Anuradhapura is the greatest ancient city of Sri Lanka which had remained as the capital of the kingdom to many great Sinhalese kings for more than 1000 years. This is the best place to go to, if you are to see the remnants of skilled workmanship shown by the ancient Sri Lankans in building cities.
Anuradhapura is considered as a very well planned city as deduced by the discovered ruins of the ancient buildings which can be seen today. There have been 4 walls enclosing the 256 square miles (663 km²) of the city, each wall about 16 miles (26km) long. Important buildings like the kings’ palaces, Buddhist temples, hospitals, schools and libraries and leisure gardens have been built within the city area according to a perfect pre-defined plan. Ranmasu Uyana and Magul Uyana are two of the leisure gardens that has been discovered in the preserving campaigns. Apart from these, there are many Buddha statues that are worth seeing in most of the temples around the area and the most renowned masterpiece is the “Samadhi” Buddha statue.
There are a few ponds to be seen in the city area which have been built to supply water for the citizens. Kuttam Pokuna is the most famous one for its design, built in as a combination of two square ponds. These ponds have been filled with water brought from large tanks built around the vicinity, using advanced irrigational systems. Many of such tanks are still surviving and they have amazed the whole world with the smart irrigational techniques used in building them. Nuwara Wewa, Tissa Wewa & Nachchaduwa Wewa are a few tanks built in the era.
The close relationship between Buddhism and the people those days is well displayed by the large number of temples that has been built around the city. “Sri Maha Bodhiya”, the sacred Bo tree which had been brought from India, is one of the most valued Buddhist possessions of the country. Many sky-scraping “stupa”s and Buddha statues are scattered around the area which would make you feel awed at their colossal size and the trimness of the build. Ruwanweli Saya, Jetavanaramaya, Abhayagiri Dagaba, Mirisavetiya Stupa are a few famous stupas that you shouldn’t miss.
Even though most of the wonderful buildings are now in ruins due to various incidents that happened along the years, you would still see a fair amount of the great work preserved. The modern city is built including all the modern comforts and it contains luxurious hotels and guest houses to accommodate the scores of local & international pilgrims and tourists who visit the city all year through. Bandarawela
Bandarawela is another popular town situated in the central mountains of Sri Lanka. It belongs to the Badulla District which is in the Uva Province and is about 200 km away from Colombo, along the Colombo-Badulla main route. Even though it is about 1300 m higher from the sea level, the coolness that remains with a lot of sun is quite pleasant for travelers.
As many of the Sri Lankan cities, Bandarawela also has has its share in the proud Sri Lankan history which goes back to the time of the ancient king “Valabamba”. It is said that he reformed his troupes at Bandarawela to fight back a Chola king who invaded the capital of the kingdom Anuradhapura at that time. Later on during the time when the British ruled Sri Lanka, this town along with many others was converted into a Tea planting area. Bandarawela is still making a great contribution towards Tea production of the country.
There are many places of interest close by you could visit when you are in this beautiful city. The Dhowa Rock Temple is one, which is a Buddhist temple located about 6 km towards Badulla from the city. It has a standing Buddha statue carved on a rock face which has been left incomplete from the old days. Then there are the waterfalls; Diyaluma Ella and Ravana Ella, both a bit father away from the city towards Ella town along the Colombo-Badulla road. Rawana Ella has got its name after a demon king called Ravana who is mentioned in the legendary Ramayanaya.
You will be able to find many beautiful places that providing accommodation for you to relax and enjoy the beauty of the area.
Beruwala
58 km away from Colombo along the Galle Road, you land yourself in Beruwala, another appealing seaside town with palm clad sandy beaches spreading on and on. This town marks the beginning of the Beach Resorts zone of the South Coast of Sri Lanka and you can find many luxurious hotels and guest houses around the vicinity to spend a relaxing holiday by the beach.
When tracing back into the history, Beruwala is known to be the first Muslim settlement in Sri Lanka, somewhere in the 8 th century. A group of Arab traders have initiated the establishment and have been living there peacefully up to today with the Sinhalese and other races. The town is a combination of Buddhist temples, Muslim Mosques, Churches, Hotels and Restaurants, a light house and other prominent places of interest. “Kachchimalai Mosque” in Beruwala is the oldest mosque of Sri Lanka and it’s built on a piece of rocky land facing towards the town.
Beruwala is the ideal place for those who love water sporting facilities like surfing and water rafting. There are safe places for bathing along the beach and near other small lakes anytime of the year. For those who want to explore the corral reefs, Beruwala bay is just the place and suppliers of the necessary equipments can be found easily around the area. Dambulla
Dambulla is a town which is located nearly 150 km away from the capital, Colombo and belongs to the Central Province of Sri Lanka. Situated at an important point where A6 & A9 highways cross each other, the town is a major stop for most of the travelers of both routes. Dambulla is a town with a great historical & religious value and holds a few unique tourist attraction spots.
The pride of Dambulla is undoubtedly the Dambulla Raja Maha Viharaya, also known as Rangiri Dambulu Viharaya, which is the largest of cave temples in Sri Lanka which survives up to today. The history of this temple runs far back to time of the Sinhalese King known as Valagamba in 1 st B.C., when the caves had been inhabited by Buddhist monks who used them to meditate. When the capital city Anuradhapura had been invaded by a foreign army those days, those monks had helped the king as he sought protection and had hidden the king in the caves. He has built this temple as a gratitude for those Buddhist monks after regaining the throne by defeating the foreigners.
Dambulla Viharaya is built on the summit of a big isolated rocky hill which is about 350 feet in height and the cave has five main compartments that had been divided to different parts according to the planned design of the temple. There are paintings and statues inside these caverns that express the workmanship and the skill of the people who had lived in those times. Thos artists have taken great care when painting the ceiling of the largest cavern and had managed to do a wonderful job in making the paintings flow so well along the natural folds of the rock. Among the temple’s statues is a 14 meter long Buddha statue which is carved out of the rock.
Apart from the rock temple, Dambulla is famous for the rose quartz mountain range “Namal Uyana”, which is known to be the largest in South Asia. A prehistoric burial site has been found near Dambulla temple in an area called “Ibbankatuwa” and this is the most recent discovery made within the vicinity. Further exploring has uncovered some significant evidence which has directed the historians to form a clear idea about aboriginal people who had lived there before the Indians arrived.
In the recent times, a small island in the Dambulla Lake has been transferred into a “Pleasure Island” where you can go and enjoy from morning to eve. The place have to be reached by a boat ride and some relaxing activities are available on & around the island like fishing, swimming, bathing, tree climbing, picnicking in tree houses and a lot more. The island is completely covered in trees which makes a lovely green roof all over the place.
Ella
Among the many beautiful cities & villages of the Central Province, Ella is another special one which is famous for its most amazing views of the surrounding mountain area. It is situated along the main road from Colombo to Badulla and is more than 200 km away from the capital. If you plan to visit Bandarawela, it’ll be good to remember that Ella is only 8 km away from Bandarawela town, so as not to miss its wondrous beauty.
Ella village is being cuddled in a valley which gazes at the coast across the plains 1000 m below through the Ella Gap. On a clear night, you can even see the lights of the Great Basses Reef lighthouse which is near the Yala National Park. The garden of the Grand Ella Motel and the wide doorway of the Ambiente Hotel are recommended places for those who wish to capture the very best of the views of Ella. You can also obtain relaxing walks around the vicinity, passing temples, waterfalls and tea plantations along the way.
For those who are looking for more excitement, thrilling trails that spirals in the beautiful mountain range are available for trekking expeditions. And there is the Ella Adventure Park which is located along the Ella-Wellawaya road for those who would like a taste of real tropical wilderness at its best. Camping, trekking and rock climbing are some of the activities that the park offers. You can even lodge in one of the Jungle Chalets they have and enjoy the wilderness comfortably, as close as you want. Galle
Galle is one of the most popular southern coastal cities of Sri Lanka, which is located at 119 km away from Colombo. From the 16 th century since the Portuguese were here, Galle has served as the main port of the country for a long time until the British arrived in the 18 th century.
Galle is most famous for the fortress built in it by the Dutch who arrived in 1687 after the Portuguese. It is the largest remaining fortress in Asia that had been built by Europeans using their own architecture, mixing some of the South Asian traditions as well. The Fort spreads around 36 hectares of land covering the older section of the city.
Galle town owns a wonderful collection of architectural masterpieces that can be seen when walking along the streets. Most of these are remnants of the Dutch period such as old churches, houses, gateways and still there are streets that have Dutch names. The views of the town and the sea as they appear from the encircling walls of the Fort are also a must see if you visit Galle. Galle Fort is accredited as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Unawatuna bay which is the neighboring town of Galle offers one of the safest areas for swimming and snorkeling. There is the “Rhumasala Kanda”, a small hill which is located in the eastern side of the Galle harbor is associated with a famous Indian legend called Ramayanaya, where it is said to be a piece of a Himalayan mountain.
There are some excellent hotels and guest houses in and around the Galle town in which all comforts are available to spend a relaxing holiday. For those who wishes to take back a monument to remember the great city, there’s a lot to choose from a variety of exquisite ornaments. ivory carvings, handmade lace, tortoise shell ware, moonstone jewelry are some of the available items.