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Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura was the first capital of Sri Lanka from the 4th century BC until the 11th century AD and is situated about 205km north from the current capital city of Colombo. Today the city is famous for its well preserved ruins of ancient Sri Lankan civilization, which include dagobas, monastic buildings and pokunas and is one of the eight World Heritage Sights of Sri Lanka. Just 13km away from this ancient city lay Mihintale one of Sri Lanka’s most prominent Buddhist sites, where Buddhism originated in the island in 247BC. |
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Dutch Fort:
The Portuguese, Dutch and the British historically used Negombo as the main harbor for exporting Cinnamon. The Dutch and Portuguese Fort was created in 1672 and was later destroyed by the British. Today, the Portuguese and Dutch Fort is one of the main tourist attractions in the city and its remainders are being used as the local prison in Negombo. |
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Sri Maha Bodhi:
This is a sacred tree in Anuradhapura and is said to be the left branch of the historical Bodhi tree under which Buddha attained enlightment. The sacred Bo tree was planted in 288BC and is the oldest living hand planted tree in the world on record. Special guards look after the Bodhi tree, which is an age-old custom continued to date by those who live in the neighborhood. |
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Ruwan wali Saya:
This stupa was built by King Dutugemunu and was one of his most ambitious projects. Sadly however, the king did not live to see the completion of the stupa, which measured 103 meters in height with a circumference of 287 meters and is one of the wonders of the ancient world and one of the world’s tallest monuments. |
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Jetavanaramaya:
This ancient monument is the largest stupa found in Sri Lanka. It was built by King Mahasena over 2300 years ago and was the 3rd tallest building in the world during its time as there were two pyramids that were taller. However, it was the tallest brick built structure in the world. Part of the robe worn by Lord Buddha is said to be kept inside the dagoba as a relic. |
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Samadhi Buddha:
This is a world famous statute that is a description of Buddha in a meditative pose, which was built in 4th Century AD. Samadhi is the state of deep meditation and Lord Buddha was seen in this position after attaining enlightment. This position is fully known throughout the Buddhist world and is therefore a typical Buddhist sculpture. |
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The Dowa Temple:
This peaceful and tranquil temple is located on the Bandarawela road and houses a Buddha statue that has been carved out of a rock. During your visit you are likely to meet one or more of the monks who are resident at the temple who would be more than happy to show you around and answer any questions. |
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Visit a Tea Factory:
The hill country is famous for its tea production and there are a number of tea factories where you can observe the entire tea production process. |
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Tangamalai Bird Sanctuary
The Tangamalai Bird Sanctuary near Bandarawela has numerous species of hill country birds including
Blue Magpies, Golden Orioles and Paradise flycatchers can be spotted.
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Galapata Vihara:
This temple is said to have been built by King Parakramabahu in the 12th century. It houses a number of Buddha statues and also hosts a festival in January to celebrate the first visit of Lord Buddha to the island. |
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Dinning:
When it comes to your food, Colombo offers a variety of options to satisfy everyone’s taste buds and budgets alike. Popular bakeries such as Perera and Sons, Green Cabin and Fab, offer different types of pastries, cutlets, patties, buns, breads and lumpries, while fast food chains such as Mc Donald’s, KFC and Pizza Hut can be found very so often along the streets of Colombo. For those in search of Indian cuisine, we suggest Navarathna’s, Mango Tree and Agra, for Thai, the Royal Thai Restaurant |
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National Museum of Colombo:
This is one of the best places to visit to obtain a better understanding of Sri Lanka’s 2500 year old history. It is the oldest museum in the island and was established in 1877. There are many historically significant artifacts on display, including the throne of the last royal court. |
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The Dutch Period Museum:
This building is the perfect example of a colonial Dutch town house and features the Dutch legacy and culture through various items on display such as furniture, ceramics and coins among others. |
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Galle Face Green:
This is a long narrow stretch of land that is lined with palm trees next to the coast. It is always full of sound and activity as children play and fly kites while adults go for leisurely walks. There are plenty of food stalls and refreshments available for a quick snack while you enjoy the fresh breeze and caming scenery. |
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The Cave Temples:
The city of Dambulla is home to the most impressive of the many cave temples found in Sri Lanka. There are five caves under a vast overhanging rock, which towers 160 meters over the surrounding plains. The caves house over 150 statutes of lord Buddha, god and goddesses as well as a few kings who have been vital in Sri Lanka’s history. The Buddha statues found inside the caves offer a large variety, both in term of size and attitude. Each of the ceilings in the five caves is covered with intricate and detailed religious paintings. One cave has over 1500 paintings of Buddha covering it. |
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Galle Lighthouse:
This is an offshore lighthouse in Galle and is currently operated and maintained by the Sri Lankan port authority. This lighthouse station which dates back to 1848, is Sri Lanka’s oldest light station. A fire destroyed the original lighthouse in 1934. The lighthouse is situated within the Galle Fort, which is a very famous tourist attraction, making this the most visited fort in Sri Lanka. |
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The Galle Fort:
The Galle Fort lies in the bay of Galle and was first built in 1588 by the Portuguese. A century after the Fort was established; the Dutch developed it to its current grandeur, which is now a UNESCO world heritage site. Even after a history of 423 years, this architectural heritage maintains a polished appearance due to extensive reconstruction work carried out by the archeological department of Sri Lanka. |
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The National Maritime Museum:
The museum is located within the walls of the Galle Fort. The artifacts on display, which were uncovered during underwater excavations, include sailor shoes, beer mugs, ropes, maps, barrels and pipes. Having suffered from the Asian Tsunami in 2004, the building was renovated and reopened to the public in March 2010. |
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Ariyapala Mask Museum:
This is the perfect place to visit if you want to learn about the significance of masks in the Sri Lankan culture and the whole process of mask making. It is both an informative and unique experience and is definitely worth a visit if you have the time to spare. |
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Temple of the Tooth Relic:
The sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha is the most venerated object for Buddhists around the world and its present house, the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy is considered to be the foremost sacred place of worship for all Buddhists. The tooth relic has played an important role in the politics and governance of ancient Sri Lanka, as it was then believed that whoever possesses the sacred relic has the divine right to rule the country. As a result many battles were fought to earn the right to possess the sacred tooth relic. Today, the relic is placed within this temple and is enshrined in seven golden caskets, which takes the shape of a stupa and is engraved with precious gemstone. |
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The Kandy Perahara:
The procession of the Temple of the Tooth, also known as the Esala Perahara, has become a unique symbol of Sri Lanka and takes place during the months of July and August in Kandy. The procession includes whip crackers, flag bearers, dancers, drummers and many majestic elephants, who roam the city dressed in colorful and vibrant costumes. It is a magnificent and unique sight that must not be missed if you are visiting Kandy during the allocated days for the Perahara. |
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Historic Temples and Kovils:
The Kaleniya Buddhist Temple is the second most visited temple in Sri Lanka, after the Temple of the Tooth Relic. It is a common belief among Buddhists that Gautama Buddha preached at this temple over 2000 years ago. The temple houses a reclining statue of the Buddha as well as a uniquely shaped dagoba. If you visit Negombo in January, you can be a part of the Dimuthu Perahara festivities that is organized and held by this temple. The Angurukaamulla Temple houses a large Buddha image and old paintings and provides an abundance of information on the past kings of Sri Lanka. Another spectacular sight is the Munneswaram Hindu Kovil that is popular among tourists for its beautiful and unique architecture. |
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Tea Factories:
Given Nuwara eliya’s popularity for tea production, it is not surprising to find many tea factories spread around the area. A visit to one of the factories will give you the opportunity to see the entire tea production process that still relies heavily on old age technology that is highly labor intensive. |
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Gal Viharaya:
This is a Theravada Buddhist temple constructed by King Parakrambahu I, which houses three statutes of magnificent proportions of the Buddha seated, standing and reclining as well as a smaller image of the Buddha with a touch of Mahayana influence. These statues are considered to be some of the best examples of ancient Singhalese sculpting and one of the most visited monuments of ancient Polonnaruwa. |
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Polonnaruwa Vatadage:
As suggested by the name, a vatadage is circular in shape and was built on stone or brick with extremely detailed carvings. They were built to protect small stupas that had an important relic enshrined in them. The Vatadage in Polonnaruwa is said to be the best preserved example of a Vatadage in the country and is thought to have been built to hold the tooth relic of Buddha. |
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Minneriya National Park:
The park is located between Habarana and Polonnaruwa and is home to a variety of wild life including the Sambar Deer, Sri Lankan elephant and leopards. The Minneriya tank, which was built by King Mahasena, is the main feature of the park and during the dry season peak months of August and September up to 300 elephants gathers around this tank, providing a spectacular sight dubbed as ‘The gathering’. The Lonely Planet has named this elephant gathering as one of the top ten greatest wildlife spectaculars. It is also common to see huge flocks of birds that come to fish at the tank as the water level recedes. It is the ideal setting for all nature lovers and a unique experience for all. |
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Swami Rock:
This is a shear rock crop out that is several meters high above the sea and is the tip of the Fort Fredrick. The Hindu temple dedicated to Koneswara is said to have stood here until the Portugese destroyed it. A modern rock temple is now built on the same location. Within Swami Rock is a lover’s leap, where a Dutch officers daughter had leapt after a broken affair. |
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Koneswaram Rock Temple:
The temple is built on the Swami Rock and is right on the edge of the Indian Ocean. Like most Hindu Temples, this too has a lot of intricate designs and figurines. The temple is a very colorful and vibrant sight. |
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Galle Fort and Light House.
Galle is a few minutes drive from Unawatuna and we recommend that you leave some time a side to visit Galle during your time in Unawatuna.
This lighthouse is an offshore lighthouse in Galle and is currently operated and maintained by the Sri Lankan port authority. This lighthouse station which dates back to 1848, is Sri Lanka’s oldest light station. A fire destroyed the original lighthouse in 1934. The lighthouse is situated within the Galle Fort, which is a very famous tourist attraction, making this the most visited fort in Sri Lanka.
The Galle Fort lies in the bay of Galle and was first built in 1588 by the Portuguese. A century after the Fort was established; the Dutch developed it to its current grandeur, which is now a UNESCO world heritage site. Even after a history of 423 years, this architectural heritage maintains a polished appearance due to extensive reconstruction work carried out by the archeological department of Sri Lanka.
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Gangarama Buddhist Temple:
The temple, situated on the tranquil waters of Beira Lake has been in existence for over 120 years and was founded by Venerable Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Nayaka Thera. It is an assembly point for monks and a landmark of the capital city of Colombo. Today Gangaramaya serves not only as a place of Buddhist worship, but also as a center for learning. The temple has also been instrumental in helping to propagate the Dhamma in other countries such as the United States, United Kingdom and Tanzania. |
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Yapahuwa:
Among the numerous ruins scattered about in this city, the most important is the short-lived rock fortress. Its palaces and rock fortress was built by king Buvanekabahu in 1273 to fend of invaders and signs of these hard fought battles are still prominently seen in Yapahuwa. The rock stands at a height of about 200 meters and the amazing views from the top of the rock makes the climb up well worth it. |
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Ancient City of Anuradhapura:
Anuradhapura was the first capital of Sri Lanka from the 4th century BC until the 11th century AD and is situated about 205km north from the current capital city of Colombo. Today the city is famous for its well preserved ruins of ancient Sri Lankan civilization, which include dagobas, monastic buildings and pokunas and is one of the eight World Heritage Sights of Sri Lanka. Just 13km away from this ancient city lay Mihintale one of Sri Lanka’s most prominent Buddhist sites, where Buddhism originated in the island in 247BC. |
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Isurumuniya:
The picturesque rock temple houses black stone sculptures that are considered the most beautiful works of art in Anuradhapura, including a large statue of the seated Buddha. King Devanampiyathissa built the temple and derived its name by combining his own name with those of his two daughters. The carving of the Isurumuniya Lovers on the slab was brought from elsewhere and placed near the temple. It is believed that the carving may represent King Dutugamunu’s son Saliya and the low caste maiden Asokamala, whom he loved. |
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Abhayagiria:
This Dagoba was constructed by king Valagambahu during his second reign from 89 to 77 BC and housed the sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha when it was first brought to Sri Lanka. The term Abayagiriya Viharaya means not only a complex of monastic buildings but also a fraternity of Buddhist monks. Although Buddhism was the state religion at the time followed by a majority of the population, Hinduism was also largely prevalent and therefore the buildings that were excavated at the Viharaya reflect these social beliefs and religious practices established at the time. |
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Kuttam Pokuna:
The two breathtakingly beautiful bathing ponds are thought to be bathing pools for the monks who resided in the Abhayagiri Viharaya. The twin ponds are a manifestation of the artistic achievements in hydraulic engineering in ancient Sri Lanka. The ponds are connected to each other through a pipeline at the bottom and the water to the ponds are supplied by underground pipelines and sent through several filtering systems before it arrives at the northern pond. |
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The Historic City of Polonnaruwa:
After the destruction of Anuradhapura in 993 by Rajaraja, Polonnaruwa became the temporary royal residency during the 8th century and was declared the second capital of Sri Lanka by King Vijayabahu. It was King Vijayabahu’s grandson, King Parakramabahu I who raised Polonnaruwa to its heights. One of his greatest achievements was the creation of the Parakrama Samudra (Sea of Parakrama), which is a 2400-hectare tank. The city bears witness to many ancient civilizations such as the Cholas and the Singhalese sovereigns of the 12th century and is home to many historically significant dagobas, parks, imposing buildings and beautiful statues. |
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Dambulla Rock Temple:
This is the most impressive of the many cave temples found in Sri Lanka. There are five caves under a vast overhanging rock, which towers 160 meters over the surrounding plains. The caves house over 150 statutes of lord Buddha, god and goddesses as well as a few kings who have been vital in Sri Lanka’s history. The Buddha statues found inside the caves offer a large variety, both in term of size and attitude. Each of the ceilings in the five caves is covered with intricate and detailed religious paintings. One cave has over 1500 paintings of Buddha covering it. |
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Sigiriya Rock Fortress:
Sigiriya, which has been declared by UNESCO as the 8th Wonder of the World is a large ancient rock fortress and palace ruin. It is surrounded by the remains of an extensive network of gardens, reservoirs, and other structures. A popular tourist destination, Sigiriya is also renowned for its ancient paintings, which are reminiscent of the Ajanta Caves of India. According to the chronicles as Mahavamsa the entire complex was built by King Kashyapa, and after the king's death, it was used as a Buddhist monastery until 14th century. |
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Kandy:
The city of Kandy, which was established in the 25th century was the last royal capital of Sri Lanka and was also declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1998. Kandy is one of the most scenic places in Sri Lanka and is located between mountains and is elevated about 500 meters above sea level. The city is famous for the Temple of the Tooth Relic as well as the Kandy Perahara, which is the pageant of the Temple of the Tooth and takes place during the months of July and August each year and has over 100 elephants parading the city accompanied by dancers and drummers. |
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Nuwara Eliya:
Nuwara Eliya, meaning the city of light is a town in the central highlands of Sri Lanka and is popular for its tea production. It is located at an altitude of 1860 meters. The city provides breathtaking views of valleys, meadows, mountains and greenery. Due to the high altitude, the city sported the perfect climate for British civil servants and planters when the British colonized Sri Lanka. Even today, the city once called little England is true to the British culture through events such as horse races. The hotels and buildings within the city maintain the colonial architecture with fireplaces, British style open gardens and lawns. |
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Koggala Museum:
The Koggala folk museum was inspired by one of the most influential Singhalese writers of the 10th century Martin Wickramasinge. The museum houses fascinating exhibits that vary from catching fish to chasing off malevolent spirits, all of which were integral parts of traditional Sri Lankan life. The exhibits are interesting and well displayed with information in both English and Singhala.
Once we arrive at Weligama, you can spend the rest of the day relaxing on the beach and work on that tan!
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