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Best Things to Do
Popular Best Things to Do in Dambulla [2025]
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Sigiriya Lion Rock
4.8
/5
546 reviews
6.9
16.6 km from downtown
Phone +94-72-1773006
Address: Sigiriya, Sri Lanka
Recommended sightseeing time: 2-3 hours
Highlights:
City views & endless jungle vistas
360° observation deck & cityscape
175 positive reviewsRecently viewed by 1,000+ people
Verified User Reviews
if at all possible hike both this one as well as the other mountain across so you get to see the rock palace from afar. i do suggest getting acquainted with the historical context by doing the museum outside as well. this one and Dambullah cave shd fit nicely into a one day plan. the only snag is that monkeys on top of the palace will snatch food just be mindful of that. they do enforce rules so when they say no pictures no drones they do mean it please try to be respectful
Sigiriya is an awe-inspiring historical site, offering breathtaking views and a fascinating climb to the top. The ancient rock fortress, with its well-preserved frescoes and ruins, makes for a truly unforgettable experience. A must-visit for history and nature lovers like!
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Dambulla Royal Cave Temple and Golden Temple
4.7
/5
191 reviews
5.6
Based on 5,875 reviews
249m from downtown
Phone +94 662 283 605
Address: Kandy - Jaffna Hwy, Dambulla, Sri Lanka
Recommended sightseeing time: 3-5 hours
Highlights:
See the 46-foot reclining Buddha
Giant Buddha & 49 feet
30% positive reviews
Verified User Reviews
While Dambulla Cave Temple has historical significance and some impressive Buddha statues, it didn’t feel particularly remarkable. The cave interiors are interesting, but compared to other cultural sites in Sri Lanka, it may not stand out. It’s an okay visit if you’re in the area, but not a must-see.
The Dambulla Caves, a world cultural heritage, is the largest, most famous and best-preserved cave temple in Sri Lanka.
A half-day tour of the caves was arranged, and 4 impressions are still fresh in my memory.
1. The antiquity of the caves. The Dambulla Caves were built in 89 BC (some say 1st-2nd century AD), earlier than the Mogao Caves built in 366 AD in my country. After more than a thousand years of unremitting efforts, a spectacular pattern of 5 caves connected to each other was formed between the rock walls on the hillside of the giant stone (186 meters high).
2. The beauty of the statues. The 2,100 square meters of murals and 157 Buddha statues in the caves are all treasures of Buddhist art.
The most beautiful murals. The Buddha murals in Cave No. 2-Great King Cave, from the cave ceiling to the cave wall, are completed in one go, and are magnificent.
The most beautiful statues. The 14-meter-long reclining Buddha in Cave No. 1-Heavenly King Cave is huge in size, peaceful in expression, and graceful in lines.
3. Fun of monkeys. It takes more than 20 minutes to walk up the mountain road with more than 400 steps from the foot of the mountain to the cave.
All the way up, the view is wide, the air is fresh, and monkeys can be seen everywhere in groups, playing, being coy, or exercising, which are very cute. The locals told us: the reason for depositing shoes is not to prevent people from stealing, but to prevent monkeys from snatching them.
4. Pain in feet. You can only enter the cave after taking off your shoes to show your piety. The hot sand and the stones hurt your feet. My feet hurt so much... No one ever reminded me to wear thick socks.
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