The medieval capital · UNESCO World Heritage
Polonnaruwa
Four giant Buddhas carved from one granite outcrop, and a city you can cycle.
Polonnaruwa was the capital from the 11th to 13th centuries and the ruins are compact enough to explore by bicycle in a morning. The Gal Vihara, four Buddha figures cut from a single rock face, is the finest sculpture in the country. Toque macaques, the ones from the documentaries, live in the ruins.
What we do here
- Cycle tour of the ancient city
- Gal Vihara and the Quadrangle with a licensed guide
- Minneriya or Kaudulla elephant safari
- Sunset at Parakrama Samudra
Worth knowing
- UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982
- The reclining Buddha at Gal Vihara is 14 metres long
- Parakrama Samudra, the 12th-century reservoir, covers 2,500 hectares
- Minneriya elephant gathering is 30 minutes away (July to October)
