Dambulla

In the middle of Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle, you will find this amazing city which goes by the name “Dambulla”.

It is a city that really shows off the country’s history and natural beauty in a unique way. 

Well, there are reasons for us to say that.

In fact, you’ll find this place in the Central Province, and it’s got something for everyone. From incredibly old cave temples to modern sports venues. 

This means that if you are a history nerd, nature lover or a sports fan. You will all find something interesting among these five amazing places in Dambulla.

Therefore, without any further introduction, let’s find out what these places are.

Dambulla Cave Temple (Golden Temple)

The Dambulla Cave Temple, which people also call the Golden Temple, is honestly incredible.

The reason for that is it’s the perfect example of ancient Buddhist art and architecture in Sri Lanka. 

As a matter of fact, it is also known as a UNESCO World Heritage site. This is due to its uniqueness, whereas you’ll see five caves that are now temples.  

Plus, each one is with detailed paintings and sculptures that differ from one another. 

Looking back in history, the whole place was created back in the 1st century BCE when King Valagamba was in charge. And now it houses more than 150 Buddha statues.

Once you are there, the first thing that you’ll notice is this huge golden Buddha statue at the entrance. Next to a modern temple building at the bottom of the rock. 

Moving on, reaching out to this amazing place comes with an adventure.

This means that you must climb 364 steps in order to get here, but the views make it totally worth it. 

Anyway, once you’re inside, each cave shows you different periods of ancient Sri Lankan art. 

Moreover, the second cave is particularly amazing as it has 56 Buddha statues and beautiful ceiling paintings that tell stories about Buddha’s life and Sri Lankan history.

Minneriya National Park

Minneriya National Park isn’t far from Dambulla, and it is one of the best wildlife experiences that you can have in Sri Lanka. 

The park is famous for something with the name of “The Gathering”. This means that it’s actually the biggest get-together of Asian elephants anywhere in the world. 

During the dry season in Sri Lanka, especially from July to October, hundreds of elephants come to the ancient Minneriya Tank (it’s a reservoir) to look for water and grass. 

Trust us, it’s an amazing thing to see.

But elephants aren’t the only animals that you’ll find here. 

In fact, the park is full of different birds, including some you can only find in Sri Lanka, like the grey hornbill and jungle fowl. 

In addition to that, the park has different types of environments, from dry forests to wetlands. Where you might spot leopards, sloth bears, sambar deer, and lots of reptiles and butterflies in the field.

Pidurangala Rock

While everyone knows about Sigiriya, Pidurangala Rock is just as interesting but gets fewer visitors. This means that you can get a peaceful experience in here. 

To be honest, this rock has both historical value and natural beauty in it.

Whereas it used to be a Buddhist monastery back in the 5th century CE when King Kashyapa was around. 

However, climbing to the top isn’t just fun, this is because it gives you probably the best view of Sigiriya Rock Fortress in the area.

Anyway, this is the challenging part of this journey. Getting to the top starts off pretty manageable, but it gets more tough near the end, where you need to climb over some big rocks and squeeze through narrow spots. 

On your way up, you’ll pass by the old monastery that includes a big reclining Buddha statue. 

On the bright side, when you reach the top, you will see some amazing views of the countryside, with Sigiriya Rock standing out in the distance.

Tip: The best times to visit are when the sun is rising or setting. 

Ibbankatuwa Megalithic Tombs

The Ibbankatuwa Megalithic Tombs are some of the most important prehistoric burial grounds in Sri Lanka. 

These tombs are from the Iron Age (700-400 BCE), and they’ve helped us to learn a lot about how people lived in prehistoric Sri Lanka. 

When archaeologists dug here, they found many stone graves that tell us about how ancient societies worked.

Speaking of which, the burial ground has several groups of tombs that were built by using large stone slabs arranged in rectangles. 

In here, they’ve found all sorts of interesting things in these tombs including pottery, tools made of iron, and decorative items. 

This tells us that the people who lived here had developed some pretty sophisticated burial customs.

Anyway, when you visit, you can see the burial chambers and read about what archaeologists have discovered in here. 

Note: Not many tourists know about this place, but this place is fascinating if you are into ancient history.

Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium

The Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium brings something modern to Dambulla’s historical scene. 

Looking back, this stadium was built in 2001. It’s one of the most beautiful cricket grounds that you’ll ever see in Sri Lanka that is surrounded by woodland and the Dambulla reservoir. 

Plus, it works particularly well for cricket matches that are played partly at night due to the atmosphere around.

In addition to that, the stadium has a really good drainage system, which means games can start up again quickly after it rains. Which is quite important during rainy seasons in Sri Lanka. 

Another important fact is that it can hold 16,800 people around the ground by making it feel cozy while still being big enough for international matches. 

Anyway, if you are a cricket lover, this might find you interesting as many memorable cricket matches have been played here.

Therefore, once you are here, don’t forget to enjoy the vibe around, as it is a place that many cricketers love.

When you visit Dambulla, you will get to experience many different sides of Sri Lanka. 

As per our guide, we hope that you got the basic idea of it by now.

What is important to remember is that each place adds something special to what makes Dambulla unique. Therefore, wherever you go, we are sure that you are about to experience something new.

So, plan ahead and pick up your favourit places to go and don’t forget to visit nearby attractions as well. This is because those could be something new for you to look at.