Must-visit historical sites in Sri Lanka

See another side to Kandy

Robin McKelvie

Kandy – the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings – is my stand-out highlight in Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle, lying on its southern fringes amidst a rich cloak of emerald green forest.

The country’s second-largest city serves as Sri Lanka’s unofficial cultural capital. It’s a charming oasis set in the country’s Hill Country, which reclines around the sculpted Kiri Muhuda lake, and has a spirit and passion quite unlike Colombo.

Kandy's main attraction is the golden topped Temple of the Sacred Tooth, home to Buddha’s Tooth, which was brought to Sri Lanka back in the 16th century. It’s very much an active temple so make sure to check ahead in case it is closed for a ceremony or event.

The landmark temple lies at the heart of Kandy and is also known as Sri Dalada Maligawa. Architecturally it’s an eye-catching collage of slick marble, stark ivory and solid hardwoods, with plenty of gold woven in too. Buddha's Tooth (Sri Lanka’s most famous Buddhist relic) now stands as the fulcrum of the two-storey high shrine topped by a golden canopy. Today it is a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists from all over the world with daily worship and ceremonies, backed up by lavish special events.

Note you’ll be disappointed if you were hoping to actually see the tooth itself as it is hidden safely from public view in a gold casket. The site is well worth visiting, though, for its drama and Buddhist architecture. There are also a sprinkling of further temples dotted around the complex, as well as museums. It’s worth taking on the services of a guide to help you navigate the site efficiently, with guides available on the day.

One mistake visitors often make is spending too little time here before heading off to the surrounding sites in the rest of the Cultural Triangle. It’s an enjoyable city for just strolling around, I highly recommend you spend longer here.

If you have the time, don’t miss the vast Alut Maligawa shrine hall (built in 1956 to mark the 2,500th anniversary of Buddha’s death), with its array of Thai-style sitting Buddhas, and the Sri Dalada Museum. The latter houses many of the gifts given by various world leaders to the temple and also features information on the damage caused by the 1998 bombing. It also, of course, tells you everything and anything you could want to know about what is surely the world’s most celebrated tooth.

Other must-visit sights in Kandy include the Royal Palace. It houses the National Museum of Kandy, which features over 5,000 exhibits, many tying into Buddhism in the country. It was the last Royal Palace to be built on the island. Then there is the green lung of the Royal Palace Park and the even more impressive Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya, which lies a little out of Kandy, but is worth the journey to.

It's also worth heading out of Kandy to see a brace of key Buddhist sites – Lankatilaka Temple and the Gadaladeniya Temple. Further Buddhist attractions include the Malwatta Monastery, one of the most heralded in the country.

A word of caution on touts and street hassles too. This is arguably the worst place in Sri Lanka for this menace, but it’s not usually threatening. A few local words usually see off touts but employing a guide is even more effective.

Polonnaruwa

Robin McKelvie

Polonnaruwa superseded Anuradhapura as the island’s capital between the 11th and 13th centuries. Handily, it’s a fairly compact site compared to Anuradhapura and is set around the Parakrama Samudra lake. The highlight of the impressively preserved remains is the Royal Palace complex, which sits within the restored walls of the central Citadel. Look for the well-preserved Audience Hall’s stone-carved elephants and lions guarding the entrance.

To the north is Alahana Pirivena (the Monastery of the Cremation Grounds), home to the remarkable Lankatilaka Temple, whose walls soar 17m tall and 4m wide, where you will also find an 18m high statue of Buddha – although time and disrepair has rendered it headless.

Look for the Buddha granite rock carvings of Gal Vihara, consisting of four separate images. The standing Buddha is considered the best of the four, with its unusual crossed arms and solemn face leading devotees to suggest it is an image of Buddha’s disciple Ananda, grieving for his master.

You can explore the Cultural Triangle city Polonnaruwa by car or noisy, uncomfortable tuk-tuk, but a bike is a more eco-friendly way to get around. Biking also gives you a better feel for the ancient city’s scale and layout.

Sigiriya is only an hour’s drive from Polonnaruwa and is much better set up for staying over, so consider it as an alternative base instead. Make sure to look out for the endemic toque macaques.

See a little-known side to Sigiriya

Robin McKelvie

There is nothing quite like Sri Lanka’s Sigiriya, a vaulting citadel atop a hulking granite rock that soars 200m high and spreads itself over three acres. Also known as the ‘Lion Rock’, after the lions that once thrived here, this Royal citadel is unmissable.

The effort of ascending Sigiriya (allow at least three hours) is worth it for the views and the ruins on a site first thought to have been populated by Buddhist monks. The main attraction is the footprint of the old Royal Palace. It’s easy to feel the grandeur of the days when King Kashyapa chose to build here back in the 5th century.

It’s a steep climb up the narrow staircases and walkways to ascend this precipitous site so bring plenty of water and try to time your visit early in the morning or in the later afternoon. Note there is not really much shade on the top either and avoid visiting on a weekend when it gets even busier. En-route make sure to check out the remarkably well-preserved frescoes (note photos are not allowed) and the ‘graffiti’ - some are thought to date as far back as the 7th century.

After the summit you can relax in the impressive ancient complex of pools and gardens that sit below as other less fortunate souls swelter above. Take time to check out the Buddhist ruins down here too. You will also find Buddhist inscriptions in the caves.

For an alternative view of Sigiriya Rock and its history, stop in at the often overlooked yet thoughtfully curated Sigiriya Museum, among the finer museums in the country. Designed to reflect the architectural finesse of Sigiriya and its surrounding moats and gardens, the museum has a diorama of the monument and an accurate reproduction of the famous rock-cut frescoes.

The museum is near the ticket booth and the main entrance to the monument. A visit to the museum is included in the entrance fee – $30 for people from non-SAARC countries (those belonging to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation); $15 for people from SAARC countries). Come before you climb up to Sigiriya.

Anuradhapura

Robin McKelvie

Anuradhapura is not just one of the oldest cities in Sri Lanka, it’s also one of the oldest continually inhabited cities on earth, founded as far back as 380BC. The first Sri Lankan capital is integral to Sinhalese culture and history, a place where they first tamed nature and came together to live in an urban area. With civilisation came religion and Anuradhapura remains one of the most important Buddhist sites in the country – Buddhists believe Anuradhapura grew up around a branch of the Buddha’s bodhi tree where he received enlightenment.

As with all sights in the Cultural Triangle, it’s worth having a local guide to fill you in on the details and to smooth logistics. The sheer number and scale of Buddhist and historical sites throughout the Cultural Triangle can be a little daunting, so try to narrow down your focus. Handily, many of the key attractions in Anuradhapura are sprinkled around a trio of sites within the Sacred Precinct to the west of the modern city.

Buddha’s sacred bodhi tree is found in Mahavihara, as is the vaulting white Ruvanvelisaya Dagoba (dagoba is the local version of a stupa – dome-shaped Buddhist shrine) and the evocative Lowamahapaya palace ruins. Many visitors don’t even notice Thuparamaya Dagoba, thought to be Sri Lanka’s first dagoba. This is the most ancient part of the old city so it makes sense to start here.

Second is Jetavana, whose voluminous red brick dagoba originally soared over 100m, making it the third tallest monument in the world after a brace of Egyptian pyramids. Allow time to explore the ruins of the monastery complex here, as well as the former Royal Palace. Don’t miss the Jetavanarama Museum too, which dates back to British colonial times. Third is Abhayagiri to the north, another ruined monastery complex whose highlight is the Abhayagiri Dagoba. Parts of this site are still charmingly wild so it’s a great place to indulge your inner explorer.

Avoid the temptation to rush through Anuradhapura's highlights and onwards to the rest of the Cultural Triangle – add in some time for contemplative walks along the banks of the reservoirs that were built to serve the once-thriving city. Largely secluded and quiet except for the odd passing vehicle, the reservoir embankments provide a great vantage point from which to spot large flocks of water birds at sunrise and sunset.

Ulagalla Resort, near the Wannemaduwa Reservoir, offers eco-conscious visitors luxury within easy reach of Anuradhapura. The hotel also offers private birdwatching tours led by naturalists. Consider spending two nights here, which will give you enough time to visit some of the country’s most culturally significant sites.

Explore Galle Fort on foot

Vidya Balachander

The quaint charm of the 430-year-old Galle Fort – a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Sri Lanka’s most-visited destinations – is best experienced on foot. The cobblestone streets and narrow alleys of the fort, first built by the Portuguese and later fortified by Dutch colonisers, are particularly good for unhurried walks.

The Fort packs a number of architectural and historical landmarks into a compact space. Some of these include the 17th century Dutch Reformed Church, the Maritime Museum, the courthouse where typewriters are still used, and the Meeran Mosque, a striking structure that is a testament to the Fort’s multi-ethnic social fabric.

Most tours will rush you through in an hour or two, I suggest you allow at least three hours for a thorough exploration. A good guidebook and map will help you plan your walk, although it is impossible to get lost inside. I recommend staying at least two nights to fully soak in the laid-back vibe of the Fort.

Given its location on the southwestern coast, the best time of year to visit is between December and April.

Visit Mihintale, cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka

Vidya Balachander

Rising 1,000 feet above the flat terrain of the north-central province, Mihintale has a special significance for Sri Lankans. In 247 BC, it was on the summit of this mountain that the ruling king, Devanampiya Tissa, is believed to have been converted to Buddhism by Mahinda, the son of the Mauryan emperor Ashoka. Ever since, Mihintale has been revered as the birthplace of Buddhism in the country.

Mihintale makes for a pleasant and gentle climb – broad stone steps flanked by trees lead to terraces on multiple levels that contain remains of an ancient hospital, an alms hall or refectory, a dagaba or monastery, and the main shrine. On full-moon night in June, called Poson Poya, millions of pilgrims visit the shrine for a colourful festival to commemorate the day that Buddhism was brought to Sri Lanka.

Mihintale is 12km east of Anuradhapura (approximately half an hour), and about four hours from Colombo by car. There isn’t much choice in terms of accommodation in the town itself, so it would be advisable to stay in Anuradhapura.

The best time of year to visit is between June and September.

Explore the Ritigala ruins

Vidya Balachander

A hidden gem overlooked by mainstream tours, the Ritigala mountain in the north-central part of the island is a fascinating confluence of natural splendour and historic ruins.

The mountain’s higher slopes are designated a “Strict Nature Reserve” and are out of bounds to visitors. But the accessible lower reaches are home to the well-preserved Ritigala ruins, an ancient forest monastery that is believed to have once been occupied by an order of austere ascetics called Pansukulikas. The Pansukulikas are said to have worn robes made of rags to distinguish themselves from the monks in nearby Anuradhapura. The ruins include bathing tanks, raised meditation platforms and even the remains of an ancient Ayurvedic hospital.

Even before the ascetics, the mountain is believed to have been home to the Yakkas, a legendary tribe of fearful warriors. It also finds mention in the Ramayana, the Hindu mythological epic, as one of the spots where the monkey-god Hanuman accidentally dropped a chunk of the Himalayas – said to be a reason for the mountain’s exceptional biodiversity.

Also in the north-central province, Ritigala is accessible by road from many key cities in the Cultural Triangle, including Anuradhapura and Habarana (both are about four to five hours from Colombo). Since the mountain is in a secluded area, it is best to organise your trip through a reliable tour operator.

The roads leading to Ritigala get treacherous in the rainy months. Visit during the dry season from June to September.

Witness Hindu festivities at Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil

Vidya Balachander

Culturally and visually distinct from the rest of the country, the northern city of Jaffna is a bastion of Hindu culture. The whitewashed stupas and Buddha statues of the rest of the country are notably absent here. Instead, you’ll find a profusion of candy-coloured, vividly decorated Hindu temples sprinkled across the Jaffna peninsula.

The largest and most significant of these is the Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil, an imposing temple crowned with a gilded gopuram or tower, which stands out against the squat skyline of Jaffna. In July or August every year, the Nallur temple hosts the 25-day-long Nallur Festival, a riotous celebration of faith in honour of Murugan, the presiding deity of the temple. Thousands of devotees throng the temple during this time to participate in the daily pujas or rituals. The streets surrounding the temple become a colourful bazaar with vendors selling luridly coloured sweets, saris, trinkets and toys.

The festival concludes with a chariot procession called therthiruvizha (shortened to ther), during which the deity is paraded through the streets of Jaffna. A visually resplendent spectacle, the ther also features devotees performing acts of self-mutilation as a display of their faith.

The timing of the festival varies from year to year, but it usually falls between late July and early August. Hotels in Jaffna are booked to capacity during the festival, so it is best to plan your trip well in advance. I'd recommend staying for three to four days.

Nainativu island

Vidya Balachander

Of the many islands scattered off the coast of Jaffna, Nainativu – or Nagadeepa as it is also known – holds a special religious significance for Hindus and Buddhists. Believed to have once been home to a legendary tribe called the Nagas, Nainativu is best known for the Nagapooshani Amman Kovil, an ancient temple dedicated to Parvati, the consort of Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction.

Nainativu’s importance is heightened by the fact that it is mentioned in both ancient Tamil and Buddhist literature. Apart from the temple, the island’s other religious attraction is the Nagadeepa Purana Vihara, which is counted among the holiest Buddhist shrines in the country. Legend has it that the Buddha visited the Nagadeepa Vihara on Bakmaha Poya, or the full moon day in April.

Getting to Nainativu is an adventure in itself, and one that requires a degree of fortitude. The journey involves taking a bus or car from Jaffna to Kurikadduwan (KKD) jetty, some 36 km away, and then taking a ferry to the island. The ferries run at regular intervals but are notorious for being overcrowded, so keep that in mind when planning your trip.

June and July are the most colourful months of the year to visit Nainativu – the temple hosts a 16-day thiruvizha festival during this period. Check the festival dates beforehand, and expect large crowds.