Rising like a fortress of legend, Dolukanda Mountain is where history, myth, and breathtaking views collide. Once home to ancient kings and whispered in the Ramayana as a fragment of the Himalayas, it hides ruined palaces, eerie Rakshasa tales, and even a vanishing orchard said to feed the lost. Today, its windswept plateau rewards trekkers with some of the finest panoramas in Sri Lanka.
A violent clash between Buddhists and Catholics in Kotahena, Colombo, sparked by tensions between Deepaduttamarama Temple and St. Lucia’s Cathedral. During a Buddhist Perahera led by Ven. Migettuwatte Gunananda Thera, Catholic mobs attacked the procession, killing one devotee and injuring many.
Sri Lanka’s oldest and largest Catholic cathedral, founded in 1760 and rebuilt in 1901 in Venetian Renaissance style. Seating over 6,000, it features a grand façade with statues, a vast underground crypt, and the country’s largest bell, “Antony Thomas”. A landmark of Colombo’s Catholic heritage.
Hidden behind a modest arch near St. Anthony’s Church in Kochchikade lies Sri Lanka’s largest granite kovil — the awe-inspiring Kochchikade Sivan Kovil. With its unpainted gopuram of intricate carvings, 200 granite pillars, and a cool, dim interior that contrasts the blazing streets outside, it stands as a timeless masterpiece of Hindu devotion and artistry.
Once a beacon for sailors and a landmark of Colombo, the 80-foot steel Kodi Gaha (Flagstaff) lit the way to the harbour with its powerful gas lamps. Once standing tall in Colombo Fort and immortalized in song, this forgotten monument now rests on St. Sebastian Hill — a silent witness to 500 years of history.
Built in 1895, the Old General Post Office (GPO) is one of the most iconic colonial landmarks of Colombo. Standing prominently opposite the Presidential House, this two-story structure is celebrated as a masterclass in neoclassical colonial architecture.
Swinging through ancient ruins, calling from misty treetops, and lurking in moonlit forests, Sri Lanka’s primates are as diverse as its landscapes. From the mischievous Toque Macaque and the shy, leaf-eating Purple-faced Langur to the ghostly Slender Lorises of the night, these remarkable creatures are found nowhere else on Earth — living treasures that embody both the island’s wild spirit and its urgent need for conservation.
The Maradana Railway Station, a grand structure built by the British in 1908, remains one of the finest examples of colonial-era railway architecture in Sri Lanka. The exact date of its opening is uncertain; however, maps from 1889 already indicate the presence of a railway station at Maradana, confirming that an earlier station existed before that year.
The colonial government established the Government Technical College in 1893, housed in a modest building that had once been a storage house for coffee near Colombo Fort. This was the first organized attempt to provide technical education to the youth of Ceylon, addressing what had long been seen as a pressing need.
Thattu Ela in the Knuckles jungles is one of the many waterfalls that you would come across on the hike to the Doowili Ella. Its small waterfall cascades over a number of lock ledges, earning it the name Thattu Ella.
The Knuckles Range is believed to shelter around sixty waterfalls, most of them concealed within dense jungle and only a handful ever fully explored. One of the streams here gives rise to the famous Knuckles Doowili Ella, tumbling through a chain of cascades before merging with the Naran Aththa Oya at Demodara. Along this course lies Sansun Ella, situated about 300 meters below Doowili Ella.
The mystical Doowili Ella of Knuckles tumbles in two dramatic segments deep inside the jungle. At the base of the first segment lies a hidden wonder: a small cave tucked behind the curtain of water. This natural shelter, large enough to hold about ten people, offers visitors a rare chance to stand behind the waterfall itself. Nearby, a much larger cave sits by the side of the fall, which hikers often use as a campsite during treks.
The 4-meter-high Miniran Ella is a short yet wide waterfall along the Pimbura Ganga River, located in the Nikagoda GS Division of the Ayagama Divisional Secretariat in the Ratnapura District. Still hidden from mainstream travel routes, this charming cascade has preserved its natural beauty—untouched by man-made structures and unspoiled by litter.
The 10-meter-high Ritigas Ella is a charming waterfall cascading along the Heen Ganga River, located upstream of the better-known Minee Ella. Tucked away in the Gangodakanda GS Division of the Ayagama Divisional Secretariat in the Ratnapura District, this hidden gem has remained largely unknown to the public.
Sembuwatta is a serene man-made lake nestled within an estate of Elkaduwa Plantations in Kandy. Fed by natural springs, the lake was originally built in the mid-20th century to generate hydroelectric power for the estate’s tea factory.
Hidden deep within the jungles of Kahatagasdigiliya in the Anuradhapura District, the Kohombagaskada Devagiri Rajamaha Viharaya rests on the ruins of a monastery that flourished more than a thousand years ago. Scattered across the temple grounds are stone stumps with delicate carvings and other ancient artifacts.
Katiyawa is a village situated in the Kurunegala District of Sri Lanka. Within the grounds of Nawagala Rajamaha Viharaya, also located in Katiyawa, a rock inscription was discovered that references Queen Kathiya, the consort of King Gamini Abhaya.
Nestled along the bustling stretch of Galle Road in Colpetty, St. Andrew’s Scots Kirk (built in 1906) stands as a serene and dignified witness to Colombo’s colonial past. With its whitewashed Gothic spires and pointed arches rising above the tropical foliage, the church is more than just a place of worship—it is a living monument to the Scottish community that helped shape Sri Lanka’s modern history.
Hidden behind foliage, near the Ramada Hotel and next to the Freemasonic Temple, lies one of the oldestchurches of Sri Lanka. Initially built in Kabook in 1864 and rebuilt in cement in 1898, it was designed by British architect R. W. Edis for the Church Missionary Society.
Lying along Kumaran Ratnam Road in Slave Island, Hotel Nippon is one of Colombo’s most historic landmarks. Originally named Manning Mansions, the building was constructed in 1882 with 14 apartments intended to house members of the British military. Its fame spread internationally when it appeared in the classic film Bridge over the River Kwai, which was shot in Ceylon.
