A paradise, a blessed land, the world of Buddhism, fragrant Ceylon tea and various spices — this is how the island of Sri Lanka appears to its guests. Despite the fact that this amazing island has a very tiny size, a whole scattering of wonders is concentrated here — these are the most diverse sights of Sri Lanka, on the basis of which your first acquaintance with this country will take place. Despite the fact that Sri Lanka, being an island state, is famous for its beautiful beaches, there is something to see in Sri Lanka besides them. Everyone will find something interesting for themselves – both lovers of culture, art, nature, and fans of outdoor activities.
What to see in Sri Lanka first of all
It is quite difficult to list all the famous sights of the country, and choosing what to see in Sri Lanka in 1 day is not an easy task at all. For this purpose, a rating of the most interesting sights was compiled with a brief description, which will be discussed further.
1. The Golden Temple of Dambulla
The Museum of Buddhism in the Golden Temple of Dambulla on the picturesque mountain top
The Dambulla Cave Temple, carved right into a high 300-meter cliff, includes 5 caves connected to each other. In the main cave there is a large statue of Buddha, as well as several other statues. In another hall, you can observe an unusual phenomenon: water from a cave spring flows up the walls of the cave, refuting all the laws of physics. The age of the cave pagoda dates back more than 2 millennia, and its numerous statues are included in one of the greatest collections of sculptural statues of the Buddha.
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2. Sigiriya
General view of the majestic rock
In the central part of the island of Sri Lanka there is an important landmark that has become the hallmark of the country. This is Sigiriya, or “Lion Rock”, located on the site of a volcano that fell asleep millions of years ago. The frozen lava formed a plateau where an ancient castle was built in the first centuries of our era. The ruins of this fortress have survived to this day, but even by the ruins one can judge the former greatness of the structure. The entrance to the castle was once carved in the shape of a huge lion, but nowadays you can only see its paws – this is all that remains of the stone giant.
3. Adam’s Peak
View of the top of Butterfly Mountain
Among all the excursions in Sri Lanka, climbing the sacred mountain – Adam’s Peak is especially popular. This place of worship, located at an altitude of 2.2 kilometers, has become an occasion for pilgrimage for representatives of four religions, including Christianity. At the first steps, the participants of the ascent are greeted by a statue of Buddha, and then the travelers will have a difficult path — about 6 thousand steps, the ascent of which takes about 4 hours. The path, which begins closer to night, ends with a mesmerizing dawn, and at the top visitors have the opportunity to see the footprint, which, according to legend, was left by the enlightened Buddha himself.
4. Kumana National Park
Animals at the reservoir in the Kumana National Park
In the southeastern region of Sri Lanka there is a national park, which is famous for the variety of feathered inhabitants inhabiting it — about 250 different species in total, among which are different species of inhabitants of swamps, lakes and ponds, as well as inhabitants of land. In addition to birds, there are many reptiles, as well as mammals, the largest of which is the Sri Lankan elephant. Extensive water and wetlands are surrounded by a drier rainforest zone. Those who wish can stay in the park for a few days — there is a camping site in the park for these purposes.
5. Kandy Valley
The picturesque Kandy Valley, surrounded on all sides by the Bernard Gagnon mountains
Reviews from connoisseurs of natural beauty indicate that one of the most fascinating places in Sri Lanka is located a hundred kilometers from the capital city of Colombo. We are talking about the beautiful Kandy Valley, which houses the ancient city of the same name, once the legendary capital of the island kingdom. There is an artificial lake in its center, and an ancient palace stands on an island in the middle of it. Hiking is a convenient way to discover the distinctive culture and natural beauty of Kandy, especially since there are many educational trekking routes in the surrounding area.
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6. Yala National Park
Elephants in Yala National Park
The special pride of Sri Lankans is the nature reserves, the pearl of which is the Yala National Park. Among 12 other reserves, Yala is considered the oldest and the second largest on the island. The park’s territories are a flat landscape, mostly dry soils with small oases. Only the western part is accessible to visitors, while the eastern part is reserved for the work of naturalists. In total, the park is inhabited by more than 2 hundred species of birds and 44 species of mammals, among which the largest is the Ceylon elephant.
Official website: https://yala.national.park.ww.lk
7. Colombo Port
Colombo Port and Fort Business Center
Continuing the journey, it is worth paying attention to the city of Colombo on the west coast of Sri Lanka. It is the most densely populated city on the island, and most of all it is famous for the seaport located here, 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 is the busiest on the island. 24 hours a day, without any interruptions, the port does not stop its work. Such a high responsibility in the work is also explained by the fact that Colombo also performs the role of a naval base in Sri Lanka.
8. St. Clair’s Falls
St. Clair Waterfall among the greenery of tea plantations
Choosing what to visit in Sri Lanka from the natural beauties, it is impossible to pass by one of the treasures of the island – St. Clair Falls. Until some time ago, St. Clair was the widest waterfall in Sri Lanka, but with the opening of the hydropower project, the volume of water in it has noticeably decreased. But despite this, the width of the cascading cascade is impressive and is about 50 meters. Flowing through picturesque tea plantations, St. Clair is divided into two segments – large and small. Descending from the main tourist road to the plantation, you can find a fascinating overview of the flowing water stream.
9. Temple of the Tooth of the Buddha
The Temple of the Tooth of the Buddha, which houses the sacred relic of Sri Lanka
One of the most important relics of the island is the tooth of the Buddha, kept in the city of Kandy, in the temple of the same name. This relic was brought to the island from India in the 4th century AD, and to this day it is attributed miraculous properties. Detractors, having learned about the amazing properties of the shrine, repeatedly tried to destroy the tooth, and with it the Buddhist faith. But none of these plans could be implemented, the tooth remained intact. The temple itself stands on the shore of a beautiful lake, has a rich decoration, and every day several times a day there is a demonstration of the sacred tooth to the faithful parishioners.
Official website: https://sridaladamaligawa.lk
10. World Trade Center in Colombo
Twin Towers in the Fort business district
The largest and most developed city in Sri Lanka, Colombo, offers huge opportunities to purchase high-quality products — souvenirs, groceries, textiles and other groups of goods at minimal prices. And it is not surprising that the World Trade Center is located in Colombo. This is the tallest structure on the island, its height exceeds one hundred and fifty meters, and its design meets the highest international standards. The complex consists of 2 high-rise buildings and a connecting block, there are shopping malls, offices, upscale Sri Lankan hotels and many restaurants.
Official website: https://www.wtc.lk
11. Pinnawela Elephant Shelter
A herd of elephants swim in the river in Pinnawela
The turbulent political situation and the long-term internecine war in Sri Lanka also affected nature — war and famine contributed to the reduction of the elephant population. Caring people took on the mission to save these large mammals, and in 1975 the Pinnawela Elephant Nursery was founded. These included baby elephants left without mothers, and adults maimed by explosions and injured by poachers. The elephant shelter has now become one of the best attractions in Sri Lanka, where visitors who want to see the elephant care procedure and even participate in this process willingly come.
Official website: https://nationalzoo.gov.lk
12. Pinnawela Zoo
Sri Lankan leopard at Pinnawela Zoo
If you happen to be in the town of Pinnawela, then you will definitely find somewhere to go in Sri Lanka, in addition to the elephant nursery. After all, quite recently, in 2015, a zoo with open enclosures appeared here. Due to the proximity of the well-known elephant shelter, this attraction quickly gained popularity. Despite the fact that habitat conditions close to natural have been created for the animals, and they are allowed to roam almost freely over a spacious territory of several hectares, all areas of the zoo are equipped with strict safety standards.
Official website: https://nationalzoo.gov.lk
13. Royal Botanical Garden in Paradenia
A delightful corner of the Royal Botanic Garden in the Village of Koshy Koshy
The most magnificent and spacious botanical garden in Sri Lanka – Peradeniya — appeared back in the 18th century. Its territory of 60 hectares is replete with a wide variety of exotic plants, there are more than 4 thousand species of them here. Trees, shrubs, and flowers are marked with introductory signs, and at the entrance there is a bright guide map, which allows you to find out the location of the gardens and other necessary information. A walk through Peradeniya is an opportunity to stroll through the heavenly fragrant land, getting acquainted with different cultures and epochs of gardening.
Official website: https://www.botanicgardens.gov.lk
14. Nuwara Eliya Tea Plantations
The hilly area around Nuwara Eliya is planted with tea bushes
Once upon a time, a wild rainforest grew on the site of Nuwara Eliya plantations. Later, having found out that there are extremely favorable conditions for tea cultivation in these parts, the British colonialists brought the first tea bushes here. For centuries, the traditional technology of growing, collecting and processing high-quality tea has been sacredly observed here. Sri Lankan guides will take you through the best plantations of Nuwara Eliya, take you to a tea factory where you can see with your own eyes the step-by-step process of making tea. In addition, you can visit a museum where you can get acquainted with various tea varieties, or a shop where you can buy any of the varieties presented.
15. Victoria Dam
Victoria Dam is an arched dam on the Mahaveli River
In 1978, the construction of the highest dam in Sri Lanka started on the Mahaweli River, the main tasks of which were to supply water to the region and generate hydroelectric power. 7 years later, the grandiose construction was completed, and the 122-meter Victoria Dam contributed to the formation of a large reservoir. You can see the incredible, impressive discharge of water from the top of the dam: the automatic system regularly opens the floodgates when the waters of the reservoir reach the upper permissible threshold, and then the dam turns into an incredible artificial waterfall.
16. Ravana Waterfall
Multi-cascade Ravana Waterfall
One of the most popular tourist destinations in Sri Lanka are excursions to numerous waterfalls, and the best time to visit them is considered to be the monsoon period, when they become the most full-flowing. Despite the wide variety of waterfalls on the island, reaching a height of 270 meters, tourists fell in love with the relatively small 40-meter Ravana waterfall. The thing is that this picturesque landmark has its own interesting legend, according to which, a pot filled with gold is stored right under the water cascade, and on certain days, when the water recedes a little, this vessel comes to the surface.
17. Bentota Beaches
A wide sandy strip of Bentota beach
The coastal town of Bentota is located in the Southern Province of the island, 65 kilometers from Colombo. Any tourist who arrives here will appreciate the main advantage of this place — its clean sandy beaches with high and middle class hotels located right by the sea. It is worth emphasizing the convenient geographical location of Bentota — a small distance from the modern metropolis of Colombo allows you, without going too far into the wilds of pristine nature, to enjoy a heavenly vacation on the seashore, but at the same time there is always the opportunity to comfortably get to the nearest civilization.
Sri Lanka Attractions: what else to visit in Sri Lanka
The main attractions of Sri Lanka were briefly listed above, but of course, this is not all — those who want to continue exploring these lands can endlessly find more and more interesting places.
18. Negombo Beach
Negombo Beach
At the mouth of Negombo Lagoon there is a beach of the same name, the main one on the west coast of the island. It is also a popular resort, which is often used as a stopover for a trip around the island. This is explained by a very convenient location — the airport is only 7 kilometers away from here. Hotels along the beach offer a different level of services for every income, making this place accessible to any traveler. Among the entertainment, various types of water sports are very popular and, of course, diving among the well-preserved coral reefs. Local restaurants serve delicious dishes made from the freshest seafood.
19. Dutch fort in Halle
The ancient architecture of the Dutch fort in Halle
Vacationers on the southern beaches of Sri Lanka are recommended to visit the world-famous historical landmark of the island — Galle Fort, the largest fortification in Asia. The fortress was originally built by the Portuguese at the end of the 16th century, but with the arrival of the Dutch it was almost completely rebuilt, and since then for 2 centuries it has served as the main port of Sri Lanka. Today it is a whole tourist area of the city of Halle, where there are many shops, restaurants, offices and a market. But despite this, there is always a calm atmosphere here, conducive to a quiet leisurely walk.
20. The Holy City of Anuradhapura
Snow-white dagoba (bell-shaped stupa )Ruanveli in the holy city of Anuradhapura
A very significant attraction in the world of Buddhism in Sri Lanka is the city of Anuradhapura, once the former capital of the ancient Sinhalese state. The holy city has experienced a lot in its lifetime — both prosperity and plunder by invaders. It was only in 1980 that the restoration of its ancient ruins began. Buddhist pilgrims to Anuradhapura are attracted by the ancient cave temple of Isurumuniya, built in the 4th-3rd centuries BC. Numerous tourists who do not profess Buddhism also find a lot of interesting places for themselves: These are numerous monuments of antiquity — statues, stupa sanctuaries, palaces, artificial reservoirs that have become part of the glorious history of the city.
21. Mihintale Mountain Park
Beautiful landscape of the Mihintale Mountain Park
Just a dozen kilometers from Anuradhapura, there is another historical place — the Mihintale mountain range, where a lot of ancient Buddhist buildings are concentrated — or rather, what remains of them today. Having overcome about 2 thousand steps, you can see many structures that were once part of a large monastery complex: several stupas, a statue of Buddha, an alms hall and a hall of relics, caves, museums and monasteries. A walk through the sacred sites of Mihintale invariably conveys the atmosphere of peace and grandeur that these monuments have carried through the millennia.
Official website: https://lanka.com
22. The ancient city of Polonnaruwa
Buddha’s Tooth Terrace in the ancient city of Polonnaruwa
Another historical place, which will be affected by the recommendations of this rating, is located two hundred kilometers from Colombo. This is the medieval capital of Sri Lanka, the city of Polonnaruwa, the first settlements of which began to form in the 2nd century BC. The main monument of Polonnaruwa can be called the Gal Vihara temple with 4 giant Buddha statues carved out of the rock. The ancient Pakakrambahu Palace housed the royal residence: three—storey ruins are all that remains of it today. Among the several stupas located here, Dagoba Rankotvihara stands out — the highest in Polonnaruwa and the fourth largest on the island.
In this article, we have provided the main attractions of Sri Lanka with photos with names and descriptions: each of the mentioned places will add something new to the treasury of your impressions and will become a guide to this amazing land of extraordinary nature, multifaceted culture, ancient relics and bright exotics.
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