Sri Lanka, situated in South Asia in the Indian Ocean and it’s a place of unequal beauty and originality. With plenty of stunning beaches with light sands and shallow waters, Sri Lanka have much more to offer beyond the salty waters.

Sri Lanka is best known due to its beautiful beaches and ancient Buddhist ruins but what are the top five attractions that everyone must visit when going to this beautiful country? Let’s check below.

As always, when visiting a place, make sure you have all the visas and permits and you are informed about laws and rules so you can avoid some inconveniences. Also, always remember to respect the nature, community and costumes.

Sigiriya

Sigiriya is located near Dambulla and consists of an ancient rock fortress with nearly 200 metres high and it was declared by UNESCO as the 8^th Wonder of the World. This rock was formed by lava from an extinct volcano. On the top of this rock formation, lays ruins from a palace that it’s believed to have belonged to King Ravana. Sigiriya is surrounded by the remains of old gardens and reservoirs what makes this place even more magical. 

Yala National Park

Yala National Park covers an area of nearly 130.000 hectares of land and it’s mostly known for the rich and diverse wildlife and landscapes. Within its lagoons, forest and grassland, it is possible to see elephants, crocodiles, leopards and 215 different birds species. Yala National Park was, back in 1900, designated a wildlife sanctuary after being used as a hunting ground. Safaris within this park are available 11 months thought the year but it’s recommended to go between February and June as it’s when it’s easier to spot the animals.

Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic

Situated in the city of Kandy, The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is part of the UNESCO World Heritage sites and it’s sitting within the royal palace complex. The name and fame come from its history, due to housing a tooth that is believed to have belonged to Buddha himself making this site one of the Buddhist most sacred places on earth. Another fantastic detail is that the tooth, its kept enshrined in 7 golden caskets and can only be seen, briefly during a couple of hours per day.

Dambulla Royal Cave Temple

Also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla, the Dambulla Royal Cave Temple, is a cave temple complex and it has been considered a World Heritage Site since 1991. This temple consists of over 80 caves but the major attractions are spread over 5 major caves. The 5 major caves contain 153 Buddha statues, 4 statues of goddesses and gods and even 3 statues of Sri Lanka kings.  On the walls, over 21000 square metres of painted murals can be observed. This is definitely a unique place and a must to visit.

Adam’s Peak

The Adam’s Peak or Sri Pada is located in central Sri Lanka and consists in 2.243 mountain and it’s Buddhism’s most sacred mountain. The journey to the peak it’s done by climbing 5500 stairs and it will take around 5 to 7 hours and usually starts in the middles of the night in order to reach the peak in the time of the stunning sunrise. Adam’s Peak is surrounded by a vast and incredibly dense forest, full of giant trees and rare orchids. This mountain is believed to be connected with Adam and Eve and the Paradise story.