Sigiriya is a small town situated in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. Sigiriya is popular for its main attraction which is the Sigiriya Rock Fortress. The Sigiriya town is also in close proximity to the Dambulla town. Some of the other attractions in and around Sigiriya and Dambulla are Pidurangala Rock and Dambulla Cave Temple.
Sigiriya
Sigiriya also known as “Sinhagiri” or “Lion’s Rock” is an ancient rock fortress situated in Sigiriya town near the town of Dambulla in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. Sigiriya rock is about 200 meters in height and is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site. The rock has great historical and archaeological significance and is widely known as the eighth wonder of the world.Sigiriya Rock was used by the ancient King Kashyapa as his Royal Palace. The king used it as a hideout and a way of protecting himself and his kingdom from enemies. Sigiriya Rock is one of the best preserved examples of ancient urban planning. The main entrance is located in the northern side of the Sigiriya rock.
Sigiri Apsara
Sigiri Apsara, also known as Sigiriya Frescoes, are wall art and colourful paintings found inside a picture gallery in the Sigiriya Rock. The images depict ladies in various postures with some carrying flowers with them. The true identity of these females are not known. Some believe these to be the wives of the kings while others believe they are women taking part in religious observances held at the time. The Sigiriya Frescoes bear resemblance to the paintings found at Ajanta Caves in India. Only few such paintings are left today and these are being protected in the best possible manner.
Sigiriya Museum
The Sigiriya Museum is a museum which is situated close to the Sigiriya Rock in Sigiriya Thalkotta. Entrance to the Sigiriya Museum is free if you have a ticket for the Sigiriya Rock. The museum consists of a short history of Sigiriya and the story of King Kashyapa, a gallery which represents the time when Sigiriya was a rock fortress, a mirror wall room with the kurutu kavi or graffiti replica and the history of archaeology and findings in Sri Lanka from the early days up to now.
Menikdena Archaeological Reserve
Menikdena Archaeological Reserve and Arboretum is an archaeological reserve situated on the Dambulla – Kandy Road, just a few kilometers away from the Dambulla town. Menikdena Archaeological Reserve covers an area of about 5 acres and the Arboretum covers about 35 acres of forest land which is rich in biodiversity. The reserve lies between the Menikdena tank and the Menikdena Hill range reaching a height of 875 meters. The place dates back as far as 3rd to 4th century AD and is known to have served as a home to recluse arahaths at the time and was known as Budugama.
Kandalama Reservoir
The Kandalama Reservoir is a reservoir situated in Kandalama in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, close to the towns of Dambulla and Sigiriya. The Kandalama Reservoir is created by the Kandalama Dam and the reservoir is situated with the Kaludiya Pokuna Forest archeological site. The Kandalama Reservoir is a very popular tourist destination in Sri Lanka, especially due to its close proximity to popular travel destinations Sigiriya and Dambulla.
Jathika Namal Uyana
Jathika Namal Uyana is largest ironwood forest and pink quartz mountain in South Asia and is situated in Galkiriyagama in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. It is located close to the towns of Dambulla and Sigiriya. The rose quartz mountain consists of is larger than 972 hectares and was declared open as a National Forest Reserve on the 8th of May 2005. The rose quartz mountain is well known for its healing properties, largest plant fossil deposits in Sri Lanka, archaeological reserve with ruins of ancient monastery and palace and diverse wildlife.
Painting Conservation & Research Center and Painting Museum
Painting Conservation & Research Center and Painting Museum is a museum situated on the Kandy Road in Dambulla. It is just about a 100 meters away from the Dambulla Cave Temple. The museum exhibits paintings from Sri Lanka and is a place to visit if you are in Dambulla around the temple area and if you are an art lover. It is a relatively small museum which has illustrations and history of some of the frescoes and paintings found throughout the country.
Kaludiya Pokuna
Kaludiya Pokuna is a forest and archaeological site situated in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, close to the towns of Dambulla and Sigiriya. It is a forest with archaeological remains in Kandalama. The archaeological site was initially settled in the 2nd century BC and remains in the site including inscriptions, residences and a monastery. The name “Kaludiya Pokuna” is given because of a a pond in the vicinity which had dark water during ancient times. The forest has many species of birds, butterflies, reptiles and mammals.
Ibbankatuwa Megalithic Tombs
Ibbankatuwa Megalithic Tombs is an ancient burial site located near the Ibbankatuwa Wewa (River) in Galewala in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. It is situated on the Kurunegala – Dambulla Road about 5 kilometers away from the Dambulla town. The site of the tomb has been designated as an archaeological protected site in Sri Lanka.
Dambulu Oya Reservoir
Dambulu Oya Reservoir is a reservoir situated in Anakatawa Village in Dambulla. It is located close to the Ibbankatuwa Megalithic Tombs and about 4 km away from the Dambulla Rock Cave Temple. The Dambulu Oya Mini Hydro Plant is also located closer to Dambulu Oya Reservoir.
Dambulla Royal Cave Temple
Dambulla Royal Cave Temple (Rangiri Dambulu Temple) is a Buddhist temple situated in Dambulla in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. It is a world heritage site and is also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla. Dambulla Royal Cave Temple is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. The rock of the cave temple towers 160 m over the surrounding plains.There are over 80 documented caves in the surrounding area while the major attractions are spread over five caves, which contain statues and paintings. The paintings of the Dambulla Royal Cave Temple represents the Lord Buddha and his life. There are about 153 Buddha statues in total and also statues of Sri Lankan kings and gods and goddesses including Gods Vishnu and Ganesha.
Pidurangala Viharaya
Pidurangala Viharaya is an ancient Buddhist temple situated in the village of Pidurangala in Matale district. The temple stands on the towering Pidurangla Rock which is located close to the historic Sigiriya Rock. The history of the Pidurangala Viharaya goes back to the first and second century BC.The Pidurangala Viharaya consists of five main ritual buildings among which are the Ancient Stupa, Chapter House, Image House, Bodhighara, Preaching hall and Sangharama (Bikku Residence Building). It was used as a Buddhist monastery and also became a prominent place during the reign of King Kashyapa.
Pidurangala Rock
Pidurangala Rock is a towering rock popular as a hiking spot which is situated a few kilometers north of Sigiriya. It is a suitable destination for moderate hikes & climbs to the top of the rock and popular for panoramic views, especially of Sigiriya along with the Sigiriya Rock Fortress. There is a giant reclining Buddha statue about halfway up the rock, which is partially reconstructed out of brick. At the base of the rock is the Pidurangala Sigiri Rajamaha Viharaya which is a white temple by the road.
Hiriwadunna Village
Hiriwadunna Village is a small village situated in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. The village is not overly crowded with tourists. The limited number of tourists who visit the Hiriwadunna village has the chance to explore the village in bullock carts, boat rides, take a short walk within the paddy fields & vegetable cultivation and also get to taste a delicious homemade traditional Sri Lankan lunch which includes rice and a number of local vegetable curries.
Hot air Ballooning
Hot air Ballooning is an experience many people love to witness and is available at Kandalama, Sri Lanka. The bird’s’ eye view while riding on the hot air balloon will let you see elephants roaming in the wild, monkeys jumping from tree to tree and the amazing landscapes of the central parts of the island. The ideal time for hot air ballooning at Kandalama is from November to April.
Wasgamuwa National Park
Wasgamuwa National Park is a national park in Sri Lanka situated in the Matale and Polonnaruwa districts. Established on 7th August 1984, the park is governed by the Department of Wildlife Conservation. The park was declared to protect and to make a refuge for the displaced wild animals during the Mahaweli Development Project and is one of the four National Parks designated under this project. It is one of the protected areas where Sri Lankan Elephants can be found in large herds. It is also one of the important areas where many species of birds are found in Sri Lanka.
Spice Garden
Spice Garden is situated in Inamaluwa in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. The spice garden provides a truly educational experience to both local and foreign visitors. It consists of a wide variety of spices from across Sri Lanka which includes black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and turmeric etc. The garden also allows visitors to observe how these spices are grown, harvested and produced.
Minneriya National Park
Minneriya National Park is a national park situated in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. It was designated as a national park on 12th August 1997 while originally being declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 1938. The Minneriya National Park is a dry season feeding ground for the elephant population dwelling in forests of the districts of Matale, Polonnaruwa and Trincomalee.
Hurulu Eco National Park
Hurulu Eco National Park is a wildlife and safari park situated on the Trincomalee Road in Habarana. It is a thriving eco system with a variety of animals especially being a very important habitat of the Sri Lankan elephants. The elephants move on to Hurulu Eco National Park for the final leg of their migration during the month of December to January. Hurulu Eco National Park was designated as a biosphere reserve in 1977. It is a habitat for elephants, leopards, parrots, jungle fowls, hawks etc.
Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium
Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium is an international cricket stadium situated in Dambulla in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. It is the first and only international cricket ground in the dry zone of Sri Lanka and its stadium is built overlooking the Dambulla Reservoir and the Dambulla Rock. Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium has a capacity of 16800 spectators. Established in year 2000 the site of the cricket ground is leased from the Rangiri Dambulla Temple.
