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Destination Category: THE SACRED CIRCUIT - HERITAGE AND PILGRIMAGE

Sri Lanka’s Buddhist heritage spans from the 3rd century BC to the 13th century AD and is concentrated in the northern dry zone. These six sites form the core of every cultural journey – from the world’s oldest living tree to the island’s most venerated Buddhist relic.

Dambulla

Dambulla’s five cave shrines were first used in the 1st century BC and have been in continuous use ever since. The ceiling murals of Cave 2 cover every surface in imagery spanning two millennia of Buddhist devotion. The quality of the diffused interior light changes through the day – late afternoon is optimal for scenic. […]

Kandy

The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic at its centre, the lake beneath the hills, the Kandyan dance tradition and the Esala Perahera in July and August – Kandy carries a weight the other cities don’t quite match. The Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya are among Asia’s finest. A full day here earns its place in […]

Mihintale

Mihintale is the site where the monk Mahinda met King Devanampiyatissa in the 3rd century BC and introduced Buddhism to Sri Lanka – the most significant cultural event in the island’s history. Ancient stairways, meditation platforms, the Ambasthala Dagoba and panoramic views across the sacred landscape. Approximately 1,840 steps to the summit; the lower terraces […]

Polonnaruwa

Polonnaruwa was the island’s capital from the 10th to 13th century, and what remains is extraordinarily complete for its age. The Gal Vihara – where four Buddhas were carved from a single granite rock face – is the centrepiece. The Royal Palace ruins, the Sacred Quadrangle and the Vatadage are all within cycling distance of […]

Anuradhapura

Founded in the 4th century BC and continuously occupied for over a millennium, Anuradhapura holds the Sri Maha Bodhi – planted in 288 BC as a cutting from the original Bodhi Tree, and the oldest documented living tree on earth. The Ruwanwelisaya Dagoba stands 55 metres tall. The Jetavanaramaya was, when built, one of the […]

Sigiriya

The hydraulic water gardens at the base of Sigiriya are engineering from the 5th century AD, still intact and still legible. The frescoes painted onto the sheer rock face have survived 1,500 years of weather. The Mirror Wall carries devotional poetry inscribed by visitors across a thousand years. The summit view at first light, across […]