Sri Lanka Tourist Attractions & Sri Lanka Travel Guide

Sri Lanka Tourist Attractions & Sri Lanka Travel Guide

Anuradhapura
This fascinating ancient city of the Sinhala kings, considered one of Sri Lanka's most important archaeological sites, is where Buddhism was first introduced to the island in the 3rd century BC. It contains large artificial lakes, temples, frescoes, dagobas (solid hemispheres topped with spires), 1,600 square stone pillars (which once supported a nine-story monastery), several museums, royal baths and bas-reliefs of elephants. One of the city's most important sites is the holy Sri Maha Bodhi Tree. The tree was brought to Sri Lanka 2,300 years ago as a sapling from the tree under which Buddha became enlightened - which makes it the world's oldest historically documented tree. Anuradhapura is located inland. It can be seen as a long day trip from Kandy or Negombo, or more easily from the modern village of Habarana, which has been developed to take advantage of its proximity to a number of ancient sites. 110 mi/175 km northeast of Colombo.

Aukana
Aukana is the site of an impressive 43-ft/13-m statue of Buddha, which dates from the 5th century AD. Aukana is generally seen in conjunction with Anuradhapura. Seven mi/11 km west is a slightly smaller statue of Buddha, chiseled at the same time as the Buddha at Aukana, but not as delicately crafted. 80 mi/130 km northeast of Colombo.

Colombo
The capital of Sri Lanka is a frenetic city of almost two million people, with good hotels, restaurants and shopping. The streets of Colombo are filled with every form of transportation imaginable - buses, cars, trucks, tuk-tuks, ox carts, pedestrians, etc. - and no one seems to follow any particular traffic rules. The chaos is probably most evident along Galle Road, the main north-south artery in the city. At the north end of the road is the area known as the Fort, once a colonial stronghold but now the site of many government buildings. Just south of the Fort is Galle Face Green, a seaside expanse where the turf is not green but brown. Galle Face Green is a popular place for informal cricket games and weekend strolls. On our last visit, military helicopters landed on the green to deliver ministers to an emergency session of Parliament. At the south end of the green is the venerable Galle Face Hotel, a beautiful hotel that while not as well-kept as colonial counterparts such as the Raffles in Singapore, the Peninsula in Hong Kong or the Oriental in Bangkok, predates them all. Watching the sunset from the Galle Face verandah with a drink is the most relaxing thing to do in Colombo.

Immediately east of the Fort is the Pettah, the traditional bazaar district. The Pettah is noisy and crowded but fun to stroll. Most streets are dedicated to a particular trade (Sea Street belongs to gold merchants, for instance). There's also a striking Hindu temple.

Among the capital city's other sights are the National Museum (the collection provides an excellent picture of the island's history - plan at least three hours), Vihara Mahadevi Park (a broad green park very near the National Museum) and the pretty palm-lined beach at Mount Lavinia in the southern part of town. (During our last trip, Styrofoam cups, plastic bags and soda cans strewn along the beach detracted from the beauty.) The Mount Lavinia Hotel is another beautiful old colonial hotel that is worth visiting even if you're not staying there.

Probably the most interesting Buddhist temple in town is Raja Maha Vihara (go in January to see the perahera, or "procession"). While the Dehiwela Zoo has deteriorated over the years, it still has a wide selection of animals (elephants perform in the afternoon).

If you're craving the beach, Bentota, about 40 mi/65 km south, has beautiful sand and clear water. Sun worshipers should stay three days (deluxe accommodations are available). If you drive there from Colombo, you'll pass picturesque fishing villages, both along the shore and inland along a river.

Galle
This city (pop. 109,000) on the southern coast is a must-see for colonial architecture buffs. Its main attraction is a 17th-century Dutch fort, one of the most extensive monuments left by European colonialists. Although many of the structures that made up the fort are in serious decay, the outer walls are completely intact. If you walk along the top of the walls at dusk, you'll see dozens of cricket games, an old lighthouse, beautiful views of the town's harbor and hundreds of Sri Lankans out socializing. Within the fort, visit any of several old churches (including a Dutch church dating from the mid 18th century) or simply stroll the narrow streets to get a good look at the old buildings. The New Oriental Hotel (originally the Dutch governor's office) is one of the oldest in Sri Lanka (the verandah and lobby are in better shape than its rooms). It's another great place to stop for a drink.

Galle's beach is ugly and polluted but Unawatuna, only 3 mi/5 km south of Galle, has a pretty cove-protected beach, good snorkeling and a hilltop dagoba. 65 mi/105 km south of Colombo.

Game Reserves
Unfortunately, some of the better game reserves and natural sanctuaries are currently unsafe to visit. Probably the best and safest game reserve is Yala National Park (at the southern tip of the island), which was open at press time, but access has been restricted in the past. The park contains elephants, wild boars, peacocks and other birds. Limited accommodations are available in guest houses along the beach. Lahugala National Park and Gal Oya National Park on the southeast side of the island are open, but have been closed in the past, too. Both contain large elephant herds.

Should calm return to the country, the following reserves (all closed at press time) are also recommended: Passekudahre, a short drive south of Trincomalee, where at low tide you can walk nearly a mile (about two kilometers) along the reef and seabed; the Wilpattu National Park, 100 mi/160 km north of Colombo, famous for leopard and jungle fowl; and the Kumana mangrove swamp (in the east part of the Yala National Park), home to hundreds of species of birds.

Hikkaduwa
This popular resort offers pretty beaches, good waves and a wide range of inexpensive hotels and restaurants. The reefs just offshore attract divers and snorkelers, but the coral is beat up and the glass-bottomed boats are too numerous for our taste. Hikkaduwa can feel a bit too crowded and overbuilt at times (street hawkers and unofficial "tour guides" can be overbearing), so if you want to get away from it all, stay elsewhere. The small town of Ambalangoda, a short drive north of Hikkaduwa, does not have much beach but is an excellent place to shop for crafts. The town is principally known for its masks, but there are good batik-makers and a dance school as well. 55 mi/90 km south of Colombo.

Hill Country
Besides hills, the region has mountains, waterfalls, verdant scenery, tea plantations and a cool climate that is a welcome antidote to the heat of the coast and low-lying plains. Situated at 6,525 ft/1,990 m, Nuwara Eliya is one of the highest and most attractive towns in the region. The town was built by English tea growers, and it looks more English than some English towns. In fact, while sipping tea at The Hill Club, a musty, rustic old colonial inn, one could believe that the empire hasn't ended. Nuwara Eliya is also the site of the best golf course in Sri Lanka and the Hakgala Botanical Gardens, where everything from roses to rare mountain orchids grow. With prior notice, some of the tea estates that surround the town will show you around their factories and even let you spend a night (highly recommended). Contact the tourist office for more information.

Ratnapura (about 60 mi/100 km southeast of Colombo) is the place to go if you want to learn about gems. You can hire a guide very cheaply to show you the entire process - from digging in the gem pits to polishing and setting the stones. There's an excellent gem museum in town, too. However, we recommend not making any purchases in Ratnapura; it's the most expensive place to buy gems in Sri Lanka.

Ratnapura is a good starting point for climbs to 7,360-ft/2,245-m Adam's Peak (Sri Pada), a site that is sacred to Buddhists, Muslims, Christians and Hindus. Climb the peak to see the stone imprint of either Buddha, Adam, St. Thomas or Shiva (religious leaders disagree over exactly whose footprint it is). Make the trip early in the morning (perhaps to see the sunrise) to avoid the afternoon heat. Another popular place to hike is Horton Plains National Park, a high plateau that begins 12 mi/20 km south of Nuwara Eliya. You can spend a great day or two hiking through the grasslands (there is some forest, too). World's End is dramatic: The high plateau drops 2,300 ft/700 m. From there, the terrain slopes downward another 4,250 ft/1,295 m toward the coastal plains. It's a truly spectacular site.

Jaffna
The scene of intense fighting, Jaffna remains off limits to visitors. Most of the city's 128,000 residents have fled, and the city has become a modern-day ruin. Before the fighting, the city's main sites were the Jaffna Fort, a number of Hindu temples and an archaeological museum. 190 mi/310 km north of Colombo.

Kandy
Set in the scenic hill country around a pretty, manmade lake, Kandy (pop. 130,000) was the last seat of the Sinhala kings. Today it is the site of Sri Lanka's greatest annual spectacle: the Esala Perahera. The perahera (or "procession") is a 10-day event - usually held in late July or early August - celebrating the sacred tooth allegedly snatched from Buddha's funeral pyre, which now rests in Kandy's Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth). Whether the tooth exists or not (or whether it is a molar, incisor or bicuspid) is unverifiable because no one actually sees it. The tooth supposedly rests inside a golden casket kept behind a glass wall in the Dalada Maligawa. You can see the casket at certain times of the day.

Tooth or no tooth, it's a spectacular show. Although it occurs for ten consecutive nights, the perahera is most spectacular during the last few nights. Essentially a three-hour parade, the procession includes whip-crackers, fire-jugglers, flag-bearers, hundreds of dancers and drummers and more than 50 elephants dressed in brightly colored robes and colored lights. Many of the performers are children. Be sure to reserve your seat along the parade route early in the day - many Sri Lankans start squatting on the curb at 2 pm for the 8 pm start of the procession. It's equally important to reserve your accommodation well in advance.

The rest of the year, the perahera elephants can be seen in the courtyards of the Temple of the Tooth. The massive complex sits in the center of town along the lake. In addition to the elephants, the courtyards contain small shrines dedicated to Buddha. Women sell lotus flowers to worshippers and monkeys scamper around the buildings. The main temple contains the well-guarded tooth casket, as well as a series of elaborate Buddha images and a detailed legend on the how the tooth arrived in Kandy. Be prepared for numerous security checks around the Temple of the Tooth.

We also recommend the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens (the orchid house is beautiful) and shopping at the Kandyan Art Association, which has a good selection of art and crafts. Travelers interested in Buddhism may want to check out the Samadhi Cultural Center, which has a small collection of Buddhist artifacts from around the world, with signs in English and Chinese.

An interesting day trip from Kandy is a visit to the Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage, where you can get close up to elephants of all ages. Try to get there to see one of the twice daily elephant baths. Another worthwhile option: the spice gardens around Matale, about 12 mi/20 km north of Kandy. Although spice gardens exist all over the island, there's a large concentration of them around Matale. All of the gardens have guides who can explain how Sri Lanka's famous spices - cinnamon, cardamon, curry leaves, peppercorns, saffron, etc. - grow in the wild and are processed for consumption. Other day trip options include visits to the royal cities of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya/Dambulla. The train from Colombo to Kandy offers some breathtaking views of the countryside, including elephants and giant plants (try to book a seat in the observation car). 60 mi/100 km northeast of Colombo.

Negombo
Situated on the coast north of the airport, Negombo, founded by the Moors, is now a predominately Catholic enclave. The architectural remnants of Portuguese, Dutch and British colonial years make it an interesting place to walk about. Attractions include decent beaches, colorful buildings, fishermen putting out to sea in outrigger sailboats and even a canal dug by the Dutch in the 18th century. The city itself can be seen on a day trip from Colombo, but we recommend spending at least a night so that day trips can be made farther north to see tile and batik factories and the sacred city of Anuradhapura. Be sure to sample some of the local fishermen's fresh catch.

Negombo is a fascinating area to visit during Christian holidays. Sri Lankan Christians pay homage to the saints with an enchanting blend of Buddhism, Christianity and Hinduism. Negombo, however, is a bit crowded with package resort hotels - the beaches to the south are better and definitely less crowded. 30 mi/55 km north of Colombo.

Polonnaruwa
An ancient and compact city, Polonnaruwa features 12th-century stone sculptures, an old irrigation system with huge tanks, and the Gal Vihara: three enormous Buddha figures - one reclining (it's 44 ft/13 m long), one standing and one sitting. The statues, located in a cluster along a dirt road, are revered as being among the most sacred monuments in Sri Lanka. There are also palace ruins and great bas-reliefs and friezes (especially the elephants carved around the Audience Hall). Allow at least half a day to see this ancient city. Travelers on a limited schedule might want to see Polonnaruwa instead of Anuradhapura (it's easier to reach and the sites are much closer together). Polonnaruwa can be seen as a long day trip from Kandy, but it's best visited from Habarana. 110 mi/175 km northeast of Colombo.

Sigiriya
On top of a rock plateau overlooking dense jungle and a vast plain is Sigiriya, the mysterious remains of the 5th-century fortress of King Kasyapa. When it was built, an impressive 5-acre/2-hectare fort sat astride the rock and a city nestled at its base, but now the city is gone and the fortress is in ruins. According to legend, King Kasyapa gained power after burying his father alive. He ruled for the next 18 years, until his half brother Mogallan defeated him in battle. As his soldiers retreated, Kasyapa remained on his elephant facing the opposing army. Then, with great theater, he pulled out a dagger and slit his throat.

The ruins of Sigiriya are the most unique of the ancient sites in Sri Lanka. Be sure to brave the rickety-looking spiral staircase to see the 19 frescoes of women (Apsaras) painted beneath an overhang about 300 ft/90 m up the rock. The frescoes are quite beautiful; their colors stunningly vibrant after 1,500 years. A wall covered with 1,000-year-old graffiti and poetry (left by visitors who recorded their impressions of the painted women) lies just above the frescoes. Near the top of the rock fortress are a pair of huge stone Lion's Paws (all that remains of a giant stone lion). We recommend seeing the ruins in the morning - it's much cooler, and people and domesticated elephants may be walking along the road. There's a small archaeological museum at the base of Sigiriya.

In nearby Dambulla you can visit a series of caves on a mountain ledge. They contain frescoes showing some of Buddha's epic struggles against evil. (Photographs are not allowed in Dambulla's caves).

Sigiriya and Dambulla are usually seen together as a day trip from Kandy. If you're traveling by car, you can see Sigiriya and Dambulla and Polonnaruwa on the same day - they're only 40 mi/65 km apart. But it will be a long day - plan to overnight in Sigiriya or in one of the beautiful resorts around Kandalama Lake (near Dambulla). 90 mi/145 km northeast of Colombo.

South Coast
The south coast of Sri Lanka contains plenty of sleepy beach towns that are perfect if you want nothing more than to relax on the beach and play in the sea. The 12-mi/19-km beach at Tangalle is stunning and uncrowded, though the surf can be too rough for swimming at times. Mirissa, even smaller than Tangalle, has a picturesque palm-lined cove and more palatable waves. Just west of Mirissa, around the town of Weligama, you'll see stilt fisherman casting their lines just offshore. Perched on their poles, reeling in small fish with Buddhist calm, the fisherman are a popular subject for photographers and artists. Farther west, the small Martin Wickramasinghe Folk Museum in Koggala has an interesting collection of folk art, including masks, wooden board games and oil lamps.

Trincomalee
Trincomalee lies at the union of river and sea, forming one of the loveliest harbors in the world. It also boasts a 35-mi/55-km white beach with coves, bays, islets and hot springs. The Koneswaram Hindu