Things not to miss in Sri Lanka

It is a tiny island, a drop at the foot of India, yet there are so many things to see in Sri Lanka, too many to be able to see them all in a couple of days. The island of Ceylon, land of elephants and tea, is a treasure chest full of precious gems, to be carefully kept in your notes after a trip to this wonderful land. Today we will take you to discover the things not to be missed in Sri Lanka!

Yala National Park

Yala is the second largest natural park in Sri Lanka, one of the places worth visiting to appreciate the nature and fauna of this island. It is a very popular protected area with tourists, but still offers a lot of excitement.

During the day in Yala National Park, you will be accompanied by a guided jeep through the park in search of wild animals of the area. It is inhabited by many species: crocodiles, mongooses, buffaloes, many varieties of birds and leopards, shy and silent, which are not easy to spot.

Dambulla Caves

The Dambulla Caves are, in my opinion, one of the most interesting places in Sri Lanka. They have been part of the UNESCO heritage since 1991 and are the best preserved rock temple on the island.

To reach the five main caves, you pass the imposing Golden Temple, which serves as the entrance hall to the sanctuary, and climb to the top of the hill. Crossing the entrance threshold, the sacred temples are a surprising sight: the caves are carved into the granite rock and more than 160 meters high.

Inside, the frescoed walls and Buddha statues create a calm and peaceful atmosphere. Around the sanctuary, the monkeys run here and there, accompanying tourists as they walk up and down the hill in the hope of a piece of mango or, who knows, maybe an ice cream.

 

Stronghold of Sigiriya Visiting

Sri Lanka and the cultural triangle necessarily means entering the Sigiriya Fortress, one of the symbolic places of the island’s history and culture, also inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1982.

The ancient fortress, founded in the 5th century AD, stood on a granite monolith over 200 meters high, an engineering masterpiece surrounded by nature and magnificent royal gardens with ponds and cisterns for collecting water. About halfway up, a spiral staircase that climbs the rock leads to the ancient frescoes of the “Lord of the Clouds” painted inside a protected monolithic cavity.

Aukana Buddha statue

Halfway between Dambulla and Anuradhapura (the first sovereign city of Sri Lanka, founded in the 2nd century BC) is the Aukana Buddha statue. 12 meters high, it was sculpted in the 5th century AD. and it is one of the most impressive on the island. The place where it is located is full of devotion and spirituality, wrapped in Sinhalese prayers and the scent of incense and lotus flowers.

Minneriya National Park

Halfway between Dambulla and Anuradhapura (the first sovereign city of Sri Lanka, founded in the 2nd century BC) is the Aukana Buddha statue. 12 meters high, it was sculpted in the 5th century AD. and it is one of the most impressive on the island. The place where it is located is full of devotion and spirituality, wrapped in Sinhalese prayers and the scent of incense and lotus flowers.