| Id |
Location Id |
Thinkstodocategory Id |
Title |
Name |
Decsription |
Duration Hours |
Suitable Time |
Good For |
Difficulty |
Clothing |
Equipments |
Numberofparticipants |
Importanttoknow |
Approximatecost |
Remarks |
Showforpublic |
Image |
Created |
Actions |
| 309 |
49 |
40 |
Dambulla cave temple, World heritage site |
Dambulla cave temple, World heritage site |
<ul>Dambulla cave temple, a world heritage site, (also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla) is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. Dambulla cave temple is on a vast isolated rock mass towering 160 m. It was built by King Valagambahu in the 1st century BC and renovated in the 12th and 18th centuries AD by King Nissankamalla and King Kirti Sri Rajasinha.<br>
<br>There are about 80 documented caves around the temple area. The cave temple is spread over 5 caves. The ceiling of those caves decorated with colourful paintings. Dambulla cave temple has the largest collection of over 150 Buddha statues within one place.<br>
<br>The first cave is highlighted with a 14 m Buddha statue. The second cave, the largest contains 40 seated and 16 standing Buddha statues, statues of gods Saman and Vishnu, statues of Bodhisattvas Avalokiteshvara and Maitreya, and a dagoba. The ceiling of the cave is decorated with one large sweep of colourful paintings depicted scenes of Buddha’s life.<br>
<br>The third cave contains masterpieces of the Kandy style ceiling and wall paintings depicted Buddhist traditions and tales of the Buddha’s previous birth. There are 50 Buddha statues and 4 statues of the Sri Lankan King in this cave. The fourth and fifth caves are small.
</ul> |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
B.jpg |
12/20/19, 11:43 PM |
View Edit Delete |
| 274 |
27 |
44 |
Sigiriya Museum |
Sigiriya Museum |
<ul>Sigiriya museum, one of its kind in Sri Lanka is an exciting, stimulating, and intellectual place to visit. There are 3 levels in the museum, to parallel the climb to the summit of the Rock. Level one is the Proto-historic gallery. The artifacts belong to that period exhibits there. The second gallery represents the Buddhist monastic period with artifacts of that time. Story of King Kasyapa exhibits in the third level. </ul> |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
SIGIRI-MUSEUM---B.jpg |
11/16/19, 2:06 AM |
View Edit Delete |
| 275 |
27 |
4 |
Pidurangala rock |
Pidurangala rock |
<ul>Pidurangala rock is the best viewing spot of Sigiriya located adjacent to the Sigiriya rock. During the sunrise or sunset, a panoramic 360-degree view of valleys around Pidurangala rock including Sigiriya would be an absorbing scenery.<br>
<br>It is said that Pidurangala was a cave monastery during king Kasyapa’s period where he has transferred the monks in the Sigiriya monastery to Pidutangala monastery to build his citadel in Sigiriya.<br>
<br>Halfway through the hike to Pidurangala rock, you will find the Pidurangala temple where a huge reclining Buddha, lays inside.
</ul> |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
B.jpg |
11/16/19, 3:02 AM |
View Edit Delete |
| 296 |
41 |
9 |
Nilaveli beach |
Nilaveli beach |
<ul>Nilaveli beach is one of the best in Sri Lanka undoubtedly. It is a quiet and relaxed beach located 16 km north of Trincomalee. White sandy beach with gentle surf and plenty of bending palms swaying over is heaven for rest and relaxation. From the Nilaveli beach, about 2 km into the sea Pigeon Island is located. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
B.jpg |
11/30/19, 1:22 AM |
View Edit Delete |
| 125 |
41 |
7 |
Pigeon Island |
Pigeon Island |
<ul>Pigeon Island one of the highly diverse, ecologically important reef habitats in the country. It is located 15 km from Trincomalee and 10 minutes Boat ride. Pigeon Island consists of two islands with rock outcrops, colonized by the rock Pigeons. The islands and the surrounding reef area has given the status of Marine National Park due to their high biodiversity. </ul> |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
B.jpg |
2/14/19, 6:13 AM |
View Edit Delete |
| 126 |
41 |
7 |
Lovers' leap, Swami rock |
Lovers' leap, Swami rock |
<ul>Lovers’ leap or Ravana’s cleft at Swami rock is a rock cleft approximately 106.68 m above sea level. It is a stunning place to be, at sunrise. You can spend hours looking at the lovely ocean ahead.<br>
<br>The colonial period story says that Francina van Reed, a daughter of a Dutch officer was thrown herself into the sea off from this cliff and prompted to suicide because her love affair was broken and the lover sails back to Europe. </ul> |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
B.jpg |
2/14/19, 6:29 AM |
View Edit Delete |
| 128 |
41 |
21 |
Whales watching Trincomalee |
Whales watching Trincomalee |
<ul><p>Trincomalee is an internationally important whale-watching destination. Specially Blue whales and Spinner Dolphins but smaller numbers of sperm whales too. They can be seen regularly around 6 to 8 nautical miles, just 30 minutes boat ride to the east of Trincomalee from April to August. The base of the Kandasamy Kovil is considered to be the greatest vantage point for whale watching in the world.
</p><p><br></p></ul><table class="table table-bordered"><tbody><tr><td><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 13px;"><b>Best Season</b></span><br></td><td><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 13px;">March - April, and August - September</span><br></td></tr><tr><td><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>Tour started at</b></span><br></td><td><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">6.00 am from Nilaveli</span><br></td></tr><tr><td><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 13px;"><b>Tour duration</b></span><br></td><td><p>3 hours<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">3 hours</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 13px;"></span><br></p></td></tr></tbody></table> |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
WHALE---B.jpg |
2/14/19, 6:40 AM |
View Edit Delete |
| 129 |
41 |
23 |
Fort Frederick, Trincomalee |
Fort Frederick, Trincomalee |
<ul>Fort Frederick was first built by the Portuguese in 1624 and then by Dutch in 1665. It was built on Swami rock. Maritime & Naval History Museum is presently located within Fort Frederick. That is displaying Sri Lankan naval history back to Marco Polo's time and information about east coast flora and fauna. </ul> |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
B.jpg |
2/14/19, 6:42 AM |
View Edit Delete |
| 182 |
49 |
44 |
Museum of wall painting |
Museum of wall painting |
<ul>The museum of wall painting is located within the premises of Dambulla cave temple. This is only one such kind of museum in Sri Lanka that displayed how the Sri Lankan cave and wall painting tradition evolved.</ul>.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
B.jpg |
2/16/19, 2:54 PM |
View Edit Delete |
| 203 |
52 |
44 |
Kandy museums |
Kandy museums |
<ul><p>Kandy national museum, Ceylon tea museum, Sri Dalada museum. World Buddhist museum and Tusker "Raja" museum are the museums that you can visit in Kandy. They are depicting the history of Sri Lanka, Buddhist history, and the history of the tea industry in Sri Lanka.<br>
<br><b>Kandy National Museum</b><br>
<br>Kandy National museum is located in front of the Queen’s Hotel Kandy. The museum building called “Palle Vahala” was a part of the former royal palace complex. At that period it was the home for the king’s harem. More than 5,000 artifacts are displayed belongs to the Kandyan era and British colonial era including a copy of the 1815 agreement.<br>
<br><b>Sri Dalada Museum</b><br>
<br>Sri Dalada Museum is located on the first and the second floors of the building called Aluth Maligawa within the Dalada Maligawa complex. The artifacts, historical records, and photographic display are displayed at the museum.<br>
<br><b>Ceylon Tea Museum</b><br>
<br>Ceylon Tea Museum is located at Hantane, 3 km from Kandy. It exhibits old machinery and equipment used in the tea industry in Sri Lanka.
</p><p><br><b>World Buddhist Museum</b><br>
<br>World Buddhist museum is located backside of Dalada Maligawa at the old court building. It is the only place in the world that displayed Buddhist culture and expansion of Buddhism in the world.<br>
<br><b>Tusker "Raja" Museum</b><br>
<br>Tusker “Raja” museum is located side of a Dalada Maligawa and adjoining the royal palace. Tusker Raja has carried a sacred relic casket for more than half a century at the annual Esala Perahera. After his death skin and tusks were preserved and prepared to look like the tusker when alive and displayed at this museum.
</p></ul> |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
B.jpg |
2/17/19, 4:03 AM |
View Edit Delete |
| 205 |
52 |
16 |
Bird watching, Udawatta Kele sanctuary |
Bird watching, Udawatta Kele sanctuary |
<ul>Udawatta Kele sanctuary is a wet evergreen forest that contains a great variety of plant species, especially lianas, shrubs, and small trees covering 104 hectares. Sri Dalada Maligawa has bordered on Udawatta Kele sanctuary. <br>
<br>During the Kandyan period, Udawatta Kele was used as a pleasure garden and the pond in the forest was used for bathing. It was restricted to the royal family only. At present, the pond attracts many species of birds.<br>
<br>Common Kingfisher, Indian three-toed kingfisher, Stork-billed kingfisher, Common hill myna, Brown fish owl, Forest eagle owl, Wood owl, Tickell’s blue flycatcher, Green leaf & large-billed leaf warblers, Brown-capped babbler, Layard’s flycatcher, Paradise flycatcher, Crimson-backed woodpecker, Indian pitta, Yellow-fronted barbet, Ceylon lorikeet are most common birds in the sanctuary. </ul> |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
B.jpg |
2/17/19, 4:15 AM |
View Edit Delete |
| 209 |
52 |
35 |
Temple paintings, Degaldoruwa temple |
Temple paintings, Degaldoruwa temple |
<ul><p>Degaldoruwa is a cave temple, located in Amunugama, 7 km from Kandy. Kandyan era frescoes are famous in this cave temple. The murals in the frescoes are unique. Only the front view of individual people was shown and the people, the trees, and the animals were shown in a uniform size. The trees are painted in a stylized form.</p><p>Read the full article on Degaldoruwa Temple:</p><p><a href="https://www.fantasiatours.com/blogs/view-blog/degaldoruwa-temple-one-site-in-kandy-you-should-not-miss" target="_blank">Degaldoruwa Temple, One site in Kandy you should not miss</a></p><p><br></p><p> </p></ul> |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
B.jpg |
2/17/19, 4:27 AM |
View Edit Delete |
| 324 |
52 |
40 |
The sacred city of Kandy, World heritage site |
The sacred city of Kandy, World heritage site |
<ul>The sacred city of Kandy, a cultural world heritage site was the last capital of the Sri Lankan Sinhalese kingdom. Sri Dalada Maligawa, the temple of the tooth relic of Lord Buddha is the icon of the sacred city of Kandy.<br>
<br>The relics of Lord Buddha were distributed among various kingdoms in India after his cremation. The tooth relic of the left canine of Lord Buddha was given to the Kingdom of Kalinga in Eastern India. During the period of King Guhasiva in the 4th century AD, the Kalinga kingdom has encountered a war with the neighbouring kingdom to get hold of the Tooth relic. King Guhasiva has decided to send all important tooth relics to his friend in Sri Lanka King Kirthi Sri Meghavarna for its safety.<br>
<br>King Kirthi Sri Meghavarna has built a special shrine called “Dalada Maligawa” to kept the Tooth Relic at the Abhayagiri Vihara complex in Anuradhapura. It Kept there from the 4th-century to the 10th century AD until the capital was shifted to Polonnaruwa.<br>
<br>As and when the capital was shifted from Polonnaruwa, Yapahuwa, Dambadeniya, Kurunegala, Gampola, Kotte, Sitawaka, and Kandy, “Dalada Maligawa” has built to kept tooth relic.<br>
<br>In the Kandyan Kingdom, Dalada Maligawa was first built by King Vimaladharmasuriya in the 16th century AD. However, it was no longer exists today. The present Dalada Maligawa with three-story was built by King Weera Parakrama Narendrasinghe during the 18 century.<br>
<br>Sri Dalada Maligawa temple complex consists of the main building that contains the first chamber called “Palle Male” and an upper chamber called “Uda Male” where the tooth relic kept and Pattirippuwa (Octagonal pavilion) and Magulmaduwa (Audience Hall).<br>
<br>Sri Dalada Museum, Archaeological museum located in the old royal palace, World Buddhist museum, and Tusker “Raja” museum also located in the temple complex. Natha Devale, Visnu Devale, Pattini Devale, and Kataragama Devale are located in front of the Dalada Maligawa within the temple complex.</ul> |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
B.jpg |
3/21/20, 5:18 AM |
View Edit Delete |
| 326 |
27 |
40 |
Ancient City of Sigiriya, World heritage site |
Ancient City of Sigiriya, World heritage site |
<ul>Sigiriya was no mere fortress, gloomy and forbidding, as others are. It is one of the best-preserved ancient cities where the layout of the buildings, gardens, and pathways are still clearly evident. It displayed the collective effect of the science of town planning and water management, architecture, construction and landscaping, and arts in the 5th century AD in Sri Lanka.<br>
<br>The name “Sigiriya” literally means “Lion Rock” has a history far beyond the 5th century. Some caves in the base of the rock contained drip-edged inscriptions belongs to the 2nd century BC to 1st century AD describing the donation of those caves to Buddhist monks. History from the 1st to 4th century not clearly mentioned in the ancient chronicles.<br>
<br>However, from 477 to 495 BC, Sigiriya was in its zenith under the kingship of Kashyapa who built it as a well-planned glorious city and citadel and the political hub of Sri Lanka.<br>
<br>If you can imagine the stupendous sight of the rock that was crowned with the palaces, the marble white walls and brazen roofs and jewelled finials reflecting the blinding light of the sun, and the great mural emblazoned on the rock-face carried the maidens it depicts halfway to the clouds as though they were in truth “apsaras”, heavenly damsels, inhabitants of the sky region where the gods dwell in radiant light.<br>
<br>Since King Kashyapa’s reign was ended in 495, Sigiriya becomes a monastery and lasting until the 12th century. From the 13th century capital of the country shifted towards the southwest of the country allowing the whole Rajarata region including Sigiriya become abandoned and swallowed by the forest. Since 16th-century colonial power start arising over the country nobody interested in the Sigiriya.<br>
<br>During the colonial period in 1831, Jonathan Forbes, a Scottish officer heard about Sigiriya and decided to search it with the help of locals. After several attempts, he was able to find the surrounding gardens and the moat at the base of the rock. Finally, two British civil servants A. Y. Adams and J. Bailey were able to reach the top of the Sigiriya rock in 1853.<br>
<br>Under the leadership of H.C.P.Bell, the first Archaeological Commissioner in Ceylon, Systematic archaeological excavations have begun in 1895.<br>
<br><b>The Site</b><br>
<br>Sigiriya city and citadel has a very complex rampart system. The city was laid out in a large square area, walled with a moat in the west and a walled rectangle in the east. At the centre stood the great rock - the citadel. Within the fortifications, terrace upon terrace from wall to citadel’s foot clustered and climbed the dwelling places and ancillary buildings of a city fair as peace. To the south lay further fortified outworks.<br>
<br>At the top of the flat rock upper palace was located. At the middle-level terrace Lion gate, the mirror wall and frescoes located. Lower palaces were located behind the lower gardens, moats, and ramparts at the ground level. At the entrances, there were five gates were placed.<br>
<br>The main areas to explore at present are:<br>
<br><b>The Gardens</b><br>
<br>The Gardens of Sigiriya can be rank among the ancient gardens of the Romans such as the gardens of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The three distinct gardens of water gardens, cave and boulder gardens, and terraced gardens were linked together to form such a unique landscaped gardens in the world. Those are well preserved and can be seen as it is, even today. The most sophisticated hydraulic technologies used in the water garden were unique and most importantly some of them are still working today.<br>
<br>The Macrosystem of the water garden consists of Sigiri Maha Wewa, the man-made lake starting south of the rock, and a series of moats fed from the lake. The microsystem consists of the water control and retaining systems at the summit and horizontal and vertical drains cut into the rock and underground conduits made of cylindrical terracotta pipes at various levels.
The higher level from the water garden is Boulder Garden. Every rock and boulder had buildings of brick and timber. The pathways are winding through natural boulders. This boulder garden has interesting places to explore. Those are;<br>
<br><i><b>Cistern Rock:</b></i> that has a large cistern made of huge slabs of granite.<br>
<i><b>Audience Hall Rock:</b></i> that has a 5 m long throne carved out of the rock.<br>
<i><b>Cobra Hood Cave:</b></i> It is named due to the shape of this boulder and used by the Buddhist monks.<br>
<i><b>Preaching Rock:</b></i> The tiered platforms of this boulder are believed to be used by orating monks.<br>
<br>The Terrace Garden at the base of the rock is fashioned out of the natural hill, made with rubble retaining walls, each terrace running in a concentric circle around the rock, each rising above the other.<br>
<br><b>The Mirror Wall</b><br>
<br>On the way to Lion's Platform, a highly polished plaster wall called Mirror wall can be seen. It is believed that the wall was coated with polished lime, egg white, and honey. It still has a reflective sheen. There are nearly about 1500 items of graffiti on this mirror wall composed by the monks and pilgrims who flocked to Sigiriya from around the country during the 7th to 12th centuries. Those prose or poetry were written on varying subjects such as love, irony, and experiences, and most of them written in Sinhalese, but some are written in Sanskrit and Tamil.<br>
<br><b>Frescos</b><br>
<br>During King Kasyapa’s period, Sigiriya was decorated with hundreds of pictures of graceful female figures and appears to be a gigantic picture gallery. After King Kasyapa’s demise Sigiriya has converted into a monastery again. As a result, most of the paintings were wiped out in order to minimize the distraction for the meditation. However, a total of 21 surviving frescoes are still intact just above the mirror wall, on the way to Lion's Platform.<br>
<br>Though those are classified as the Anuradhapura era paintings, the painting style in Sigiriya is unique. It is closely resembling with Ajanta Cave paintings in India. There are two broad opinions about the identity of graceful female figures in the frescoes among the archaeologist. The first opinion is they portray human beings either queens, princesses, and maids of the court of King Kasyapa in a secular or religious ambiance. The second opinion is they portray celestial beings as either semi-divine nymphs called “apsaras” or a class of divine beings like goddesses.<br>
<br>Whatever the opinion would be, the Sigiriya frescoes, the most remarkable objects of Sri Lankan artistic heritage provide glimpses of how impressive Sigiriya at its zenith.<br>
<br><b>Lion’s Paws</b><br>
<br>While you are climbing Sigiriya you will pass the water garden, boulder garden, mirror wall, and frescoes and emerge to a platform at the northern end of the rock. At this platform, two huge paws of a lion towering against the rock can be seen. It is the only remains of the opened mouth giant brick lion where the staircase leading to the palace garden. The steps leading between the paws of the lion into his mouth. It is believed that the name Sigiriya for this rock has derived due to this gigantic figure.<br>
<br><b>Upper Palace on the Summit</b><br>
<br>The flat summit of the rock covering an area of around 1.2 hectares would have been completely covered with buildings and gardens. The remains of the foundations have confirmed that. The multi-story palace with a bathing pool on the top of a rock with the comprehensive view of reservoirs, mountains, and forests around would suggest that Sigirita was not a fortress and would have been a royal palace of pleasure. It is remembering that the modern-day rooftop pool when you see the pond scooped out of solid rock measuring 27m x 21m in size.<br>
<br>According to the foundation, the layout of the ground plan has clearly visible. The palace occupies the lower eastern sections where the palace gardens at the south. There was a large rock-cut pool covering both the palace and the garden. At the palace, there was a granite throne, dancing terraces, a small pool, drinking water tanks, rooms for concubines, a small flower garden, and precariously positioned platforms for guards, the king's audience chamber, and his anteroom. Also, there is a huge throne in a semicircle where his advisors would sit.</ul> |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
B.jpg |
3/25/20, 4:01 AM |
View Edit Delete |