Top 10 things to see in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka packs a remarkable amount into a small island: ancient royal cities and cave temples in the dry north, tea estates and misty plateaus in the hills, and leopards, elephants and colonial forts in the south.
Start with our ten favourites, then browse every sight by region, each with practical tips, entry fees and the multi-day tours that include it.
Our top 10
- 1Sigiriya Rock FortressThe Cultural TriangleUNESCOA 5th century palace on top of a 200 m rock, with frescoes, a mirror wall and giant lion paws.
- 2Temple of the Tooth, KandyKandy and the hill countryUNESCOSri Lanka's holiest Buddhist shrine, home of a tooth relic of the Buddha, beside Kandy Lake.
- 3Nine Arches Bridge, EllaKandy and the hill countryA stone railway viaduct curving through jungle and tea near Ella, best when the blue train crosses.
- 4Yala National ParkThe south and its national parksSri Lanka's most visited park and one of the best places in the world to see leopards.
- 5Dambulla cave templeThe Cultural TriangleUNESCOFive painted caves filled with more than 150 Buddha statues, high on a rock above Dambulla.
- 6Galle FortThe south and its national parksUNESCOA walled 17th century Dutch town on a headland, with ramparts, a lighthouse and boutique hotels.
- 7Polonnaruwa ancient cityThe Cultural TriangleUNESCOThe medieval royal capital, with palaces, a circular relic house and the giant Buddhas of Gal Vihara.
- 8Horton Plains and World's EndKandy and the hill countryUNESCOA high plateau of grassland and cloud forest with a 9 km loop walk to a cliff dropping about 880 m.
- 9Minneriya National ParkThe Cultural TriangleHome of The Gathering, when hundreds of elephants graze the shores of an ancient reservoir in the dry season.
- 10Adam's Peak (Sri Pada)Kandy and the hill countryUNESCOA sacred 2,243 m mountain climbed overnight by pilgrims for sunrise, from December to May.
Sri Lanka's World Heritage sites
Sri Lanka has eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and six of them are on this page: the Ancient City of Sigiriya, the Golden Temple of Dambulla, the Ancient City of Polonnaruwa, the Sacred City of Anuradhapura, the Sacred City of Kandy and the Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications. Horton Plains is part of the Central Highlands listing.
Four of them sit within two hours of each other in the Cultural Triangle. See our Sigiriya and Cultural Triangle guide for how to fit them together, and add up the tickets in our fee calculator.
Sigiriya Rock Fortress
UNESCOA 5th century palace on top of a 200 m rock, with frescoes, a mirror wall and giant lion paws.
Visitor guide →Dambulla cave temple
UNESCOFive painted caves filled with more than 150 Buddha statues, high on a rock above Dambulla.
Visitor guide →Polonnaruwa ancient city
UNESCOThe medieval royal capital, with palaces, a circular relic house and the giant Buddhas of Gal Vihara.
Visitor guide →Anuradhapura sacred city
UNESCOSri Lanka's first great capital, with huge white stupas and the sacred Bodhi tree, still a busy pilgrimage site.
Visitor guide →Temple of the Tooth, Kandy
UNESCOSri Lanka's holiest Buddhist shrine, home of a tooth relic of the Buddha, beside Kandy Lake.
Visitor guide →Horton Plains and World's End
UNESCOA high plateau of grassland and cloud forest with a 9 km loop walk to a cliff dropping about 880 m.
Visitor guide →Adam's Peak (Sri Pada)
UNESCOA sacred 2,243 m mountain climbed overnight by pilgrims for sunrise, from December to May.
Visitor guide →Galle Fort
UNESCOA walled 17th century Dutch town on a headland, with ramparts, a lighthouse and boutique hotels.
Visitor guide →The Cultural Triangle
The ancient capitals of the dry north central plains: Sigiriya, Dambulla, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura, plus elephant safaris. Allow 3 or 4 days.
Kandy and the hill country
Kandy, the tea country around Nuwara Eliya and the walking town of Ella, joined by the famous railway. Allow 3 to 5 days.
The south and its national parks
Leopards in Yala, elephants in Udawalawe and the Dutch fort at Galle, ending at the beaches of the south coast.
See them on a tour
Most Sri Lanka tours use a car and driver guide, with hotels, safaris and entry tickets arranged, and are easy to make private.
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