Sunkissed in Sri Lanka (Part 4): Sights and Heights of Sigiriya and Dambulla!

- April 16, 2025, Wednesday.

- The image of a palace on a giant mountain-like rock feels like something that only appears in fairytales. However, Sri Lanka has a wonder like this, or at least "had". The Sigiriya Rock Fortress is one of Sri Lanka's icons, and it partly the reason why I've been meaning to go to Sri Lanka. What today remains the ruins of gardens, and the palace itself was once a majestic palace on the rock, with a city surrounding it.

- My trip to Sigiriya from Kandy was organized by Oneworld Tours Sri Lanka; I found the tour via TripAdvisor. My chauffeur Janaka picked me up at the hotel and on we went to a comfortable 2-hour drive to Sigiriya. Upon arriving, I had to buy my ticket before exploring the archeological grounds. 

Remnants of the water garden.

Also part of his water garden.

I cannot believe I am seeing rock fortress after so many years.

Wearing my best Sri Lankan saram (sarong).

I have a thing of ancient historical rocks. I was also fascinated with Uluru (Ayer's Rock) in Australia.

- The climb to the top takes anywhere from an hour or more depending on your pace and fitness, the weather, and the crowd. Visitors need to climb up a thousand steps or so, but with some flat parts in between the climb. Nearing the top might be anxiety-inducing for those with acrophobia (or fear of heights) because the steel stairs are built around the rock with a full view of the jungle around the rock. 

Enter the rock arch.

Saw this big white Buddha statue from maybe a third up the stairs.

I promise it's just the angle, it's not as scary as it looks.

Part of the ancient citadel.

- The palace was built by King Kashyapa in the 5th century both for his residence and as a pleasure palace. It is said that he built the palace high up because his step-brother Moggallana will come and attack him. Kashyapa actually usurped the throne from Moggallana after killing their father, Dhatusena. Eventually, when Moggallana sought revenge and Kashyapa died, the palace was converted to a Buddhist monastery. Unfortunately, the palace/monastery fell into disuse after the 14th century when the Sri Lankans moved to the island's southwest for political and economic reasons, where Colombo is today.

This was already....halfway(??)....up the rock.

One of the two paws left from what was supposed to be a giant lion (Sigirya means "Lion's Rock", and was called as such because of the giant lion that once stood here).

Pidurangala mountain, where at the peak you can see Sigiriya.

Monkeys.

What's left of the palace on top of the rock.

Other pools/ponds left.

The Knuckles Mountain Range seen from Sigiriya's peak.

The walkway/pleasure palace as seen from the peak.

It was a challenge bringing materials up the peak as this was a rock, not a mountain. It would have been difficult to climb up in the first place.

The other paw.

This was called the Mirror Wall because it used to be so polished, like a mirror. This was also the path going to the Buddhist cave paintings (photos not allowed.)

Painting from the Cobra Hood Cave (photos at this area were allowed, but the paintings were hardly there already.)

- Although fried by the sun, I made it back to flat ground in one piece. Janaka took me to Dambulu Kitchen for lunch so I can "refuel" myself and get a bit of rest. It was an amazing buffet - Sri Lankan food with many vegetable dishes - with an even more amazing price!

This buffet was just heavenly.

See all the colorful Sri Lankan curries!!

- For the afternoon, I was all set for another hike (I didn't really have a choice as it was part of the tour and I didn't want to miss it). Before the hike to the Dambulla Cave Temple, I had a brief photo stop at the Golden Buddha Temple at the base of the cave temple. Unfortunately I didn't have time to explore the three-story museum. This temple was built in the late 1990s.

At the Golden Buddha Temple, but the Buddha is currently being restored.

There was also a golden stupa at the entrance.

- Although the Dambulla Cave Temple can be accessed by climbing a path from the golden temple, it has a second more accessible entrance at the base of the mountain with stairs that go directly up the rock to the temple. There were some rest stops along the way, so it was easier to pace myself.

- The Dambulla Cave Temple has been a Buddhist temple since the 1st century BCE. It has five caves, each with ornate paintings and statues of the Buddha. The white terrace outside the caves were built in the 1930s to further protect the caves from natural causes such as heat and rain. 

Another monkey.

I might be smiling but it was so painful walking on hot tiles.

Really had to be quick with this photo. But please appreciate how nice the temple looks.

Five caves of varying sizes.

- The biggest challenge of the visit was having to walk barefoot once I reached the top. The rock was exposed to the sun and it was difficult to walk as I felt my feet were being cooked (think of meat on a sizzling plate!) But I was able to see the beauty and serenity of each cave. I still cannot believe how people were able to do such incredible work before advanced technology was present. Painting and putting big carvings to many Buddhas inside the cave are not easy, even today!

Reclining Buddha.

My favorite cave. I felt calmest here, maybe because of the size of the cave as well as the nice ceiling paintings.

Rows of Buddhas.

Statues of the gods Saman and Vishnu.

- Visiting the cave temple did not need too much time, and I went back to the car to refresh and rest before visiting the Royal 100 Spice and Herbal Garden. This is one of the many famed spice gardens in Sri Lanka, and is the perfect place to learn more about how spices look like, their uses, and to buy naturally-made products from herbs and spices such as shampoos, soaps, lotions, sprays, perfumes, and other items.

My guide showing me cardamom plants.

They gave me complimentary cinnamon tea.

So this is what citronella looks like!

This is a medicinal pineapple, and it's a lot smaller than the typical sweet pineapples used for desserts.

How to make curry powder from various natural spices!

Showing me various products made from the herbs and spices in the garden.

- Finally, I visited the Sri Muthumariamman Temple at Matale. Built in 1874, not only is it historical, but it also boasts its gopuram, or tower, which is one of the tallest in Sri Lanka. It is also admired for its colorful appearance.

The temple's towering gopuram.

At the temple.

Colorful interior!

That's an unusual looking elephant creature!

Back gate.

Close up of the gopuram.

Above the doorway.

- After my tour concluded once I finished going around the temple, I was driven back to my hotel. After which, I spent some time going around the downtown before having dinner delivered to my hotel. I was so happy that I was finally able to visit Sigiriya at the cost of being a lot more sunburned and having tired legs from all the climbing. Sigiriya might be Sri Lanka's most recognizable landmark, but other landmarks in Sri Lanka have also been gaining much attention especially due to social media. One such place is my next destination, Ella! 

** Check out my other Sri Lanka adventures here!

Part 1: Colombo Fort, Pettah Market, Lotus Tower, Galle Face Green - here

Part 2: Kandy, Ambulawawa Tower, Three Temple Loop - here 

Part 3: Kandy, Sacred Tooth Relic, Central Market, Sri Maha Bodhi Viharaya, Kandy Lake Club - here 

Part 5: Nuwara Eliya, Nanu Oya, Ella - here

Part 6: Kandy, Bogambara Prison Park and Train to Colombo - here

Part 7: Colombo, Gangaramaya Temple, Independence Memorial Hall, National Museum - here

Sunkissed in Sri Lanka (Part 3): Kandy's Sacred Tooth and More!

- April 15, 2025, Tuesday.

- As one of the most important historical cities of Sri Lanka, Kandy is surely home to many national treasures. One driving force that brings people to Kandy is the Buddha's tooth relic housed in the Sri Dalada Maligawa Temple, also known as the Temple of the Tooth Relic.

- The temple was built in 1595 and is one of the most important Buddhist temples in the whole world today. The tooth relic was said to be brought to Sri Lanka after Siddhartha Gautama's passing. It is also one of the few temples in the world that claim to have Buddha's tooth.

Queen's Hotel. One of Sri Lanka's oldest hotels, it was built originally as a residence for the Kandyan king, before being converted to a hotel in 1869. It is located across the Temple of the Tooth Relic. 

At the temple. Most devotees wear white, so while there is no strict dress code (apart from nor wearing revealing or improper clothing), wearing white is most advisable.

There were already devotees flocking the temple, so it was nearly impossible to get photos without people in the background (but you can actually see part of the crowd at the back, entering the temple.)

- I got to the temple up and early in order to beat the crowds. While there were already some devotees in the temple, most of the tourists had yet to arrive. I also chose the perfect day to visit the temple. I visited a day or two before the Exposition of the Tooth Relic Celebration. The city was preparing for a massive crowd in the coming days, with devotees all over Sri Lanka and abroad; on these days, the tooth relic will be open to the public the whole day. Normally, just like the day I went, the tooth relic is only open to the public twice a day for one hour each, during the designated viewing times. Then, the tooth relic will be kept away from public eyes until the next viewing schedule.    

Shrine at the temple's ground floor.

Tooth relic shrine at the second floor before opening.

A glimpse of the tooth relic (I was not allowed to take photos up close). The tooth is inside that gold thing.

- Within the temple grounds, there are also many things to see and do, such as visiting the Sri Dalada Maligawa Museum (photos not allowed), the Raja Museum, the audience hall, the old palace (which is not a small history museum), and the International Buddhist Museum across the temple.

Audience Hall.

Pillars of the Audience Hall.

Raja Museum. This is the now-stuffed elephant named Raja. He was the carrier of the relic casket since it was donated to the temple in 1937 until its death in 1988.

Inside the old palace which is now a small history museum. This one shows the Kandyan king on the throne. 

Outside the International Buddhist Museum. (Photos not allowed inside). The museum is a comprehensive guide to Buddhist cultures all around the world.

Entrance to the International Buddhist Museum.

Queen's Bathing Pool just across the temple.

The actual pool (which obviously isn't used anymore.)

- Within the vicinity is also the Kandy National Museum. Although opened in 1942, the building that houses the museum used to be part of the Kandyan royal palace, particularly, the harem. Today, the small museum shows various artifacts on the royal heritage of Kandy.

Various Kandyan attires.

Royal.

Kandyan dance.

The museum.

- After my whole morning at the temple grounds, I had brunch at the Mlesna Tea Centre Restaurant. It is a Sri Lankan tea brand that started in 1983. In Kandy, this particular restaurant is in the downtown area. It has an old British feel, and has local and international food. I had a lovely brunch there especially with their signature Ceylonese black tea.

I was the only person there.

I had Sri Lankan a samosa (which has a softer wrapping than Indian samosas), then I had sambol (coconut relish) and egg sandwiches, and black tea. 

I had an eclair for dessert too.

This is what it looks like outside.

- I freshened up a bit at the hotel before going to the Kandy Municipal Central Market. It opened in 1959 and is the perfect place to find both wet and dry goods. There are also many souvenir shops at the second level. The ground level has tea and spice shops which may also carry souvenir items. However, because of the holidays, only a handful of stores were open. Be sure to haggle well too! 

Saw this at one of the underground passes. I wasn't sure what this elephant-octopus is supposed to be.

Central market.

Market from the inside.

- Later that afternoon I rode a tuktuk to the Sri Maha Bodhi Viharaya temple. It is one of the most recognizable landmarks because the large white Buddha on the hill can be seen from the town. It was consecrated in 1972, but only finished in 1993.

It was nearly impossible to have this without people as there were some tourists around.

Looking at this white Buddha statue brings some kind of peace to one's mind.

Another temple, another bodhi tree.

View of Kandy Lake from the hills.

- My last agenda for the day was to go to the other side of Kandy Lake to visit the Kandy Lake Club. I hailed a tuktuk that took me from the hill and around the lake. I was actually in a hurry to catch my cultural performance show. Because of traffic, and the fact that I had to hail a second tuktuk because my first tuktuk suddenly decided he couldn't take me, I thought I was going to be late. Thankfully I also had a reserved seat which I bought from their website (click here). 

- The Kandy Lake Club started in 1982 and performs Sri Lankan dances daily.  The dances range from classical to folk forms. The whole performance lasts around an hour.

Puja natuma - invocation dance.

Devol natuma - dance for healing and warding off evil.

Mayura natuma - the peacock dance; a personal favorite.

Raksha natuma - raksha mask dance, particularly ones depicting a cobra and a bird.

Rabana natuma - the hand drum or the rabana is not just played but also used for particular stunts.

Gini natuma - fire dance.

Ves natuma - Kandy's most iconic dance form with men wearing the traditional Kandyan outfit.

Fire walking.

The Kandy Lake Club's choreographer.

- Going back to the hotel was also a bit of an adventure because no car or tuktuk would pick me up from the Kandy Lake Club as it is a bit off way. The Kandy Lake Club had a tuktuk that brought me downhill to the main street, and helped me hail a proper tuktuk there. Thankfully the tuktuk we found was familiar with my hotel and asked for a price that wasn't too far off from what I would've been charged via the PickMe App.

- Because I was quite tired from my (mis)adventures for the day, I just decided to have dinner at the hotel's roof deck restaurant. Though I covered much of Kandy, the real adventure was just beginning. I had to make sure that I had enough rest for one of the most challenging days of my week in Sri Lanka: hiking up Sigiriya and the Dambulla Caver Temple!

** Check out my other Sri Lanka adventures here!

Part 1: Colombo Fort, Pettah Market, Lotus Tower, Galle Face Green - here

Part 2: Kandy, Ambulawawa Tower, Three Temple Loop - here 

Part 4: Sigiriya and Dambulla Cave Temple - here

Part 5: Nuwara Eliya, Nanu Oya, Ella - here

Part 6: Kandy, Bogambara Prison Park and Train to Colombo - here

Part 7: Colombo, Gangaramaya Temple, Independence Memorial Hall, National Museum - here