Sri Lanka: TOP-15 attractions of the island country

Golden Temple of Dambulla

Of course, we'll start our selection with the country's main tourist attraction — the Golden Temple of Dambulla.

Primarily, it's a unique and unparalleled cave temple complex, founded in the 1st century BC. Many ancient rulers of Sri Lanka participated in its creation and development. The temple is located right inside a rock at an altitude of 350m.

Dambulla is known for the largest collection of Buddha statues — there are 153 of them here and some sculptures are over two thousand years old. The temple got its name "Golden" because about half of the statues are covered with pure gold. The caves also contain statues of Sri Lankan kings, gods and goddesses. The cave walls are densely covered with traditional Buddhist drawings and frescoes. The temple has been a sacred pilgrimage site for 22 centuries.

Sigiriya

In the central part of Sri Lanka, there is an important and extraordinarily beautiful attraction of the country. This is Sigiriya, or "Lion Rock", located on the site of a volcano that fell asleep millions of years ago.

The solidified lava formed a plateau where an ancient castle was built in the first centuries of our era. Its gardens had some of the world's first fountains, still working today. The ruins of this fortress have survived to this day, but even from the ruins one can judge the former grandeur of the structure. The entrance to the castle was once carved in the shape of a huge lion, but nowadays only its paws can be seen — all that remains of the stone giant.

City of Galle

A port city, whose fortification is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, was built by Europeans, which affected its appearance.

The main attraction here is the 17th-century fortress. Once behind the fortress walls were residential quarters with temples, administrative houses, a prison and a lighthouse. Now on the streets, some of which have retained Dutch names, you can find the National Maritime Museum, the Dutch Period Museum, the Dutch church, the Meera Mosque, as well as numerous hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops housed in old buildings. At the southern edge of the fort is Flag Rock — one of the most popular spots for meeting the sunrise.

Adam's Peak

Among the excursion programs in Sri Lanka, climbing Adam's Peak — the second highest peak in the country, known for having a footprint of a left foot — is especially popular. Buddhists believe it's the footprint of Buddha, while Muslims believe Adam stepped here when expelled from paradise.

For ages, believers have been making pilgrimages here. Not only young and healthy, but also old on crutches overcome with unimaginable persistence 5200 steps (about 8 km) leading to the summit. The ascent takes about 2.5 hours, considering stops and rest. During holidays and weekends, there are many more people, and traffic jams can occur on the way, which naturally increases the route time. However, we recommend visiting the shrine to pray for your most cherished wishes and admire the luxurious views from the top.

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Kumana National Park

The territory of Kumana National Park is vast, covering almost 36 thousand hectares of land! The park became accessible for visits relatively recently, at the end of January 2010.

The park presents luxurious Sri Lankan nature in all its glory — there are picturesque lagoons, sprawling plains, and the extraordinarily beautiful Lake Kumana Villu. But it's not the flora that's especially striking, but the park's fauna — 255 species of birds alone inhabit here. Their diversity is simply astonishing. In Kumana Park, you can encounter spoonbills, ibises, white herons, pelicans, storks, and many white cormorants. From April to July, Lake Kumana Villu becomes home to tens of thousands of migratory birds whose migration routes pass through this area.

Port of Colombo

Continuing the journey through Sri Lanka, it's worth paying attention to the capital city of Colombo on the western coast of the country. It's the most populous city on the island, and, first and foremost, it's famous for its seaport, the largest and oldest in all of South Asia.

Just think — Colombo became a trading port more than 2 millennia ago, and to this day it remains the busiest on the island. 24 hours a day, without any breaks, the port never ceases its operations. Such high responsibility in work is also explained by the fact that Colombo plays the role of a naval base in Sri Lanka.

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

Pinnawala is a small town in the central part of the island, home to the country's most famous elephant nursery. Many tourists visit this place year after year.

The nursery appeared in 1975 and for more than 40 years has been engaged in preserving the population and increasing the number of elephants, which in Sri Lanka in the mid-20th century numbered more than 30,000. This resonates with travelers, and it is believed that the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage should be visited by everyone traveling in Sri Lanka.

Temple of the Tooth

One of the island’s most important relics is the Sacred Tooth of Buddha, preserved in the city of Kandy in the temple bearing the same name. The relic was brought to the island from India in the 4th century AD, and to this day it is believed to possess miraculous powers.

Enemies who learned of the relic’s significance repeatedly attempted to destroy it along with the Buddhist faith itself. However, none of these attempts succeeded, and the tooth remained safe. The temple stands on the shore of one of the most beautiful lakes, features rich interior decoration, and several times a day hosts ceremonies during which the Sacred Tooth is presented to worshippers.

Royal Botanical Garden in Peradeniya

The Royal Botanical Garden is located in central Sri Lanka, in the village of Peradeniya, and is surrounded on all sides by the Mahaweli River. The garden was established in 1821 on the grounds of the residence of the last ruler of the Kingdom of Kandy.

The garden covers an area of 63 square kilometers and features more than 4,800 plant species from around the world. Visitors can see rare and unusual trees such as the double coconut palm, the “drunken” tree, and the massive umbrella tree. The garden is especially famous for its collection of orchids and palms. There is also a dedicated area with memorial trees planted by notable figures.

Nuwara Eliya Tea Plantations

In the past, the area where the Nuwara Eliya tea plantations are now located was covered by wild tropical forest. Later, it was discovered that the region offered exceptionally favorable conditions for tea cultivation, and British colonizers brought the first tea bushes here.

For centuries, traditional methods of growing, harvesting, and processing premium-quality tea have been strictly preserved. Visitors can observe the step-by-step tea production process firsthand. In addition, there is a museum introducing various tea varieties and a shop where any of the presented types can be purchased.

Beaches of Bentota

Many travelers choose Sri Lanka primarily for its beach holidays. Bentota is an ideal destination for this purpose. The town features two beaches that differ significantly from each other, allowing everyone to find a style of relaxation to suit their taste.

One of the beaches, North Paradise, is designed for quiet, calm, and leisurely relaxation. It stretches between the waters of the Indian Ocean and the town’s lagoon. The natural surroundings here are so pristine that visitors can fully unwind and forget about the bustle of the city.

If you prefer a more active holiday, South Paradise will be a better choice, offering tourists a wide variety of entertainment options.

The Sacred City of Anuradhapura

One of the most significant Buddhist landmarks in Sri Lanka is the city of Anuradhapura, the former capital of the ancient Sinhalese kingdom. Throughout its long history, this sacred city has witnessed both periods of prosperity and devastating invasions. Only in 1980 did the restoration of its ancient ruins begin.

Buddhist pilgrims are drawn to Anuradhapura by the ancient cave temple of Isurumuniya, built as early as the 4th–3rd centuries BC and now an integral part of the city’s rich historical legacy.

Mihintale Mountain Park

Just ten kilometers from Anuradhapura lies another important historical site — the Mihintale mountain range, home to numerous ancient Buddhist structures, or rather, what has survived of them to this day.

After climbing nearly two thousand steps, visitors can see many structures that once formed part of a vast monastic complex: several stupas, a statue of Buddha, an alms hall, a relic chamber, caves, museums, and monasteries. A walk through the sacred grounds of Mihintale invariably conveys an atmosphere of serenity and grandeur that these monuments have preserved for millennia.

The Ancient City of Polonnaruwa

Polonnaruwa is not just a beautiful ancient city in Sri Lanka. It is a true time portal that transports visitors a thousand years into the past. This site is another UNESCO World Heritage property in Sri Lanka, and exploring its ruins is best done early in the day, right after opening.

The golden age of Polonnaruwa occurred during the reign of King Parakramabahu I (1153–1186), who actively developed and expanded the city. Most of the ruins that millions of tourists come to see today are the result of his ambitious building projects. The number of striking ruins here is vast, and all of them are considered sacred.