An important ruin remaining at Sasthrawela which gives a glimpse of those prosperous times is Mani Naga Pabbatha Viharaya which is said to date back to the time of King Mahanaga, the first King of Ruhuna.
Sri Lanka has many cave temples but the Dambulla Cave Temple or the Golden Rock Temple of Dambulla is the most venerated, celebrated and most probably the most visited.
Bodhimalu Rajamaha Viharaya has been built during the reign of the minister Devaprathiraja of the king Saddhatissa (137-119 BC) by the minister Devapathiraja. It is believed that one of the first 32 samplings of from Sri Maha Bodhi is planted here.
The Gal Pota is a monumental 12th-century stone inscription in Polonnaruwa, commissioned by King Nissanka Malla. This colossal 26-foot “Stone Book” details royal achievements, featuring 4,300 characters, ornate Hamsa borders, and exquisite Gajalakshmi carvings. It remains Sri Lanka’s largest lithic record, showcasing remarkable ancient engineering and political propaganda.
Hidden by jungle off Buttala, Yatiyallathota Archaeological Reserve is a hidden archaeological jewel in the southern part of the country.
Watagedara Sri Sudharmarama Purana Pothgul Viharaya is an ancient temple with a two storied Tampita Viharaya built during the Kandyan era. This temple lie 4 km from Godagama exit on the Southern Expressway and 8 km from Matara.
Uyanegama Sri Nagabodhi Rajamaha Viharaya is an ancient Buddhist temple with a Tampita Viharaya belonging to the Kandyan era. This Tampita Viharaya was declared as a protected archaeological monument on the gazette dated 24th July 2009.
Weligodapola Tampita Viharaya is one of the largest Tampita Vihara in Kandy district. The image house is 17 feet 7 inches long and 11 feet 9 inches wide. A 2 feet 5 inch circumambulating path is built around the image house. The front porch is 7 feet long. The whole Tampita Stucture is 29 feet 3 inches long and 18 feet 3 inches wide.
Habarana Tampita Rajamaha Viharaya is a neatly maintained small temple with few buildings. The moonstones and broken stone pillars scattered around the temple reveal a hidden history thousands of years of its existence.
The Wasgamuwa National Park lies within the Polonnaruwa and Matale Districts and is easily reachable from number of tourist locations.
Gal Oya National Park was established to protect the catchments area of the Senanayake Samudraya. In addition to elephants, the park is home to leopards, bear, spotted deer, sambur, wild boar etc. Among other fauna are several species of monkeys, Porcupine, a number of fish species, reptiles and four species of butterflies such as the Crimson rose and Glassy Tiger have been recorded.
Podape Tampita Viharaya is an ancient temple hidden away in a remote area between Aranayake and Bulathkohupitiya in the Kegalle District. To reach the temple you need to take the road towards Aranayake from Mawanella and travel 13.5 km upto Aranayake and further 1.5 km towards Dolosbage upto the Kongahamula Junction.
Wilandagoda Archeological site lies on the boarders of Wippattu where King Dutugemunu’s only son, hid after eloping with Asokamala, his low-caste yet breathtakingly beautiful woman.
Ranagala Rajamaha Viharaya is a temple situated on a popular ancient cross road connecting Siriwardhanapura, Anuradhapura, Kurunegala and Kandy. Lying on rocky outcrop known as Viharagala, surround by paddy fields offering a fantastic view, the temple you see today is an modern one except for few remnants of the ancient past.
Mavil Aru Amuna was a turning point for the LTTE, a ruthless terrorist organization responsible for thousands of deaths of Sri Lankan citizens. The operation to release LTTE grip on this sluice gate turned in to a full scale operation which saw the military defeat of the terrorist organization in 2009.
The guardstone or “muragala” were one of an association of three aspects of sculpture that adorned the entrance to buildings in ancient times, the other two being the moonstone (Sandakada Pahana) and balustrade (Korawak Gala) .
Olu Ella is the 6th tallest waterfall in the country and the tallest in the Kegalle District. This is also the highest waterfall in connected to the Kelani River.
Veherakema in Panama lies about 8.5 km from Panama on the route to Okanda. At the base of a rock in Veherakema lies a small Gana Kovil venerated by Hindus. A foot path from this kovil reaches the large rock plateau where ruins of an ancient monastery complex can be seen.
Elephant Rock is today a tourist destination for its view of the pristine beaches of the east but unknown to many some drip ledge caves, rock cut steps and ruins of an ancient stupa can be found on this rock. The beach below this rock is a popular surfing point.
Katuwannawa Asanagharaya is one of the few surviving Asanaghara in Sri Lanka. The building which protected the Asana had been protected by 20 granite pillars.
