Cultural Triangle

Anuradhapura Sum up Anuradhapura was Sri Lanka’s first civilisation and the centre-point of the island’s greatest kingdoms, acting as the royal capital for over 100 kings between the 2nd century BC and 1073 AD. At its height, Anuradhapura was home to thousands of monks from dozens of different monasteries, and it remains Sri Lanka’s most […]

Dambulla Cave Temple Sum up Dambulla Cave Temple is one of the most popular religious cultural sites in Sri Lanka, attracting tourists from across the globe. A sacred pilgrimage site for 22 centuries, it is the largest, best-preserved cave-temple complex in Sri Lanka. This World Heritage site has the largest number of Buddha statues all

Mihintale Sum up Historically recorded as the birthplace of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, Mihintale is commonly believed by Sri Lankans to be the meeting place of the Buddhist monk Mahinda, son of Emperor Ashoka of India, and King Devanampiyatissa in the 3rd century BC. Mahinda preached the doctrine of Lord Buddha to the King and

Polonnaruwa Sum up The well-preserved ruins of Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka’s medieval royal capital, are one of the country’s most prominent cultural sites. You can spend several hours wandering freely between the various ruined temples, imposing Buddha statues and royal bathing pools. Duration: 2 hours Best Time: Year-round Additional Information First a military base for invading

Ritigala Sum up Ritigala is part abandoned monastic complex, part hillside nature reserve, so evocative that you suspect Indiana Jones might pop out of the undergrowth at any moment. Duration: 2 hours Best Time: Year-round Additional Information The Ritigala Buddhist Monastery is hidden deep inside the Ritigala Strict Nature Reserve and benefits from being one

Sigiriya Rock Fortress Sum up Sigiriya is one of the most dramatic and inspiring historical locations in the world, a huge rock fortress rising impossibly from Sri Lanka’s central plains, and possessed of a glorious history that has caused millions of travellers to gape in wonder. Duration: 3 hours Best Time: Year-round Additional Information This

Traditional Sri Lankan Village Life Sum up Discover the authentic rural charm of Sri Lankan village life. Simple and peaceful, life in a Sri Lankan rural community is a world away from the city rush, embracing the art of earthen living. As they have for countless generations, the villagers meld their lives into the harmonious

Yapahuwa Sum up After the fall of the great city of Polonnaruwa, the Kandyan kings fled to a succession of inaccessible crags, bearing with them the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha. One of them was Yapahuwa, a huge, yet little-visited rock fortress a little way off the Kurunegala-Anuradhapura road which is one of the

Pidurangala Rock Sum up Pidurangala is an enormous rock located a few kilometres north of Sigiriya. The two rocks have an interlinked history: whilst King Kasyapa was building Sigiriya Rock Fortress in the 5th century, he moved monks living around Sigiriya to a new monastery on Pidurangala Rock. An ancient cave temple still houses objects

Sri Lanka Hot Air Ballooning Sum up Red Dot now offers hot air ballooning in the Cultural Triangle, a dramatic and rewarding experience made even better by the warm and friendly welcome that you receive from villagers when the balloon finally lands. Your adventure starts at dawn: soar high above Kandalama, Dambulla, and Sigiriya and