a service to Horowupotana from where there are frequent onward connections.
Destinations Colombo (every 30min; 5hr 30min); Dambulla (every 30min; 1hr 30min); Habarana (every 45min; 1hr 30min); Horowupotana (hourly; 2hr); Jaffna (via Vavuniya, every 45min; 5hr); Kandy (every 30min; 3hr 30min); Kurunegala (every 20min; 3hr); Mannar (hourly; 3hr); Polonnaruwa (every 45min until noon, then every 1hr 30min; 2hr 30min); Trincomalee (2 daily; 3hr); Vavuniya (every 45min; 1hr 30min).
By train The principal train station is on Main St just north of the centre of the New Town, a short tuktuk ride from the Harischandra Mw guesthouses. The subsidiary Anuradhapura New Town Station lies at the southern end of Main St, though not all services stop here.
Destinations Colombo (8 daily; 3hr 30min–5hr); Jaffna (4 daily; 2hr 45min–4hr 45min); Kurunegala (8 daily; 2–3hr); Vavuniya (6 daily; 50min–1hr 15min).
By bike The Sacred Precinct is much too big to cover on foot, and it’s far easier to explore by bicycle; these can be hired from virtually all the town’s guesthouses for Rs.400–500/day, though note that bikes (and indeed all types of vehicle) aren’t allowed anywhere near the Sri Maha Bodhi.
Guides Guides hang out mainly at the Jetavana Museum. If you go with a guide, you might like to check their accreditation (they should be in possession of a Sri Lanka Tourism site guide’s licence for Anuradhapura) to make sure you’re getting someone genuine. Expect to pay around $15–20 for half a day, though you may be able to bargain.
Wildlife tours Anuradhapura makes a convenient base for a trip to Wilpattu National Park; tours can be arranged through some of the local guesthouses, including Milano Tourist Rest and Lievi’s – the latter currently offer day-trips at Rs.16,000 for two people or Rs.24,000 for four people including transport and all entry fees.
Anuradhapura has a good and growing spread of budget and mid-range accommodation, though a relative paucity of upper-range options – for something more upmarket you’re better off heading to one of the two fine resorts west of the city.
City Resort 242 National Housing (behind the Hotel Dulyana) 071 992 3400, bit.ly/cityresortap; map. Smart guesthouse close to the bustling main road and bus station. There are five cool, white rooms with a/c, hot water and TVs, plus two new mixed and women-only dormitories. Meals are served on the tiny outdoor terrace, though at the time of research there was also a new restaurant in the works. They also offer night city tours and sunset trips to Mihintale at very reasonable prices. Dorms Rs.1100, doubles Rs.3800
Lievi’s Tourist Accommodation 319/1 Vidyala Mw 077 320 6073, lievistourist.com; map. This well-run, centrally located guesthouse is one of the best places to stay in Anurdhapura. It has spacious, comfortable rooms at a very competitive price (Rs.1000 extra for a/c and hot water), while the beautiful L-shaped garden veranda is a fine place for a beer or meal. The friendly owner, Ranjan, can help organize safari tours. B&B Rs.2500
Melbourne Tourist Rest 388/28 Harischandra Mw 025 223 7843, melrest.com; map. Attractive little low-slung hotel in a quiet side street close to the centre of town. The modern rooms (all with hot water; a/c Rs.750 extra) are bright, spacious and comfortable enough if you don’t mind the naff furniture, and the lovely garden patio at the front is a nice place to catch some rays. Rs.3500
Milano Tourist Rest J.R. Jaya Mw 025 222 2364, milanotouristrest.com; map. One of the town’s standout cheapies, with bright budget rooms (all with hot water and satellite TV; a/c Rs.500 extra) at very competitive rates, plus very comfortable and nicely furnished deluxe a/c rooms in a second building over the road. There’s also a good restaurant (see opposite) and free pick-up from the bus/train stations. Rs.1500, a/c Rs.3950
Miridiya Lake Resort Wasaladantha Mw 025 222 2112, miridiyahotel.lk; map. Recently expanded resort-style hotel arranged around attractive gardens running down to Nuwara Wewa. The rooms (all with a/c, TV, fridges and attractive outdoor bathrooms) are bright and stylishly furnished, and there’s also a good-sized pool. B&B $80
Montana Rest Off Freeman Mw 025 222 0482, montanarest.com; map. Occupying a smart modern building in a quiet, leafy side street, this mid-range guesthouse has a quiet atmosphere. Rooms are spotless and very comfortably furnished, and meals are served on the attractive garden terrace. Good value, given the quality. Rs.2500, a/c Rs.4000
Randiya Muditha Mw, off Harischandra Mw 025 222 2868, hotelrandiya.com; map. Appealing mid-range hotel with a new wing of smart, comfortable deluxe rooms. The standard rooms in the original building are less attractive but clean and functional. There’s also an excellent in-house restaurant, a pool and a bar. B&B: standard $40, deluxe $55
The Sanctuary at Tissawewa Sacred Precinct, near the Mirisavatiya dagoba 025 222 2299, tissawewa.com; map. Anuradhapura’s most memorable place to stay, this famous old rest house is set in a rambling and gorgeously atmospheric nineteenth-century mansion (built for a former British governor) in the heart of the Sacred Precinct, with a decent restaurant attached. The ground-floor deluxe rooms are rather lacking in furniture; superior rooms upstairs are much more comfortable, and only slightly more expensive. Deluxe $137
Thilaka City Hotel 560/2 Godage Mw 025 223 5877, thilakacityhotel.com; map. Twelve neat white modern rooms with a/c and hot water – functional and totally lacking in atmosphere, but very comfortable and with world-class mattresses, all at a reasonable price. $30
Palm Garden Village Hotel Puttalam Rd, Pandulagama, 6km west of town 025 222 3961, palmgardenvillage.com; map. Idyllic country-resort-style hotel, occupying a scatter of elegant colonial-style buildings set within extensive and beautiful tree-studded gardens. Rooms are attractively kitted out with teak and mahogany furnishings, and there’s also good food, a nice bar, huge pool and Ayurveda centre. $175
Ulagalla Resort Thirappane, 25km south of Anuradhapura and about 2km east of the Anuradhapura–Kandy road 025 567 1000, ugaescapes.com; map. Stunning boutique resort set in almost sixty acres of beautiful gardens spread around the immaculately restored 150-year-old walauwe (manor) of a former local bigwig. Accommodation is in twenty huge and very private chalets, stylishly designed with wooden floors, huge windows, private decks and plunge pools, while facilities include a sylvan spa and a positive supermodel of a pool. $475
There aren’t many places to eat in Anuradhapura – although all the guesthouses and hotels above do food, and most people end up eating where they’re staying.
Casserole Second floor, 279 Main St 025 222 4443; map. This cavernous modern restaurant makes a change from yet more rice and curry, with a big menu of good-value Chinese meat, fish and veg standards spiced up for its Sri Lankan clientele – far from authentic, but surprisingly tasty. Mains mostly Rs.450–600. Unlicensed. Daily 11am–10pm.
Milano Tourist Rest J.R. Jaya Mw 025 222 2364, milanotouristrest.com; map. The well-run restaurant at this excellent hotel is one of the best in town, with cheery service and a usually convivial atmosphere. The menu covers all bases, from rice and curry through to seafood and assorted Chinese and Continental dishes – prices are slightly above average (most mains Rs.800–900) but generally worth it. Daily 6.30am–11.30pm.
Rasa Gedara Main St; map. Looking a tad incongruous in Anuradhapura’s busy main street, this faux-village palm thatch-style construction serves up a decent lunchtime rice and curry (veg Rs.350, chicken Rs.450) out of traditional claypots, featuring around ten seasonally changing dishes. Unlicensed. Daily 7am–5pm.
The Sanctuary at Tissawewa Sacred Precinct 025 222 2299; map. This fine old colonial hotel makes an excellent lunch stop while exploring the Sacred Precinct, serving up assorted salads, sandwiches and soups (Rs.300–850), plus more substantial Sri Lankan mains (Rs.700–1400). Choose between the smart, modern, colonial-style dining room inside or take a seat on the terrace. No alcohol is served. Daily 7am–9.30pm.
Seedevi Family Restaurant Jayanthi Mw 025 222 5509; map. Big modern “family” restaurant (meaning no booze) offering a passable range of local and international dishes, including Chinese, Thai and pasta (mains Rs.400–900). Daily 6am–10.30pm.
Banks There are branches of all the major banks strung out along Main St, most with ATMs accepting foreign cards.
Internet The Communications & Internet Centre next to the New Bus Station has a few machines.
Swimming Non-guests can use the pools at the Miridiya Lake Resort (Rs.400) and at the Rajarata hotel just around the corner (Rs.500); the pool at the latter is huge, and given how moribund the hotel is, chances are you’ll have the entire thing to yourself.
MIHINTALE, 12km east of Anuradhapura, is revered as the place where Buddhism was introduced to Sri Lanka. In 247 BC (the story goes) the king of Anuradhapura, Devanampiya Tissa (r. 250–210 BC), was hunting in the hills of Mihintale. Pursuing a stag to the top of a hill, he found himself confronted by Mahinda, the son (or possibly brother) of the great Buddhist emperor of India, Ashoka, who had been despatched to convert the people of Sri Lanka to his chosen faith. Wishing first to test the king’s intelligence to judge his fitness to receive the Buddha’s teaching, Mahinda proposed his celebrated riddle of the mangoes:
“What name does this tree bear, O king?”
“This tree is called a mango.”
“Is there yet another mango besides this?”
“There are many mango-trees.”
“And are there yet other trees besides this mango and the other mangoes?”
“There are many trees, sir; but those are trees that are not mangoes.”
“And are there, beside the other mangoes and those trees which are not mangoes, yet other trees?”
“There is this mango-tree, sir.”
Having established the king’s shrewdness through this laborious display of arboreal logic, Mahinda proceeded to expound the Buddha’s teachings, promptly converting (according to the Mahavamsa) the king and his entire entourage of forty thousand attendants. The grateful king gave Mahinda and his followers a royal park in Anuradhapura, which became the core of the Mahavihara monastery, while Mihintale (the name is a contraction of Mahinda tale, or “Mahinda’s hill”) also developed into an important Buddhist centre. Although modern Mihintale is little more than a large village, it remains an important pilgrimage site, especially during Poson Poya (June), which commemorates the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka by Mahinda, during which thousands of white-robed pilgrims descend on the place.
The ruins and dagobas at Mihintale are relatively ordinary compared to those at Anuradhapura, but the setting – with rocky hills linked by beautiful flights of stone steps shaded by frangipani trees – is gorgeous. Mihintale can be tiring, however: there are 1850 steps, and if you want to see all the sights you’ll have to climb almost every single one of them (although you can avoid the first flight by driving up the Old Road to the Dana Salawa level). It’s a good idea to visit in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid having to tackle the steps in the heat of the day.
Daily 24hr • Rs.500
At the bottom of the site, near the car park, lie the remains of a hospital, including fragments of treatment rooms and a large stone bath in which patients would have been washed in healing oils and herbs. Most of the island’s larger religious complexes had similar infirmaries, where doctors used a highly developed system of Ayurvedic medicines and treatments that were perhaps not so far from those used in today’s hotels and clinics. On the other side of the road stand the remains of a monastic structure, its buildings arranged in a characteristically Anuradhapuran quincunx pattern.
The broad first flight of steps heads up directly from the car park. At the first small terrace, steep steps lead off on the right to the remains of the Kantaka Chetiya dagoba. Not much remains of the body of this dagoba, which originally stood over 30m high, but the four Anuradhapura-style vahalkadas, decorated with elephants, dwarfs and other creatures, are extremely well preserved.
Just south of the dagoba, on a huge boulder perched precariously on its side, is an unusual inscription in a very early, proto-Brahmi script.
Returning to the main steps from the Kantaka Chetiya and continuing up brings you to a large terrace and the remains of the Medamaluwa monastery, the most important at Mihintale. The first building on your left is the Dana Salawa (“Alms Hall”), home to an enormous stone trough (plus a somewhat smaller one next to it at a right angle) that would have been filled with food for the monastery’s monks by lay followers.
The terrace immediately above, built on enormous slabs of stone, was the site of the former chapter house, its doorway flanked with two large stone tablets in Sinhala. Erected during the tenth century, these stelae lay down the rules and responsibilities pertaining to the various monks and lay staff at the monastery – a kind of medieval Sinhalese job description. The brick bases of vanished dagobas lie all around, along with the remains of further monastic buildings, including the Conversation Hall, which preserves a few of its original 64 pillars.
On the opposite side of the terrace, near the top of Old Road, is the small Singha Pokuna (“Lion Pool”), named after the unusual, though very eroded, sculpture of a lion rampant, through whose mouth water was fed into a now vanished pool. The small frieze above is decorated with a well-preserved strip of carvings showing lions and dancers.
To the right of the Conversation Hall, a long flight of steps leads up to the heart of Mihintale, the very spot (it’s claimed) at which Devanampiya Tissa met Mahinda. You have to buy a ticket at the top of the stairs before entering the terrace, and take off your shoes.
At the centre of the terrace is the Ambasthala dagoba, a surprisingly small and simple structure for such an important site – the name means “Mango Tree Dagoba”, referring to Mahinda’s convoluted conundrum. The dagoba was subsequently roofed over, vatadage-style, as testified by the two rows of pillars around it. Immediately next to it is a single simple sri pada, surrounded by gold and silver railings, into which people throw coins for luck. Nearby is an extremely ancient statue, claimed to be of Devanampiya Tissa, though it might just be of a bodhisattva. Its arms have long since vanished, while its head has fallen off and now sits Yorick-like on a brick plinth in front. According to tradition, the Ambasthala dagoba covers the spot where Mahinda stood during the famous meeting, while the statue marks the position of Devanampiya Tissa, though given how far apart they are, this seems unlikely, unless their conversation – and the mango riddle – was conducted as a kind of shouting match.
Various pathways lead from the upper terrace to a number of further sights. Close to the ancient statue, irregular rock-cut steps lead very steeply up the bare rock outcrop of Aradhana Gala (“Invitation Rock”), from which Mahinda preached his first sermon. On the other side, a shorter flight of steps leads up to a large, modern white seated Buddha, posed in an unusual composite posture: the left hand is in the meditation posture, while the right is in the “explanation” (vitarka) pose.
A long path from the upper terrace leads to Mahinda’s Cave (Mahindu Guhawa), a bit of a hike down a rough woodland path (particularly challenging without shoes). The “cave” is actually an opening beneath a huge boulder poised precariously on the rim of the hillside at the edge of a large drop. On the floor is a simple rectangular outline cut out of the rock, popularly believed to be Mahinda’s bed.
Once you’ve seen all the sights around the upper terrace, collect your shoes (but don’t put them on) and head up one final set of steps to the white Mahaseya dagoba, claimed to enshrine some ashes and a single hair of the Buddha. The dagoba (which can be seen quite clearly all the way from Anuradhapura) is the largest and the second highest at Mihintale, in a breezy hilltop location and with wonderful 360-degree views over the surrounding countryside – you can usually just make out the great dagobas of Anuradhapura in the distance. Immediately next to it are the substantial remains of the lower portion of a large brick dagoba, the Mahindu Saya, which is thought to enshrine relics associated with Mahinda.
Walk past the Mahindu Saya (you can put your shoes on now) down a path cut into the rock to reach the ruins of an image house atop the usual stone base with flights of stairs and remains of pillars. From here, a tough ten-minute slog up steep steps (and lots of them) leads to Et Vehera, located at what is easily the highest point at Mihintale. There’s nothing much to see apart from the remains of a small brick dagoba – despite the great sense of altitude, the views aren’t really any better than those from the Mahaseya dagoba.
From Et Vehera you can retrace your steps to the image house and head back downhill via the Naga Pokuna, or “Snake Pool”, a rock-cut pool guarded by a carving of a five-headed cobra (though it’s sometimes submerged by water). Romantic legends associate this with the queen of Devanampiya Tissa, though the prosaic truth is that it was simply part of the monastery’s water-supply system.
West of the main site on the Old Road are the remains of another monastery and two dagobas, the larger known as Indikatu Seya. South of here lies the hill of Rajagiri Lena. Brahmi inscriptions found here suggest that the caves on the hillside might have been home to Sri Lanka’s first-ever Buddhist monks. The tranquil Kaludiya Pokuna pool nearby looks natural but is actually man-made. Beside it are the remains of a small tenth-century monastery, including a well-preserved cave building with windows and a door – either a bathhouse or a monk’s dwelling.
By bus Buses leave for Mihintale from Anuradhapura’s New Bus Station roughly every 15min.
By tuktuk A tuktuk from Anuradhapura costs around Rs.3000 return including waiting time.
Saji-Sami Hotel Just west off the A9 Vavuniya Rd, about 800m north of Mihintale Junction 025 226 6864, sajisamihotel.com; map. Your best bet in the (unlikely) event that you want to stay the night in Mihintale; it has super-helpful owners and a peaceful location on the north side of town. Clean and comfy rooms have a/c, hot water and satellite TV. There’s also a nice pool and bikes are free to rent. $50
On the boundary of Wilpattu National Park some 46km northwest of Anuradhapura, Tantirimalai (or Tantirimale) is one of the Cultural Triangle’s most remote and least-visited destinations – which for many is a major part of its appeal. The ruins here, of the original Tantirimalai Rajamaha Vihara (royal temple), are said to date back to the third century BC, marking one of the places at which Princess Sangamitta rested while travelling to Anuradhapura to deliver a cutting from the legendary bo tree under which the Buddha gained enlightenment to the newly converted Devanampiya Tissa.
Daily 24hr; museum daily 8am–4.30pm • Free (although a donation may be requested)
The ruins of Tantirimalai Rajamaha Vihara are widely scattered over a strikingly lunar landscape of bare, undulating rock, dotted with the occasional stunted tree. On arrival, head for the small museum, where there’s a map of the site in English (helpful, since most of the signage is in Sinhala) and you may also be able to find an English-speaking member of staff to give a you brief explanation of the site.
A modern dagoba marks the highest point of the site, while the nearby bo tree is said to have been grown from a cutting from the original one brought to the island by Sangamitta. Below this, a striking image of a meditating Buddha has been chiselled out of the side of a rock outcrop, while on the northern side of the dagoba is an even larger reclining Buddha, again hewn painstakingly from solid rock. Numerous other monastic ruins can be found dotted around the site, including the remains of the former monastic library, built into a cave, and a bathing pond that is said never to run dry.
By car The most direct approach is from Anuradhapura (about 1hr–1hr 30min each way; a car and driver will cost around Rs.4000–5000), heading northwest via Nikawewa village. There’s an alternative approach via the A14 Mannar road, following the side track (unsurfaced) around 5km west of Neriyakulam on the main highway.
By bus Buses that pass through Tantirimalai depart from the bus stop on Bandaranaike Mawatha near the train line. The trip takes 45min–1hr (Rs.50). Check at the museum on arrival for the return bus times.
