Visit ancient temples in Anuradhapura
Delve into the rich history of Sri Lanka during a visit to Anuradhapura. Together with Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura forms the royal cities of Sri Lanka. Anuradhapura was the country's first capital. Spread over an area of 40 square kilometers you will find a huge number of stupas, temples and dagobas. Auradhapura is part of the UNESO World Heritage List. Together with Kandy, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa form the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka. What makes this destination extra special is the amount of Buddhists who visit the temples in large numbers. Often most travelers choose between visiting Anuradhapura or Polonnaruwa. However, Anaradhapura is the more popular destination because it can be combined with a visit to the sacred mountain Mihintale. A full day in Anuradhapura provides plenty of time to explore the city.
Number of tips for your visit to Anuradhapura
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Entrance to one part of the old city costs a whopping $25 dollars per person. Fortunately, this amount is only for access to the five largest buildings. We decided not to pay this and visit other beautiful temples and sights. Read below which temples we admired!
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Rent a tuk tuk with a guide who will tell you more about history and Buddhism or set out on your own by bike! Count on 4000 rupees (€20) for a day with the Tuktuk or 500 rupees (€2.50) for bicycle rental
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Visit the sacred mountain Mihintale during sunset. We skipped this ourselves, because we were very tired after visiting all kinds of temples.
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Wear appropriate clothing, bring socks (so your feet don't burn like mine...) and beware of all the monkeys!
Sri Maha Bodhi: the sacred tree
This tree is the oldest sacred tree in the world. It is said and believed that this Bodhi tree comes from a cutting of the Bodhgaya tree from India. Buddha is said to have achieved enlightenment under this Bodhgaya tree. Thousands of Buddhists visit this special place every year.
Ruwanwelisaya Stupa and Mirisawetiya Vihara
This Ruwanwelisaya Stupa is extremely impressive due to its height of no less than 55 meters. There are 344 elephants on the edge of the stupa. Relics of the Buddha are enshrined in this stupa, which has the largest collection of his relics worldwide. The Mirisawetiya Vihara stupa is also worth a visit!
How to get to Anuradhapura?
By train: Anuradhapura has a beautiful train station.
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Several trains depart every day from Colombo to Anuradhapura. This takes about five hours.
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From Negombo the best option is to take the tuk tuk to Gampaha train station. Enjoy a scenic ride that takes you to the station in one hour. This way you immediately get a good impression of the country. The train journey also takes about five hours. Price indication: €1.50 for the train, €7.00 for the tuktuk.
By bus: Take a direct bus to Anuradhapura. This takes about three to four hours.Price indication: €1.50.
By tuk tuk: Would you prefer private transport for the entire route? Negotiate a suitable price with the tuk-tuk driver or ask your hotel owner if it is possible to arrange a taxi.
Stay overnight
Basic: Amsterdam Tourist Rest
Standard: Subaseth Villa
Luxury: Arachchi Heritage
Continue your journey
Continue your journey to the beautifulSigiriya for a fantastic elephant safari and the wonderful natural phenomenon: Lion Rock.
