Sigiriya, or Lion’s Rock, is considered the most visited site and the top tourist attraction in Sri Lanka. Built in the 5th century by an obsessed monarch, Sigiriya is an astonishing feat of engineering and construction. This is a fortress 200 meters above a forested plain with a series of moats, ramparts, water gardens, and flower gardens, the remains of an ancient palace at the summit, including a royal pool, the foundation of the royal palace built by King Kashyapa. Today, this site is considered the “eighth wonder of the ancient world” and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Dambulla is a large town in the Matale district, 148 km northeast of Colombo and 72 km north of Kandy. This place is famous for the country’s most fascinating Buddhist temple, the “Dambulla Golden Rock Temple” (Dambulla Cave Temple). From a height of 341 meters above sea level, a massive rock rises from the surrounding plains of Dambulla, 183 meters high and over 600 meters long. It houses the world’s best-known cave complex with magnificent Buddha statues and rock paintings in vibrant colors and shapes, built and painted from the 2nd century BC (Anuradhapura era) and continued until the Kandy era of the 18th century. The Sinhalese call it “Dambulu Gala” (Dambulla Rock). According to chronicles, Vattagamani Abhaya, who fled from his kingdom of Anuradhapura when it was invaded by South India, was supported by the monks who lived in caves like Dambulla. The Mahavamsa (the most important written legend in Sri Lanka) reports that the Buddhist scriptures were first written down by Buddhist monks during the reign of this king in Aluvihara. This can be seen as substantial evidence that large caves like Dambulla and Aluvihara in the central part of the island were places of residence for Buddhist monks during this early period and were also promoted by the kings of Anuradhapura. This is one of the top destinations and a UNESCO World Heritage Site that belongs to the cultural triangle in Sri Lanka.