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Read in Your Language
Sri Lanka Destinations
A beautiful small island in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka boasts of an ancient civilization. This picturesque island country is what inspires poets to pen down nature’s miraculous beauty in the most expressive way. While visiting this scenic island, one will come across various colonial architectures from the days when the Portuguese, Dutch and English ruled.
Sri Lanka is one of those destinations that will transport you to dreamland. Extensive beaches, white sands, and leisure feel to the environment; Sri Lanka is a place to restore hope, and rejuvenate self. Sri Lanka touches your soul and takes you a step closer to nature. Listed below are some of the popular destinations of this beautiful island nation.
Colombo
This capital city of Sri Lanka has emerged as one of the favourite tourist destinations. Colombo is a famous port city with a rich colonial heritage. A potpourri of races, religions and cultures, Colombo is an experience. This seaside city offers a plethora of exciting adventures, experiences and places to visit.
Kandy
Situated in Central Sri Lanka, the scenic town of Kandy is famed for its wide variety of Buddhist religious sites and its serene landscapes. The place is located on a plateau surrounded by mountains, and is famed for its Temple of the Tooth, where the tooth relic of Lord Buddha supposedly exists. This beautiful hill station boasts of a cool and pleasant weather throughout the year, making it an ideal destination for holidaying.
Galle
A precious gem in the priceless crown of Sri Lanka, Galle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As a historical city, Galle offers unique attractions for travelers visiting the country from around the world. An architectural wonder in true form, Galle boasts of Dutch-colonial buildings, ancient mosques and churches, grand mansions and museums. The place is inarguably Southern Sri Lanka’s must visit destination.
Dambulla
Sri Lanka is blessed with the best when it comes to historical tales. Damulla is situated in the Matale district, and is a large town near Colombo. The town, which was built in just 167 days, has been bestowed with the title of a World Heritage Site. The Dambulla Cave Temple lies in the central part of Sri Lanka, and is also known as the Golden Temple.
Kataragama
Kataragama is town of pilgrimage for a variety of religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam, and is located in south-east corner of Sri Lanka. Therefore, it is a multi-religious sacred city. The town is famous for its Kataragama Temple, which has a shrine dedicated to Skanda Kumara also known as Kataragama Deviyo. In medieval times, the town was a small village. Today, it is a fast developing township surrounded by jungle.
Matara
Matara is one of the most popular destinations of Sri Lanka. It is a busy, booming and popular commercial town. Matara’s main attractions are its ramparts, Dutch architecture, a well-preserved fort and its street life. The place is mostly famed for its scenic beaches and surfing opportunities.
Nuwara Eliya
Nuwara Eliya is a beautiful city located in the Central Province, Sri Lanka. The place offers a perfect escape from the chaotic city life, for its picturesque landscape and temperate climate. An interesting thing about the city is that it has a British country village feel to it, because of its colonial era bungalows, Tudor style hotels, and pretty groomed gardens.
Mirissa
Located on the southern tip of the island of Sri Lanka, Mirissa is a small fishing port. This beach paradise is a treat to the eyes and the soul. This quaint little place has earned the title of party destination among young travelers. Mirissa is a perfect place to take a few days and chill right out, with less hustle bustle.
Arugam Bay
The Sandy heaven and a hidden gem of Sri Lanka, Arugam Bay is home to the best surf point. Located far from the prominent attractions of Sri Lanka, Arugam Bay is not quite popular among the tourists. The place is known as the surfers’ paradise, and has some of the best beaches in the country.
Bentota
Located about 62 Km south Colombo, Bentota is a city adorned with palm trees. Boasting of a serene atmosphere, Bentota is a popular weekend getaway, far from the metropolitan chaos of Colombo. The name of the city is taken from a mythical demon 'Ben' who ruled the river banks or 'tota'.
Anuradhapura
A major city in Sri Lanka, Anuradhapura is famous for its well-preserved ruins of an ancient Sri Lankan civilization. Now a World Heritage Site, Anuradhapura was the centre of Theravada Buddhism for many centuries. The city lies on the banks of the historic Malvathu River, and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
Polonnaruwa
Located in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka, Polonnaruwa is the second most ancient city of Sri Lanka. The Ancient City of Polonnaruwa has been declared a World Heritage Site. Polonnaruwa was first declared the capital city by King Vijayabahu I, who defeated Chola invaders in 1070 to reunite the country once more under a local leader.
Jaffna
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. Jaffna is one of the 25 districts organized into the nine provinces. It is one of the oldest inhabited places in lower South Asia and populated mainly by Tamil speaking people.
Matale
Located 142 Km from Colombo, Matale is surrounded by several major attractions, like the Knuckles Mountain Range. It is a mainly agricultural area, where tea, rubber, vegetable and spice cultivation dominate. From historical sites to cultural attractions, explore the exhaustive list of all other local attractions in Matale.
