Dambulla is well known for its remarkable and impressive cave temples, officially known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla. This site has acted as a sacred pilgrimage site for 22 centuries and is undoubtedly Sri Lanka’s best preserved and largest cave temple, with a total of five sanctuaries.
Deservedly a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Golden Temple of Dambulla is an outstanding example of Sri Lanka’s religious art, with Buddhist mural paintings covering an area of 2100 m2 along with 157 Buddhist statues. Access to the caves is only possible with a gentle climb along wide sloping steps. We feel Cave 1, which has a huge statue of the reclining Buddha, and Cave 2, with an interior surface completely covered in murals, are of particular interest. This tour normally takes 1-2 hours depending on the depth of your interest.
Dambulla lies approximately two hours south of Anuradhapura and is just 30 minutes from Sigiriya Rock. Therefore, it can be easily visited en route to Kandy.
