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Things to see in Sri Lanka

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Sri Lanka Attractions

Attractions in Sri Lanka have grown from a long and vibrant history leaving many things to do and see including seven UNESCO heritage sites. Sri Lanka's history can be experienced at the ancient sites of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Dambulla and Panduwasnuwara. The National Museum houses artefacts and explains Sri Lanka's complex culture. This complexity is also apparent in the capital city Colombo where exotic smells and goods are traded in the Pettah bazaar district. Calmer attractions include the seafront in Galle or the peaceful lake town of Kandy.

To leave the city and towns altogether attractions include treks into Yala National Park and up Sigiriya or Adam's Peak. Of course many leave the exertion of historic discovery in favour of sandy beaches stretching hundreds of miles. These are best visited outside of two rainy seasons May to August and October to January.


National Museum

Sri Lanka's oldest museum was established in 1877 and today boasts a massive collection of antiques and objects d'art, encompassing the cultural heritage of the island. Exhibits include artefacts from archaeological sites all over Sri Lanka, and more than 4,000 ancient palm leaf manuscripts....  see full details



Pettah

Colombo's bazaar district, the Pettah, presents a real treat for shopaholics who can wander through the hustle and bustle of whole streets dedicated to selling a particular type of merchandise, from local handcrafts to brand name clothing. The area was once an exclusive residential...  see full details



Zoological Gardens

Colombo's zoo has a fine collection of animals, birds, reptiles and fish from all over the world, but in particular showcases the fauna of the island. The complex includes an aquarium, which is the only one of its kind in Asia displaying more...  see full details



Anuradhapura

The remains of the ancient sacred city of Anuradhapura are sited about 130 miles (205km) north of Colombo, standing majestically in the jungle that for generations hid away the palaces, monasteries and monuments, which have been there since the third century BC. The ancient...  see full details



Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage

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...  see full details



Adam’s Peak

The legendary mountain peak towering 7,297ft (2,224m) over the island of Sri Lanka is known as Sri Pada or Adam’s Peak, and has been venerated as a place of pilgrimage and worship for all major faiths for many generations. The holy mountain bears...  see full details



Kandy

The relaxed and peaceful atmosphere of the town of Kandy in the heart of Sri Lanka's hill country, about 75 miles (120km) from Colombo, is probably the result of being beautifully situated around a tranquil lake in a bowl of hills. The town...  see full details



Trincomalee

The ancient port of Trincomalee on the northeast coast of Sri Lanka has a perfect natural harbour, which has made the town a prize to be fought over by foreign powers for generations. The Danes first took the trophy in 1617 on behalf...  see full details



Wewurukannala Temple

Not all Buddhist temples are ancient, nor are they all conservative affairs. The colourful, somewhat garish, modern Wewurukannala Temple at Dikwella village near Matara is quite an eyeful, featuring hundreds of brightly painted and gilded models depicting scenes from the life of Buddha, and...  see full details



Yala National Park

Elephants are the most often-spotted inhabitants of the vast Yala National Park in the southeast of Sri Lanka, east of Matara, but they share the reserve with 130 different species of birds and other creatures like sambhur, spotted deer, sloths, crocodiles, monkeys, wild boar...  see full details



Galle

The port town of Galle, about 60 miles (100km) south of Colombo and a short distance west of Matara, is steeped in the heritage of the Dutch presence in Sri Lanka, dominated by the 36-hectare (89-acre) Dutch Fort, built in 1663, with its massive ramparts on...  see full details



Sigiriya

Sigiriya is an important Buddhist site in central Sri Lanka, about 100 miles (161km) northeast of Colombo. The remains of an ancient royal fortress and city dating from 477 AD stand on a vast rock, which rises 600ft (180m) above the surrounding plain....  see full details


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