Joanna James
Dambulla is at the crossroads connecting the cultural north of the country to the central mountains. It is also a hub for vegetable wholesale markets. People come to Dambulla from all around the country and making it your base camp opens up the whole of the Cultural Triangle to you.
The first place to visit would obviously be the Dambulla Cave Temples. Located overlooking the dusty main street, these temples are situated at the top of a rocky incline. Each of the five temples attributes to five different eras in the ancient kingdoms of Sri Lanka and are an education in the art styles of the various kingdoms. The caves are open from 7 am to 7 pm with ticket counters closing at 5 pm. Be warned that there is quite a bit of a climb.
If you are staying at a local resort the likes of the famous Heritance Kandalama, visiting both Dambulla and Sigiriya will be a cinch. Another UNESCO World Heritage Site and possibly Sri Lanka's most iconic, Sigiriya is only 17km from Dambulla. The reserve is open from 7 am to 7 pm and makes for a dizzying climb that is thankfully well paved. You will see much on your way up to the palace in the sky including spectacular water gardens and boulder gardens, caves with inscriptions and paintings, the famous Sigiriya frescos, the Mirror Wall and finally the grand lion-like entrance to the fortress. Spend a whole day exploring the fortress and its epic views and head down to Pidurangala next.
From any Dambulla resort, it is almost less than an hour's drive to Minneriya National Park. One of the largest parks with the highest density of Asian elephants, a safari to the park is likely to bring you within close quarters to the gentle giants. Especially during the dry season which falls from June to September, the promise of water at the Minneriya tank attracts many elephants who congregate together and can easily be observed from a vantage point. Be sure not to get too close and disturb them.
At the Dambulla Cave Temples, you can also visit the International Buddhist Museum. Constructed by a joint operation of Sri Lankans and Japanese, it is easy to find the museum as it rests below the feet of a golden Buddha statue that is said to be the largest of its kind in Asia. There are walls of art and a small museum within which you could explore either before you climb up to the caves or after.
As mentioned above, Pidurangala Rock is located right beside Sigiriya and is a gently sloping hill from which you can get spectacular views of Sigiriya. Pidurangala is also home to an ancient temple and many legends are surrounding the hill, including one that it is the alleged resting place of King Kashyapa who built the massive fortress of Sigiriya.
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