No tour of Sri Lanka is complete without a trip to the Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka. In this article, we share important things you should know about Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle.
The Cultural Triangle is a region located in the north-central part of the country that has great historical value. Centered with ancient Buddhist temples, monasteries, stupas, carvings, cities and kingdoms, the Cultural Triangle is a must-visit area to catch a glimpse of the island’s dazzling ancient civilizations. The Cultural Triangle is dotted with many priceless ancient sites, but below we have listed the top 9 places you must visit in the Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka.
candy
Being the number one cultural city in the country, Kandy is one of the must-visit cities while exploring Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle. The city is home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site – the Temple of the Tooth where Lord Buddha’s tooth relic is located and which is the number one attraction in Kandy. With numerous museums and cultural shows packed with traditional performances, Kandy is one of the best attractions in the cultural triangle to soak up the essence of the island.
Dambulla
Famous for the famous Golden Cave temple complex, Dambulla is a city located 160 km from Colombo. The temple is located on top of a rock and is one of the ancient natural cave temples in Sri Lanka, offering you breathtaking views of the surroundings. The Big Buddha along with many other statues and impressive wall paintings make it worth a visit. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that you can find in the Cultural Triangle.
Anuradhapura
Being Sri Lanka’s first kingdom, Anuradhapura is an ancient city with well-preserved ruins of palaces, monasteries, and Buddhist temples that make history buffs never want to leave. The sky-soaring Djabo and sea-like man-made reservoirs will leave anyone in awe and surprise. With a history dating back to the 4th century BC, Anuradhapura is a place you should not miss to explore while visiting the cultural triangle, if you really want to experience the core values of the island.
Polonnaruwa
A highly visited UNESCO World Heritage Site, the ancient city of Polonnaruwa can be found in the Cultural Triangle, where you can explore ancient palaces, temples, and many royal buildings that will reveal another great era of Lankan history. You can explore the city on a bicycle enjoying the dry breeze.
Sigiriya
The Lion Rock Castle is another UNESCO World Heritage Site that you can find in the Cultural Triangle. As the name suggests, it is a rock fortress built on top of a 660-foot-high rock pillar by King Kashyapa (473 to 495 AD). With its water fountains, water pools, pavilions, water gardens, and wall murals, the rock fortress of Sigiriya is at the top of the list of must-visit attractions in Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle.
Pidurangala rock
Although some may think that Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle revolves around culture and history, you will find a wide variety of activities to enjoy while visiting the region. The first is a hiking adventure on Pidurangala Rock. Located a few kilometers away from the Lion Rock Fortress of Sigiriya, the rock offers stunning views of the surrounding landscape as well as Sigiriya at the peak.
Yapahua
Located 112 km from Colombo, the Yapahuwa rock fortress is another capital city of Sri Lanka with a history dating back to the 13th century. The well-preserved ruins of the fort are truly impressive and showcase the grandeur of another great era of Sri Lanka’s history.
hot air balloon
Explore Sri Lanka from a different angle and fly with the clouds above to see the best attractions and landmarks of Sri Lanka in a hot air balloon. You can find hot air balloon facilities only at Kandalama Lake.
Minneriya National Park
When you need a break from the dry and dusty cities and busy attractions of Sri Lanka, Minneriya National Park is the perfect place to start your safari to. Made up of dense tropical forests and jungles, the park is home to a variety of animals and birds including elephants, leopards, deer, monkeys, peacocks, and more. The sight of majestic elephants in Minneriya tank against the blue sky and lush green pastures is one that you will remember forever.
Tours to the Cultural Triangle
When it comes to trips to Sri Lanka, there are many travel and tourism companies that offer different types of packages to cover the cultural aspects of Sri Lanka. The cultural tours will mainly cover Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Dambulla and Kandy as major destinations of great cultural and historical value.
Some companies do that Cultural tours is Tangerine Tours that has been in business since 1982. They are also a UK based company travel company With a local presence in Sri Lanka; Sri Lankan dream By Paradise Pursuit also covers a large number of ancient cities and kingdoms in their country Cultural tour packages.
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