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Visit Sigiriya to experience some cool things

Visit Sigiriya part 2

By Fathima AzhaPublished about a year ago 3 min read
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Visit Sigiriya to experience some cool things
Photo by Dragon Hunter on Unsplash

Rising from the lush jungle cover of Sri Lanka's central plains, Sigiriya Rock is truly a breathtaking sight to behold.

This towering 200m sheer rock, thrust upwards from an otherwise flat landscape and often skirted by a veil of mist that shrouds it in mystery, is often referred to as the eighth wonder of the world.

And a wonder it is, given that it’s both a geological marvel billions of years old, and also home to an ancient palace and fortress built in the 5th century by a greedy King.

Today, Lion Rock, as it's affectionately known, is steeped in human myth and legend about Kings and monks, triumphs and defeat, and the historical importance of Buddhism to the local area.

For travellers seeking to understand the cultural heart of Sri Lanka, a visit to Sigiriya (and neighbouring Pidurangala) is a must-do.

Hiking to the top of the Sigiriya Rock Fortress to explore the ancient ruins and enjoy the vistas over the misty forests, lakes and villages below has become somewhat of a rite of passage for backpackers, and something that we think every visitor to the country should do.

In this guide, we cover absolutely everything you need to know about visiting Sigiriya, including essential travel information, what to know before you go, what to see while you’re there, plus responsible travel tips, accommodation recommendations, and day trips from Sigiriya to nearby Sri Lankan highlights.

Visit the Cave Temple in Dambulla

About half an hour from Sigiriya you will find the city of Dambulla. Where Sigiriya is no more than one street with some restaurants, Dambulla is a big city. Here you will find the Cave Temple. This temple consists of five caves full of Buddha statues and murals. The first caves date from the first century BC. All of the temples vary from very small to quite large (over 52 meters wide, 23 meters deep and 7 meters high).

The mountain where the cave temples are located looks out over the city. You also have a beautiful view of the surroundings from here. This place is popular, so make sure you are here as early as possible. Access is 1500 RS (€ 7.50).

And admire the Golden Temple in Dambulla

Next to the Cave Temple, there is another temple, the Golden Temple. This consists of a large golden pagoda and a huge golden Buddha statue. Far fewer visitors come here than to the Cave Temple, so it is nice and quiet in the middle of the day. Admission is free here.

Go on safari in the Minneriya National Park or the Kaudulla National Park

Did you know that you can also do safaris and game-drives from Sigiriya? To the north of the city is the Minneriya National Park and the Kaudulla National Park. Both parks are much quieter than for example Yala National Park and have a lot of wildlife. You can spot elephants here (sometimes outside the park gate), buffalos and many different species of birds. In the Kaudulla National Park, you even have the chance to spot deer, leopards and other cats!

A four-hour safari with two people costs around 100 euros.

The best hotels and guesthouses in Sigiriya

With the Lion Rock as the number 1 tourist hotspot in Sri Lanka, Sigiriya has plenty of nice hotels, hostels and guesthouses. Below you will find a selection with our favourite hotels!

Our favourite restaurants in Sigiriya!

We expected that Sigiriya, a tourist place as it is, would be full of all kinds of nice restaurants. That was a bit disappointing. There are many restaurants, but much of the same. We tried the restaurants below and we can heartily recommend them to you!

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About the Creator

Fathima Azha

hey!! am a blogger who writes contents about new things which is trending in social media.I like blogging of food and recipe,photography,Visiting places ,product review .So am excited to write new contents here for more likes and comments

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