If you are on a holiday in Sri Lanka this is the list of 10 best locations you must visit.
01.Sigiriya
Sigiriya (Lion's rock) is an ancient rock fortress and ruins of a castle situated in central Matale District of Sri Lanka. It is a popular tourist destination and also popular for the ancient paintings (frescos) very similar to the paintings in Ajanta Caves of India. It was built during the reign of King Kasyapa (477 – 495 AD) and one of the seven World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka.
Considered to be the eighth wonder of the world. The palace on the rock constructed by king Kashyapa and famous for its frescos.
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01.Sigiriya
Sigiriya (Lion's rock) is an ancient rock fortress and ruins of a castle situated in central Matale District of Sri Lanka. It is a popular tourist destination and also popular for the ancient paintings (frescos) very similar to the paintings in Ajanta Caves of India. It was built during the reign of King Kasyapa (477 – 495 AD) and one of the seven World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka.
Considered to be the eighth wonder of the world. The palace on the rock constructed by king Kashyapa and famous for its frescos.
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02. The Temple of Tooth
The Sri Dalada Maligawa or The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a temple in the city of Kandy in Sri Lanka. It was built within the royal palace complex which houses the only surviving relic of Buddha, a tooth, which is venerated by Buddhists. The relic has played an important role in the local politics since ancient times, it's believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country, which caused the ancient kings to protect it with great effort. Kandy was the capital of the Sinhalese kings [Calling all Kandyan kings Singhalese is a manipulation of facts. Most of the kings were Tamil Hindus from Nayak Dynasty of Madurai Tamil Nadu, south India. The last king of Kandy, entitled Sri Vickrama Rajasingha(n)1815, whose name is Kannusamy, was one of the Tamil Hindu kings from Madurai].
One of the biggest Buddhist celebrations of the year, the annual Esala Perahera is a religious ceremony during which devotees pray for good rains to cultivate the crops. One of Buddhism's most sacred relics, the Sacred Tooth is taken from the Temple of the Tooth and paraded through the streets. Following this, more festive events take centre stage and visitors can expect to see a lively cast of dancers, jugglers and fire-breathers milling amongst the crowds.
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The Sri Dalada Maligawa or The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a temple in the city of Kandy in Sri Lanka. It was built within the royal palace complex which houses the only surviving relic of Buddha, a tooth, which is venerated by Buddhists. The relic has played an important role in the local politics since ancient times, it's believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country, which caused the ancient kings to protect it with great effort. Kandy was the capital of the Sinhalese kings [Calling all Kandyan kings Singhalese is a manipulation of facts. Most of the kings were Tamil Hindus from Nayak Dynasty of Madurai Tamil Nadu, south India. The last king of Kandy, entitled Sri Vickrama Rajasingha(n)1815, whose name is Kannusamy, was one of the Tamil Hindu kings from Madurai].
One of the biggest Buddhist celebrations of the year, the annual Esala Perahera is a religious ceremony during which devotees pray for good rains to cultivate the crops. One of Buddhism's most sacred relics, the Sacred Tooth is taken from the Temple of the Tooth and paraded through the streets. Following this, more festive events take centre stage and visitors can expect to see a lively cast of dancers, jugglers and fire-breathers milling amongst the crowds.
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03.Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage
add Among the green hills of Kegalle, about 50 miles (85km) from Colombo on the road to Kandy in the hill country, a herd of about 60 elephants roam free in the Pinnewela Elephant Orphanage. This popular attraction, established as a sanctuary covering 25 acres of lush forest by the Sri Lankan Government in 1975, is unique. Its purpose is to feed, nurse and house young elephants lost or abandoned by their mothers. Recently the sanctuary has also started a breeding programme.
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add Among the green hills of Kegalle, about 50 miles (85km) from Colombo on the road to Kandy in the hill country, a herd of about 60 elephants roam free in the Pinnewela Elephant Orphanage. This popular attraction, established as a sanctuary covering 25 acres of lush forest by the Sri Lankan Government in 1975, is unique. Its purpose is to feed, nurse and house young elephants lost or abandoned by their mothers. Recently the sanctuary has also started a breeding programme.
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04.Anuradhapuraya
205 km from Colombo is Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka's first capital founded about the 4th century BC. According to the Mahavansa, the Sinhala Buddhist chronicle, the city was a model of planning. Precincts were set aside for huntsmen and scavengers and even heretics and foreigners. There were hostels and hospitals, separate cemeteries for high and low castes. A water supply was assured by the construction of reservoirs.
Monuments, statues, Stupas and remnants of ancient palaces tell the story of a proud history.You can find what is Buddhism & how people worship.
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05.Polonnaruwa
Polonnaruwa was the second capital of Sri Lanka after the destruction of Anuradhapura in 993. It comprises, besides the Brahmanic monuments built by the Cholas, the monumental ruins of the fabulous garden-city created by Parakramabahu I in the 12th century.
If you visit Polonnaruwa you can see so many Statues made in rock.Also this place have a big story about "kings & battels to survive their kingdom".This is a great place to visit & you can find large lakes,forests,parks,also animals like Elephants,Birds & Reptiles.
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06.Dambulla
The city of Dambulla is situated in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, situated 148 km north-east of Colombo and 72 km north of Kandy.
Major attractions of the city include the largest and best preserved cave temple complex of Sri Lanka, and the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, famous for being built in just 167 days. The city also boasts to have the largest rose quartz mountain range in South Asia, and the Iron wood forest, or Namal Uyana.
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07.Unawatuna Beach
Unawatuna is rich in its biodiversity. Unfortunately, its greatest potential attraction for eco-tourism was the marsh land or mangrove called Kadolana which was completely destroyed, dredged and filled up to build a chain hotel which never got off the ground. Many locals believe it to have been cursed for being built at the doorstep of the Wella Devalaya.Unawatuna serves some of the best seafood in Sri Lanka.
Over sixty species of endemic birds, including Terns, Egrets, Herons, Sandpipers, Kingfishers, as well as rarer species such as the Lesser Whistling Duck, the Asian Palm Swift, the White Breasted Waterhen, the Turnstone Loten's Sunbird, and theBlack Bittern have been sighted in the locality by the ornithologist, Clive Byers. These birds are mostly sighted in the remaining marshy area and Rumassala Hillock.
Off the coast of Unawatuna, beneath the Indian Ocean lies a number of coral reefs, shipwrecks, and a great variety of fish and turtles. The turtles still wade onto the shore to lay their nests and eggs, and at times, as if to lay first claim to the sandy shore now invaded by the tourists and dotted by restaurateurs, even go right into the beach front restaurants .
The Rumassala coral reefs at the east end of the Galle Harbor attract divers, but are now endangered due to possible port development. Eco treks in the shrub jungles of Rumassala are also available.
Over sixty species of endemic birds, including Terns, Egrets, Herons, Sandpipers, Kingfishers, as well as rarer species such as the Lesser Whistling Duck, the Asian Palm Swift, the White Breasted Waterhen, the Turnstone Loten's Sunbird, and theBlack Bittern have been sighted in the locality by the ornithologist, Clive Byers. These birds are mostly sighted in the remaining marshy area and Rumassala Hillock.
Off the coast of Unawatuna, beneath the Indian Ocean lies a number of coral reefs, shipwrecks, and a great variety of fish and turtles. The turtles still wade onto the shore to lay their nests and eggs, and at times, as if to lay first claim to the sandy shore now invaded by the tourists and dotted by restaurateurs, even go right into the beach front restaurants .
The Rumassala coral reefs at the east end of the Galle Harbor attract divers, but are now endangered due to possible port development. Eco treks in the shrub jungles of Rumassala are also available.
The recent Asian Tsunami Tidal wave swept away many beach front restaurants and has devastated the sandy beach to a great extent, marring the natural beauty of what was once claimed to be one of the twelve best beaches in the world.
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08.Horton Plains National Park
Horton Plains, "Maha-Eliya" in Sinhala, is a National Park in the highlands of Sri Lanka. It lies at a height of more than 2000 m in the central highlands, and its altitude means that it has a much cooler and more windy climate than the lowlands of Sri Lanka, with a mean annual temperature of 16 °C rather than the 26 °C of the coasts.In the winter months it is cold at night, and there can even be frosts, although it rapidly warms up as the tropical sun climbs higher in the sky.
Access ways It can be accessed by travelling from Nuwara Eliya through "Ohya", a small town with a Railway station. The road starting up from Ohiya Railway Station leads to the park and it goes across the park and climbs down to "Pattipola". There is a railway at "Pattipola". To hikers who like to get some adventure experience can tavel by the trail starting from "Belihuloya". this trail climbs all the way to the "Worlds-end".
The park also has a well-visited tourist attraction at World's End, a sheer precipice with a 1050 m drop. The return walk passes the scenic Baker Falls. Early morning visits are essential, both to see the wildlife, and to view World's End before mists close in during the later part of the morning.
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09.Nuwara-Eliya
Nuwara Eliya is located in the heart of Sri Lankan hill country. Home of the famous Ceylon tea and the rolling mountains are carpeted of velvety green tea plantations, interspersed with gushing streams and tumbling waterfalls. The cellubrious climate, misty glens and similar to the British climate, make the place a must to include in your travel itinerary. Located at the height of 1890 meters above sea level. Temperatures are 140C-210C (Jan- April) 160C-180C (May-Aug) 150C- 180C (Sept-Dec).
Nuwara Eliya offers many activities for tourists including visits to tea plantations golfing, horse riding, boating, hiking and of course exploring the beauty of the landscaped gardens, waterfalls and plateaus.
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10.Peradeniya Botanical Gardens
Situated in the Hill capital Kandy. A visit to the Peradeniya Botanical Garden garden provides spectacles of extraordinary beauty and absorbing interest for any nature lover and casual visitor. The extensive lawns play host to a variety of flora from all over the globe. The best know attraction of the garden is the orchid House, which houses more than 300 varieties of exquisite orchids.
