Sri Lanka Attractions | Jagath Tours & Travels

Attractions in the city are the old Dutch fort gate built in 1672 now a part of the prison, the Dutch Canal which was then a supply route to the Dutch administration, old churches and fishing villages.

Negombo is in the heart of Sri Lanka's fishing industry. The sea and catamarans are the back drop of the Negombo scenery. The stretch of road towards Kochchikade comes to life at dusk (most shops are open at daytime too) with many handicrafts and curio shops, gem shops, restaurants and internet cafes catering for tourists. Visit the Negombo lagoon and a fish auction.

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is situated northwest of the town of Kegalle, halfway between the present commercial capital Colombo and the ancient royal residence Kandy in the hills of central Sri Lanka. There are about 84 elephants under protection. The orphanage is very popular and visited daily by many Sri Lankan and foreign tourists.

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, established in 1975, commenced with seven orphans. Today some of these orphans enjoy the fortune of seeing their grandchildren born in the same location. The original objective of establishing the orphanage was inclined more towards tourism, but it soon became a conservation and educational center.

The city of Dambulla is situated in the Matale District in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, situated 148 km north-east of Colombo and 72 km north of Kandy. Major attractions of the city include the largest and best preserved cave temple complex of Sri Lanka, and the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, famous for being built in just 167 days. The city also boasts to have the largest rose quartz mountain range in South Asia, and the Iron wood forest, or NamalUyana.

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Dambulla rock temple was built by king Walagambah in the 1st century B.C. And it is a world heritage site. It is the most impressive of Sri Lanka's cave temples. The complex of five caves with over 2000sq. metres of painted walls and ceilings, is the largest area of paintings found in the world. It contains over 150 images of the Buddha of which the largest is the colossal figure of the Buddha carved out of rock and spanning 14 metres.

Kandy, the last royal capital of Sri Lanka is a major tourist destination. Famous for the Temple of the Tooth and many other temples the city could be called the cultural capital of the island.

Kandy Perahera, the pageant of the temple of tooth where Buddha's tooth is kept, is held either in July or August each year to parade the golden caskets. It is a must see itinerary if one is visiting Sri Lanka during these months. The final night procession is the most spectacular event of the country. More than 50 elephants parade the city accompanied by the drummers, dancers and chieftains. And also Kandy is synonymous with arts and crafts of Sri Lanka than anywhere else in the country.

Trincomalee is a port city on the east coast of Sri Lanka, about 110 miles northeast of Kandy. The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbors. It is one of the main centers of Tamil speaking culture on the island. Historically referred to as Gokanna or Gokarna it has been a sea port that has played a major role in maritime and international trading history of Sri Lanka.

Trincomalee is a natural deep-water harbor, which is rated as one of the finest of its kind in the world and attracted great sea farers like Marco Polo, Ptolemy and Sea Traders of China and East Asia from the ancient times. The long and wide beaches here offer surfing, scuba diving, fishing and whale watching. This sea town is home to the Thirukonesvaram Kovil, which is one of the oldest Hindu temples in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan architectural tradition is well displayed at Sigiriya, the best preserved city centre in Asia from the first millennium, with its combination of buildings and gardens with their trees, pathways, water gardens, the fusion of symmetrical and asymmetrical elements, use of varying levels and of axial and radial planning.

Climb the 5th century Sigiriya rock fortress which is a world heritage site, built by King Kashyapa (477-495 AD). The "Lion Rock" is a citadel of unusual beauty rising 200 metres from the scrub jungle. The rock was the inner most stronghold of the 70 hectare fortified town.

A moat, rampart, and extensive gardens including the renowned water gardens ring the base of the rock. Visit the world - renowned frescoes of the "Heavenly Maidens" of Sigiriya, which are in a sheltered pocket of the rock approached by a spiral stairway. These frescoes are painted in earth pigments on plaster.

Anuradhapura was Sri Lanka’s first known Kingdom built by King Anuradha. Being Sri Lanka’s capital for centuries in the ancient times, it is now declared as a world heritage city.

The sacred Sri Mahabodhi, Dagabas, Tanks, Art and Architecture are main attractions. Anuradhapura is a world heritage city declared by UNESCO and in the Cultural Triangle and One of most sacred places in Buddhism.

Anuradhapura is a fascinating district with many tanks, wildlife, irrigational network and it’s humble farming community.

Ella is only a small village located high in the mountains. The other nice thing about Ella is the climate. It reminds you of a hot English summer.

Hot during the day and nice and cool at night. If you fancy climbing the peaks that are dotted around Ella, then make sure you take sun protection and water!

A Sri Lankan coastal city famous for golden beaches, Bentota is situated on the southern coastal tip of the Galle District of the Southern Province. The town is a popular tourist attraction and also a favourite destination for watersports. It is especially famous among the foreign tourists.

The name comes from a mythical story which dates back to kings time saying a demon called Bem ruled this river ( tota = river bank). Bentota hosts a handful of world proclaimed hotels. It is the hosting land for the famous Sri Lankan Jeweler Aida. Bentota also delivers an ancient art of healing called Ayurveda. Bentota is also famous for its production in Toddy( An alcoholic beverage made out of coconut nectar).

Colombo like many capital cities in developing countries is fast changing it's face. Almost overnight, skyscrapers arise from where old buildings once stood. Yet in some parts, the old world charm is retained. For example, there is a 100 year old clock tower and several British built colonial buildings.

Other places of interest are the Pettah bazaar - Where one can shop for bargains, a Hindu and a Buddhist temple, residential areas where you find the stately homes of the affluent, the Bandaranayake Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) an outright gift to Sri Lanka from the People's Republic of China.

Batticaloa stands on a long, sandy spit of land pointing northward and separated from the mainland by a large brackish lagoon which extends southward for many kilometres. The charms of Batticaloa such as the heavenly beaches of Pasikudah and Kalkudah have rarely been molested. Pasikudah a bay protected from the ocean.

The significance of Pasikudah is that its bed is flat and sandy and has a pleasant effect on the feet. This can be experienced up to nearly 150 to 200 meters from the shore. Pasikudah is an ideal location for those who wish to learn swimming.

However, Batticaloa is famous for its singing fish - The musical sound are heard in the lagoon near the Kallady Lady manning bridge when the night is lit bythe near full moon and there is minimal wind.