Top 10 Things to Do in Sri Lanka

A major attraction in Kandy, Sri Dalada Maligawa, as it is known locally, has a tooth relic of the Lord Buddha. The tooth is put on public display once every six years. The temple dates back to the 16th century and yes, the 1998 attack on the temple did see considerable damage done to the octagon, but repairs have been made. The tooth is housed in a casket called a Chedi which is made out of solid gold. It is a world heritage site. Read More...

Famous as one of Sri Lanka’s ancient capitals, the sacred city of Anuradhapura is popular for its preservation of ruins and remains from ancient Lanka. The city lies in the North Central Province, approximately 205 kilometres to the north of Colombo. It is bordered by the Malvathu Oya River. Owing to the rich history and culture associated with this place, it was added to the World Heritage Site’s list by UNESCO in 1982. The majority of this 40sqkm sacred site today features monasteries. Read More...

Situated on the south coast of Sri Lanka is the fun coastal town of Hikkaduwa. Almost 20km northwest of Galle and approximately 100km away from Colombo, Hikkaduwa Beach was one of the first beaches to have been discovered in the island, by tourists in 1960. The town is actually located around the main road, which connects Colombo to Galle. One of the most famous tourist destinations in Galle district, the pristine beach, along with crystal-clear water and the range of water sports and activities available here have successfully captivated the attention of tourists from all over the world. Read More...

Sri Lanka’s last primary tropical rainforest, the Sinharaja Forest Reserve, is located in the wet zone near the southwest lowlands of the island. Specifically, it is located near Sabaragamuwa, 100km from Colombo. It is of great international significance, as it was added onto the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1988. The importance of this reserve is understood by the fact that it houses more than 60% of Sri Lanka’s typical species of trees. Moreover, the wildlife found here alone comprises 50% of Sri Lanka’s species. Read More...

By far, of all the cave temples that are found in Sri Lanka, the most impressive is the Dambulla Cave Temple. Situated in the town of Dambulla, 150km east of Colombo and located in the arid Northern Plains, these caves form the best preserved and biggest cave temple complex in Asia. Locally, it is also renowned as the Golden Temple of Dambulla, with rock structures towering up to a height of 150 metres, overlooking the surrounding plains. It was dedicated as a World Heritage Site in 1991, by UNESCO. Read More...

Founded in the 16th century, this town was overtaken by Portuguese seamen washed ashore by a storm. It was called Point de Galle, when the Dutch took over in 1640 with the Dutch East India Company. The British arrived in the 18th century and took over the fortified city that the Dutch had built. Today the Galle Fort is still alive and vibrant and a great place to visit. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and thus sees a fair amount of tourist traffic. Read More...

Owned by the DWLC, or the Department of Wild Life Conservation, the Elephant Transit Home was established in 1995 as a part of the Uda Walawe National Park with the primary motive of rehabilitating orphaned calves of elephants, and ultimately releasing them back to the wild. The Transit Home is situated at about 170km southeast of Colombo. With funding from the UK’s Born Free Federation, the Transit Home was opened in 2003. Read More...

Located in northern Sri Lanka is the second-oldest city on the island, Polonnaruwa. In fact, Anuradhapura was succeeded by Polonnaruwa as the Ceylonese capital towards the end of the 10th century, when the former was abandoned following a fierce invasion. Its proximity to the east coast is also one of the major factors in its development throughout the years, while the bordering Mahaweli River has helped in its economic and agricultural development. Owing to these important facts, it was added to the list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites in 1982. Read More...

One of the latest inclusions on the list of World Heritage Sites, under UNESCO, is the Central Highlands region of Sri Lanka. Located in the south-central wet zone of the island, they consist of some of the most important conservational regions of the country, including the Horton Plains National Park, the Peak Wilderness Protected Area, and the Knuckles Conservation Forest. This area is about 2,500 metres above sea level, and hosts an extraordinary variety of endangered flora and fauna which are not found anywhere else in the country. That is the reason why it has been regarded as an ecologically rich biodiversity hotspot. Read More...