Places We Visit in Sri Lanka

SIGIRIYA “THE LION ROCK”

In 473 A.D., King Kashyapa gained the throne of Sri Lanka by killing his father, King Dhatusena. Moggallana, Kashyapa’s brother and the rightful heir, fled to India after the coup. Fearing a retaliatory attack by Moggallana, the new king moved the capital from Anuradhapura to Sigiriya and built a fortress on top of this massive rock. The safety provided by this 650-foot-tall monolith proved to be illusory, however, as Moggallana indeed returned from India with an army and defeated Kashyapa in 495 A.D.

King Moggallana returned the capital to Anuradhapura, at which point Sigiriya became a Buddhist monastery. The beautiful Royal Gardens surrounding the rock are still maintained today, and a 1,200-step climb leads to the fortress on top. On the climb up a short detour leads to the fresco gallery with its ancient paintings of the king's maids in waiting, and the Mirror Wall with ancient transcripts that closely match the modern-day Sinhala language.

Those who do not wish to climb the 1,200 steps up can stay in the gardens near the base looking for dry zone birds, before walking round the base of the rock to meet those who did the climb.

POLONNARUWA

Polonnaruwa became the capital of Sri Lanka in 1056 A.D. and is still considered by many to be the ancient heart of the island. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982 in recognition of its impressive sculptures and well-preserved 12th century ruins. It is truly a highlight of any visit to Sri Lanka.

In addition to its spectacular history, Polonnaruwa is an outstanding location for watching primates. Polonnaruwa’s temple troop of toque macaques has been featured in numerous natural history documentaries and is the subject of one of the world’s longest-running studies on any mammal species (it has run continuously since 1968). Focused on the endemic toque macaques, it was started, and continues to be run, by Dr. Wolfgang Dittus. The 2015 Disney Nature feature-length film Monkey Kingdom was based on Dr. Dittus’ work at Polonnaruwa. We are also likely to see gray langurs and purple-faced leaf monkeys at this site.

HURULU FOREST RESERVE

This lush forest reserve, characterized by dry-zone evergreen forest, was originally designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1977, and is now a major destination for seeking Sri Lankan elephants, Indian star tortoises and many colorful species of birds.

The extensive waterways winding through this reserve support the abundant life found here. To protect the wildlife, only a relatively small section of Hurulu Forest Reserve is open to the public—the rest is conserved as wilderness free of human presence. Also adding to the biological value is the network of additional protected areas surrounding this reserve, greatly expanding the land that is accessible to the many elephants found here.

KANDY—TEMPLE OF THE SACRED TOOTH

At the very heart of the island, Kandy is one of Sri Lanka’s cultural highlights. The city offers visitors a glimpse into its colonial past with its graceful architecture, while also being famed for traditional Kandyan dance and music.

The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa) is the most revered holy site in the country. It is believed to harbor one of the Buddha’s teeth that was smuggled into Sri Lanka from India by a princess in the 4th century A.D. The tooth has held a significant role in local politics since ancient times, as whoever holds the relic has the right to govern the country. Every day, this sacred temple attracts thousands of white-clad pilgrims bearing lotus blossoms and frangipani for their offerings and prayers.

Ensure that you dress appropriately, wearing clothes that cover your legs and shoulders and please remove your shoes before entering the temple.

NUWARA ELIYA

Nuwara Eliya is locally nicknamed “Little England” due to its cool weather and its history of tea production. The settlement began in the early 1830s to service the nearby coffee and tea estates and their largely male, British population. Exercise, shooting, fishing and drinking seem to have been the main pastimes. Samuel Baker, better known for his role in the search for the source of the Nile, lived here for many years and wrote lyrically about the spectacular highland scenery. Nuwara Eliya also became a source of familiar European fruits, vegetables, milk and cheese for the colonial populations of Colombo and other coastal towns.

The old colonial Victoria Park with its mix of native and exotic trees is an ornithological hotspot. This is where we will stretch our legs after the long drive from the plains and search for highland species such as Sri Lanka white-eye, velvet nuthatch, pied thrush, and endemics including the dull-blue flycatcher, and the Sri Lanka yellow-eared bulbul. Migratory species such as Indian pita, Kashmir flycatcher and forest wagtail are also seen here during the winter months.

HORTON PLAINS NATIONAL PARK

Horton Plains is Sri Lanka’s highest national park, lying approximately 7,000 feet above sea level. It is known for its rich cloud forests and open grasslands. Sri Lanka’s second and third highest points are here; Kirgalpotta (7,860 ft) and Thotupola Kanda (7,733 ft). There is a high level of both floral and vertebrate diversity here, including an endemic rhododendron that grows in the wet grasslands. Tree ferns are conspicuous in the woodlands, and montane bird species are abundant.

Sambar, Sri Lanka’s largest species of deer, are encountered regularly in the plains close to the entrance to the park. As the sambar population has increased, so has the main predator, the leopard. Being incredibly elusive animals, leopards are rarely seen although tracks and scats are often found. The shaggy coated bear monkey (montane race of the purple-faced leaf monkey) is often seen within the forested areas.

Horton Plains is one of the few known locations where elusive highland endemics such as the Sri Lanka whistling thrush and Sri Lanka bush warbler can be found. Other sightings could include black eagle, mountain hawk-eagle, Jerdon’s baza, Sri Lanka scimitar babbler, forest wagtail, dark-fronted babbler, Sri Lanka thrush and many more.

HAKGALA “JAW ROCK” BOTANIC GARDENS

The Hakgala Botanic Gardens were originally established in 1861 as a cinchona plantation. Cinchona is better known as quinine, a vital malaria medicine and a critical ingredient for the colonists’ indispensable gin-and-tonics. It was converted into a botanic garden in 1884, and today is home to many mature exotic trees and plants from around the world. The roses and orchids growing here are a particular highlight.

The name “Jaw Rock” comes from a legend that holds that Hanuman, the monkey god, was sent to the Himalayas to find a particular medicinal herb. He forgot which herb he was looking for and decided to bring a chunk of the Himalayas back in his jaw, hoping the herb was growing on it. The Hakgala Botanic Gardens are growing upon that very rock.

YALA NATIONAL PARK

Yala National Park, located in the southeast corner of Sri Lanka, is the country’s most popular park. Initially designated a sanctuary in the year 1900, it is best known for larger animals including leopard, sloth bear, Asian elephant, spotted deer, jackal and mugger crocodile. Leopards are the star attraction here. Although leopards are, by nature, elusive, Yala is believed to have one of the highest concentrations of these big cats in the world.

The formal name is Ruhuna National Park. It covers 979 square miles and is connected by fragmented corridors to Kumana National Park in the east and Lunugamwera National Park to the northwest. These parks are connected via corridors to Uda Walawe National Park to the west, and Gal Oya National Park to the north. All of these protected areas fall within the Dry Zone.

Yala has remnants of buildings, fortifications and irrigations projects dating back to the 5th century B.C. One of the old stupas in the park is the Magul Vihara built in 87 B.C., and the Akasha Chaitya is a dominant feature that was probably built in the 2nd century B.C. The ancient hilltop stupa of Situpahuwa falls just inside the western boundary of the park and continues to attract large numbers of pilgrims. The Rahuna Kingdom documented in the Mahayamsa, the ancient chronicle of Sri Lanka, probably started here in the 2nd century B.C., and continued as a predominantly agriculture-based kingdom until it declined in the 15th century.

It is an excellent destination for birders, with close to 300 avian species recorded; Indian peafowl and Sri Lanka jungle fowl, changeable hawk eagle, painted stork, malabar-pied hornbills, chestnut, green and blue-tailed bee-eaters are among the species seen regularly in Yala.

BUNDALA NATIONAL PARK

This coastal national park is an important wintering stopover for migrating water birds, and is Sri Lanka’s first Ramsar site, a designation for wetlands that are internationally important for waterfowl. It is also a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The five protected lagoons, three of which include salt pans, draw thousands of greater flamingos each year in addition to approximately 100 other water bird species. The total bird list for this national park includes nearly 200 species. She shoreline of the park is also a critical breeding habitat for five species of globally endangered sea turtles.

In addition to the birds, there are 32 species of mammals and 48 species of reptiles, including both mugger and saltwater crocodiles. However, the mammals here are difficult to see, and we will have better chances for viewing leopards, elephants and antelopes during our time at Yala National Park.

MIRISSA

In the last ten years, Mirissa has become the country’s leading center for whale watching, and we will board our chartered vessel here to search for blue whales. The continental shelf is less than 5 miles from the coast, so the whales come close inshore. Blue whales are resident in these waters and can be seen on most mornings between early December and March. Sperm whales are also seen with increasing frequency, occasionally in super pods of 20 or more whales. Spinner dolphins, orcas and Bryde’s whales are also seen intermittently.

GALLE FORT

Local legend suggests that King Solomon traded with the town of Galle during Biblical times. Whether or not that is true, it is certain that pre-Islamic Arab traders came here for the world’s best cinnamon (it has been found in Egyptian tombs and used in the mummification process), peacocks and ivory. Chinese fleets also called into Galle and the wonderful Maritime Museum has a stone pillar carved in three languages marking the visit of a Chinese Admiral in 1409 A.D.

For a while Galle was known as Gimhathiththa, a bit of a tongue-twister of a name. It was the main port on the island long before the arrival of the Portuguese in the 16th century and the building of Santa Cruz Fort in 1589. The Dutch took control in 1640, but as Napoleon took control of the Netherlands, the British acquired Dutch possessions in Asia in 1796. It maintained its prominence as a port until the 1880s when a 4,000-foot-long breakwater was built in Colombo. At that point trade moved up the west coast, and Galle became a sleepy town with great character.

The Galle Fort is the final UNESCO World Heritage Site we visit on this trip. Entry to the fort today is past one of the world’s smallest international cricket grounds, and then through the Fort Gate enlarged by the British in 1873. The Maritime History Museum in an old Dutch East Indian Company warehouse is one of the highlights, full of fascinating artefacts from Galle’s long history.

COLOMBO

Unlike many of the places we visit, Colombo is not obviously an old city.

A few miles east of Colombo, and now the site of Sri Lanka’s new capital, is Kotte–a major Sinhala kingdom between the 14th and 16th centuries. The Portuguese built a fort on the coast in 1518, and subsequently defeated both Kotte and Kelaniya. This is the core of what became the modern city of Colombo.

Colombo became the capital after the British engineered a peaceful takeover of the country in 1796, and civil infrastructure was developed. The traditional trading area, known as the Pettah, was outside the fort walls, but as the colonial rulers became more confident the walls came down and the Fort became the center of government and commerce. It remains so to this day and the area is experiencing a flush of gentrification, with many old buildings being turned into boutique hotels, coffee shops, restaurants and tearooms.

Know Before You Go