Must Visit Places in Sri Lanka (2021

 

formerly known as ceylon and referred to as the  pearl of the indian ocean this tropical island  

no doubt caters to the interests of many  tourists from around the world sri lanka  

is home to an enormous number of world-class  attractions this could mainly be attributed to  

its rich biodiversity and the historical backdrop  that spans over 2 500 years from white sandy  

beaches on the eastern coastline to lush green  tea estates in the central hills and world-class  

archaeological sites like sigiriya this paradise  of an island would be your ideal getaway here are  

10 must-see places that you should definitely  visit on your tour of this beautiful country  

number one the sigiriya rock fortress this rock  fortress allegedly built by king khashopper in the  

5th century towers over the surrounding forests at  nearly 200 meters tourists are expected to climb  

the rock on steep stairways that lead them to the  ruins of an old palace and monastery at the top  

about halfway into your climb is  the iconic lions poor entrance  

the west face houses beautiful frescoes that  largely contributed towards sigiriya being listed  

as a unesco world heritage site sigiriya is also  considered to have some of the first landscape  

gardens in the world building something of this  magnitude during the time would have taken true  

engineering ingenuity and it's no wonder why it  is one of the top tourist attractions in sri lanka  

number two mirissa mirisa is a small beach town  located about 150 kilometers south of colombo  

particularly famous for its night life in  addition to the palm lake beaches chic restaurants  

and clubs miraca is also renowned as a whale  watching hotspot with daily mid-sea excursions  

being made via licensed operators coconut tree  hill considered to be one of the most instagrammed  

places in sri lanka is a famous vantage point  not to be missed when in marisa if you are a  

beach person make sure you visit mirissa the next  time you are in sri lanka number three unawatuna  

unawatuna is famous for its shallow swimmable  waters among tourists and locals alike  

located off the south coast of sri lanka  

this beach town with its laid-back atmosphere  would be the perfect place to unwind  

various kinds of colorful fish and turtles are  a common sight in these waters so if you're in  

the mood for some action spots for scuba diving  and snorkeling are not far lodging and food will  

never be a problem with the numerous hotels  and restaurants that line the pristine beach

number 4 the yala national park if you are  craving to spot a leopard in its natural habitat  

then there is no better place to  visit than the yala national park  

which is considered to have one of the  highest densities of leopards in the world

in addition to this wild elephants sloth  bears and crocodiles are common sightings  

within the park premises located deep into the  south of sri lanka this park is encompassed by  

varying ecosystems ranging from sandy beaches  and grasslands to marshes and monsoon forests  

outside of africa yala is considered one of the  best safari destinations by many travel lovers

number five nuerellia new aurelia should  be right up there in the list of places  

to include in your sri lanka itinerary also known  as little england and located in central sri lanka  

nurelia is famous for its tea plantations which  cover a major part of the central highlands  

gregory's lake is the most prominent attraction  located close to the city center where you can  

engage in many water-based activities if you  are looking for a more refined and exclusive  

experience head over to the grand hotel a luxury  colonial hotel famous for its architecture  

and historical background february to may  is generally considered to be the best  

months to visit this beautiful hilltown  when flora and fauna are in full bloom

number six the ancient city of anuradhapura  the first administrative capital of sri lanka  

on radhapura is a must visit for the history  buffs out there the scattered ruins of this  

ancient city consists of monasteries  palaces pavilions and bathing ponds  

considered to be true architectural masterpieces  of a bygone civilization anuradhapura is also home  

to the jayasri mahabodhi which is said to be the  southern branch of the famous fig tree in india  

under which kautam siddhartha attained  enlightenment the rwand valisaya and abhigiri  

stupas are also considered must visits due to the  sheer size of the structures abahigiri was once  

upon a time considered to be the second tallest  structure in the world after the pyramids in giza  

number seven the infamous town  of ella this beautiful town  

located about 200 kilometers east of colombo is  undoubtedly the most popular among backpackers

eller is surrounded by hills  sprawling with endemic fauna and flora  

the alder rock is the most famous vantage point  in the area mainly due to the spectacular sunrise  

shots with a breathtaking view of mountains and  valleys stretching for miles in the backdrop  

the nine arch bridge known to be an  engineering marvel at the time of construction  

is yet another tourist attraction  frequented by locals and tourists alike  

the town center has a decent mix of  upscale and budget hotels for lodging  

while airbnbs rented out by locals  are the favorite among backpackers  

without a visit to elner you cannot claim to  have witnessed the beauty that sri lanka boasts

number eight the ancient city of  poland following a chola invasion  

in the 11th century polonaru was once  the administrative capital of sri lanka  

the town is famously known for its archaeological  parks consisting of withering temples stupas  

and a palace reminiscing of a glorious past  among these ruins the vatadagi and galvihara  

are must visits as these sites are a testament to  the high standards of singhali sculptures back in  

the day other notable attractions include the  archaeological museum and the parakram samudra  

a large reservoir lake considered a masterpiece  among ancient hydraulic management systems

number nine the gall fort the gulf fort is a  designated unesco world heritage site located  

in southern sri lanka the basic fort was  first constructed on the rocky peninsula  

by the portuguese in the 16th century following  invasions it was later fortified by the dutch  

it's a perfect representation of the  combination of european and asian architecture  

despite being over four centuries old the  fort seems to be in impeccable condition  

thanks largely to the amazing reconstruction  work undertaken by the archaeological department  

of sri lanka come present day the cobbled  pathways inside the fort are lined with  

posh restaurants souvenirs and boutique  shops the call national museum and lighthouse  

are attractions that should not be missed  during your visit to this amazing place  

number 10. the dabular cave temple yet another  unesco world heritage site this buddhist temple  

is considered to be sacred with devotees making  the pilgrimage from all parts of sri lanka  

also referred to as the golden temple this  complex consists of five main caves built under  

an overhanging rock of a height of nearly 150  meters the caves are filled with majestic murals  

and statues of kauthama buddha while most agree  that it's nothing short of a sight to behold and  

observe take note to wear light-colored attire  covering your legs and shoulders if and when you  

are visiting in all fairness to sri lanka  and the many people that love to visit it  

cannot be contained in just 10 places this tiny  island is spread with the richest experiences  

a traveler can have it has something for everyone  sri lanka in all fairness is a revelotion.