Dambulla – Sri Lanka

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”

On our journey from Negombo to Sigiriya, we visited the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage (see report) and then continued on to Dambulla. The town is located in Sri Lanka’s Central Province, 148 km northeast of Colombo and 72 km north of Kandy, with a population of around 65,000. (Source: Wikipedia)

Dambulla is renowned for its beautiful cave temples and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. Our driver, Newton, drops us off at the foot of numerous staircases. After about 15 minutes of climbing—and making acquaintance with several playful monkeys—we reach the entrance to the cave temples.

There are a total of five caves, located in a 160-meter-high granite rock. At the entrance, we must remove our shoes, which are safely stored for 25 LKR per person. Inside, we admire the famous paintings covering the walls and ceilings, and are awed by the 56 Buddha statues. In addition, the site rewards visitors with a stunning panoramic view.

Tip: Don’t forget to buy your tickets at the bottom before climbing.