There are many heavenly places on earth, one of the best, many tourists call the island located in the Indian Ocean. First, guests are amazed at how many shades of green can be seen at once and in one place. Secondly, they are pleasantly surprised by the hospitality of local residents, especially if they break away from the coast and go inland. Thirdly, excursions in Sri Lanka are an important part of tourists' leisure time.
There is a difficult moment - there are no fixed prices for certain excursions, we have to hope for the honesty of the guide. The average price of a hike around the island is in the range of $ 20-1000 for eight hours on the route. Do not be alarmed, the last figure, since it all depends on the number of people, an individual excursion is $ 20, a group tour is $ 1,000, that is, 50 people x $ 20.
Excursions to cave temples in Sri Lanka
Many tourist routes around the island include visits to such a unique site as Dambulla. Both the mountain and the religious complex located on its slopes have this name. The peculiarity of the cult place for the indigenous people is that the monastery and temple premises are located in caves.
In addition to religious pilgrims, archaeologists and history lovers are frequent guests of this area, as here you can get acquainted with the amazing monuments created by the former inhabitants of these lands. At the end of the ascent to Mount Dambulla, tourists find themselves in the "Golden Cave Temple"; the construction of this unique architectural complex dates back to the 1st century BC. And the definition of "golden" in the name of the temple indicates that it is in this religious building that the largest collection of statues of the main deity of the country, Buddha, is kept.
The entrance to the caves is paid, the cost in local currency is about 1,500 LKR, all underground objects have names, differ in natural characteristics and existing religious structures. One of the caves is called the god Vishnu, its main attractions are seven statues of Buddha, archaeologists dated their creation to the 1st century AD.
The same statues made of granite, stone or wood can be found in the second, largest cave. In addition, here you can see unique frescoes on the walls and a dagoba, a repository of relics. The third cave is the "youngest" one, its development began in the 18th century, the highlight is about a thousand images of Buddha painted on the ceiling, and, naturally, statues of the same deity.
Top 15 places of interest in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Capital of Culture
Such an important title was awarded to the city of Kandy, it is the main point of many combined tourist routes around the island, including:
- Sigiriya - Kandy (two days, one night);
- Kandy - Nuwara Eliya (two days, one night);
- Kandy - Nuwara Eliya - Yala (three days, two nights).
The city occupies the territory in the center of the island, on the banks of the river, so the climate here is always more favorable than in other regions of Sri Lanka. Kandy is the last capital of the island's royal families, here they are sensitive to Buddhist shrines and preserve ancient traditions. The city has many historical monuments and cultural attractions dating back to previous centuries, therefore it is under the protection of UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
The goal of tourists is to see an artificial lake, created at the request of the last Sri Lankan king. In the center of the reservoir, created by human hands, there is an island and the Summer Palace. According to legend, the king placed his harem in this interesting architectural structure.
Top 10 places of interest in Kandy
Journey to Lion Rock
The beautiful name of the mountain peak in the local dialect sounds like Sigiriya; this natural monument was also protected by UNESCO specialists. Rather, not a mountain, but a city located on it. It is surprisingly green and beautiful, comfortable and cozy, surrounded by fountains and gardens.
King Kasapa dreamed of an impregnable fortress, the result was a beautiful settlement that hospitably welcomes tourists. The tour costs about $ 170 per person (for two days). On the way to the city, guests will be shown an elephant nursery, a garden where spices are grown, a tea factory, the program includes a visit to the famous Temple of the Tooth of Buddha.
The next day is devoted exclusively to Sigiriya, first of all tourists go to the ancient city. Entrance costs $ 30 per person, according to many guests, it is a little expensive, but the money is spent on landscaping, maintaining the monuments in an appropriate condition. For this money, you can walk around the surrounding area, climb to the top of a cliff, visit a museum exhibition.
The most difficult, perhaps, will be climbing the stairs - without an elevator, you need to climb 750 steps, but along the way there will be frescoes, "lion's paws" that gave the name, and observation decks with magnificent views. This journey into the ancient history of Sri Lanka will be kept in the memory of tourists for a long time.
