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Yudaganawa Temple
A massive and ancient dagoba (stupa) lies quietly hidden in a forest clearing at Yudaganawa (compulsory ‘donation’ Rs 100), just 3km west of the little village of Buttala. Only the bottom third remains, but the setting is charming and your imagination can run riot with thoughts of
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Summit
The spectacular terraced summit of the rock covers 1.6 hectares. This is thought to be the site chosen by King Kassapa for his fortified capital after he had assassinated his father. Today only the low foundations of structures exist, and the remains are visually unimpressive. Stil
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Pedro Tea Estate
To see where your morning cuppa originates, head to the Pedro Tea Estate, about 3.5km east of Nuwara Eliya on the way to Kandapola. You can take a half-hour guided tour of the factory, originally built in 1885 and still packed with 19th-century engineering. However, due to the type
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Dowa Temple
Sorry, we currently have no review for this sight.
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Elephant Transit Home
This home, helping to care for the area’s injured elephants, is on the main road about 5km west of the Uda Walawe National Park entrance. Supported by the Born Free Foundation , the complex is a halfway house for orphaned elephants. After rehabilitation, the elephants are released
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Mandalagiri Vihara
This vatadage (circular relic house) is virtually identical to the one at Polonnaruwa, but while Polonnaruwas is ringed by many other structures, this one stands alone atop a low hill. A granite flight of steps leads up to the vatadage , which has concentric circles of 16, 20 and 3
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Uva Halpewaththa Tea Factory
The Uva Halpewaththa Tea Factory, not far from Ella, runs very informative tours. After youve enriched yourself with knowledge, enrich your taste buds by trying a sample of the estates different teas. Theres also a small shop (7.30am to 5pm) selling leaves and tea-related paraphern
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Degal Doruwa Raja Maha Vihara
Hidden away in Kandys leafy outskirts is the little visited Degal Doruwa Raja Maha Vihara cave temple. Constructed (with the help of some obliging boulders) in the 18th Century the interior of the cave is painted head to toe in slightly faded but utterly captivating murals that com
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Mangrove Tours
One very good reason for venturing to Pottuvil is for the delightful two-hour mangrove tours. Outrigger canoes take visitors punting across the lagoon where you can potter about among the mangroves searching for mighty big and toothy crocodiles, monkeys making mischief in the trees
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Dutch Fort
This once-mighty fort is now home to administrative offices, and though large sections of the structure are crumbling its still an evocative sight. It was built by the Portuguese in 1628, but the Dutch took over after just 10 years, followed by the Brits. Access is controlled, so y
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Ambasthale Dagoba
The final steep stairway, lined with frangipani trees, leads to the place where Mahinda and the king met. The Ambasthale Dagoba is built over the spot where Mahinda stood. Nearby stands a statue of the king in the place where he stood. On the opposite side of the dagoba from the st
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Jetavanarama Dagoba
The Jetavanarama Dagoba’s massive dome rises above the entire eastern part of Anuradhapura. Built in the 3rd century by Mahasena, it may have originally topped 120m, but today is about 70m – similar to the Abhayagiri. When it was built it was almost certainly the third-tallest monu
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Gadaladeniya Temple
This Buddhist temple with a Hindu annex dates from the 14th century and the main shrine room contains a seated Buddha. Built on a rocky outcrop and covered with small pools, the temple is reached by a series of steps cut into the rock. At the time of research, scaffolding and a tin
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Aukana Buddha
According to legend, the magnificent 12m-high standing Aukana Buddha was sculpted during the reign of Dhatusena in the 5th century, though some sources date it to the 12th or 13th century. Aukana means ‘sun-eating’, and dawn – when the first rays light up the huge statue’s finely c
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Cave II (Maharaja Viharaya)
The Temple of the Great King is arguably the most spectacular of the caves. It measures 52m from east to west and 23m from the entrance to the back wall; the highest point of the ceiling is 7m. This cave is named after the two statues of kings it contains. There is a painted wooden
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Keerimalai Spring
This spring is a beautiful little spot: the men’s side has a picturesque stepped pool of bright aquamarine water set against the sea, while the women have a smaller pool nearby surrounded by tall walls (for the best, really). The waters are supposed to be healing, and there are cha
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Buddhangala Rock Hermitage
Rising above the forest north of Ampara, this 150m-high hill offers panoramic views from its rocky summit (including, occasionally, wild elephants at dusk). The site is said to be 1800 years old, and when the old temple, whose remains are to the left of the main shrine, was excavat
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Tsunami Photo Museum
This ramshackle, private museum halfway between Hikkaduwa and Ambalangoda tells the story through photographs and newspaper features of that dreadful day in 2004 when the Indian Ocean tsunami struck Hikkaduwa and Sri Lanka. Everything is very badly lit and displayed but that is of
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Deegawapi
According to legend, Deegawapi (Dighavapi Cetiya) is the one place in southeastern Sri Lanka that the Buddha visited. The stupa was built during the reign of King Saddhatissa (137–119 BC) and patched up in the 2nd and 18th centuries AD before becoming lost in the jungle. Rediscove
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Nalanda Gedige
The venerable Nalanda Gedige is built in the style of a South Indian Hindu temple and enjoys a wonderfully peaceful location next to a tank (artificial lake) with prolific local birdlife.The temple consists of an entrance hall connected to a taller shikara (holy image sanctuary), w
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