Popular Places in Sri Lanka

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  • bandarawela
  • Bandarawela
  • On the southern edge of the hill country, Bandarawela has been popular with Sri Lankans and foreign visitors alike for many years and is one of the oldest tea planters' resting places in the country. It is a great base for exploring the hill country's scenic and less visited attractions.
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  • Bandarawela
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  • 80.985803604126
  • Landscape & Scenery
  • History & Culture
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  • bentota
  • Bentota
  • Only two hours south of Colombo and an hour and a half north of Galle, this popular beach resort is an ideal place to unwind at the end of your tour or to charge your energies at the beginning of your travels.
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  • Bentota
  • 6.42264977157292
  • 79.9990510940552
  • Beach & Relaxation
  • Activities & Adventure
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  • colombo
  • Colombo
  • The entry and exit point for all visitors to Sri Lanka, Colombo is a small capital, divided by parks and wide streets with parliament and other government offices still housed in grand colonial buildings.
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  • Colombo
  • 6.92736409322024
  • 79.8482465744019
  • History & Culture
  • Food & Drink
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  • galle
  • Galle
  • The tranquil atmosphere of the fortress area of Galle belies its turbulent past. Now a World Heritage Site, it is a lovely place to wander and explore the small shops, while outside the fortress area Galle is a bustling city with plenty of sandy coves nearby.
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  • Galle
  • 6.03327388199014
  • 80.2184772491455
  • History & Culture
  • Beach & Relaxation
  • Activities & Adventure
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  • hatton
  • Hatton
  • Hatton, high up in the hill country, is surrounded by vast tea estates that carpet the rolling hills while to the south east stands the curious pyramidal bulk of Adam's peak, which is a focal point for pilgrims.
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  • Hatton
  • 6.89502802593462
  • 80.5965614318848
  • Landscape & Scenery
  • History & Culture
  • Beach & Relaxation
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  • kandy
  • Kandy
  • Stronghold of the Sinhala Kings and capital of Sri Lanka’s hill regions, Kandy is perhaps the most beautiful and romantic city in the island. Surrounded by green hills and with a large lake in the town centre, Kandy combines the sophistication of a modern city with the timeless appeal of ancient temples.
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  • Kandy
  • 7.29061721657882
  • 80.6363868713379
  • History & Culture
  • Safari & Wildlife
  • Landscape & Scenery
  • Activities & Adventure
  • Festivals & Events
  • Journeys & Cruises
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  • negombo
  • Negombo
  • Only a short drive from the international airport at Katunayake, Negombo was the island’s first coastal resort. Although the beaches of the south and west coast are better suited for beach lovers, the convenience of Negombo makes it a popular rest stop before leaving the country or heading inland to explore.
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  • Negombo
  • 7.20926167371018
  • 79.8339557647705
  • Activities & Adventure
  • Beach & Relaxation
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  • nuwara eliya
  • Nuwara Eliya
  • At 2,000 metres above sea level, the 19th century colonial hill station of Nuwara Eliya was a favourite retreat of the British, who were drawn by the climate, and to this day it retains a colonial ambiance with its golf course, gentlemen’s clubs and mock-Tudor buildings.
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  • Nuwara Eliya
  • 6.96574698057427
  • 80.7577514648438
  • History & Culture
  • Landscape & Scenery
  • Activities & Adventure
  • Journeys & Cruises
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  • sinharaja biosphere
  • Sinharaja Biosphere
  • Designated a World Heritage Site for its extraordinary biodiversity and wealth of endemic species, Sinharaja is a truly amazing place for nature lovers and birdwatchers alike. The biosphere is best explored with a local guide.
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  • Sinharaja Biosphere
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  • 80.4892730712891
  • Safari & Wildlife
  • Landscape & Scenery
  • Activities & Adventure
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  • the cultural triangle
  • The Cultural Triangle
  • Once known as the ‘Land of Kings’, the Cultural Triangle is an extraordinary region. North from Kandy the area includes the ancient capitals of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, the cave temples at Dambulla and the mighty rock fortress of Sigiriya.
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  • The Cultural Triangle
  • 8.11905322299406
  • 80.595703125
  • Ancient Cities
  • Ancient Ruins
  • Forts
  • Heritage
  • Historical Monuments
  • UNESCO World Heritage Site (Cultural)
  • Ancient History
  • Buddhist Culture
  • Religious Monuments
  • Temples
  • Elephant
  • Nature Drives
  • Views & Scenery
  • National Parks
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  • anuradhapura
  • Anuradhapura
  • Although Anuradhapura dates from the 4th century BC, Sri Lanka’s first Buddhist capital is more than just an ancient relic and still remains a devout holy city centred round the Sacred Bodhi Tree, believed to be grown from a cutting taken from the original Bodhi tree under which the Buddha gained enlightenment.
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  • Anuradhapura
  • 8.30195249406187
  • 80.3881216049194
  • History & Culture
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  • dambulla
  • Dambulla
  • The earliest cave temples at Dambulla are thought to date back to the first century BC but successive kings added to them over the years to form the present complex of five separate cave temples. Today they contain around 150 images of Buddha.
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  • Dambulla
  • 7.86036345541776
  • 80.6605052947998
  • History & Culture
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  • giritale
  • Giritale
  • A small rural village set on the banks of the reservoir of the same name, Giritale was first built in the 7th century. Although the village itself has not much to offer the discerning traveller, it is the location of one of the Cultural Triangle's most popular hotels.
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  • Giritale
  • 7.9833333
  • 80.9333333
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  • minneriya sanctuary
  • Minneriya Sanctuary
  • Minneriya is a wonderful place to see elephants in the wild. Set around a 3rd century reservoir, it is a haven for wild elephants and a jeep safari here will bring you close to the large herds as they come to the water to drink.
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  • Minneriya Sanctuary
  • 8.01197632782953
  • 80.8713912963867
  • Safari & Wildlife
  • Landscape & Scenery
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  • polonnaruwa
  • Polonnaruwa
  • The second Buddhist capital after Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa is more accessible and better preserved than its predecessor. The numerous sites are grouped in clusters outside the modern town and enable the visitor to easily imagine life in the ancient city.
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  • Polonnaruwa
  • 7.93675069054752
  • 81.0085487365723
  • History & Culture
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  • sigiriya
  • Sigiriya
  • Sri Lanka’s most recognisable landmark, Sigiriya Rock looms 200 metres above the plains, an ideal position for a fortress. Today only ruins of the palace remain, but features such as the massive Lion’s Paws and radiant frescoes of beautiful damsels give visitors a glimpse of its former splendour.
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  • Sigiriya
  • 7.94882172371183
  • 80.760326385498
  • History & Culture
  • Landscape & Scenery
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  • the southern coast
  • The Southern Coast
  • Easily accessible whether you are travelling west from Yala and Habantota or south from Galle, the Southern Coast has miles of golden beaches, separated into small bays, each with its own resort. The best time to visit this part of Sri Lanka is between November and April.
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  • The Southern Coast
  • 5.93365517501242
  • 80.5891799926758
  • Safari & Wildlife
  • Activities & Adventure
  • Beach & Relaxation
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  • uda walawe national park
  • Uda Walawe National Park
  • Centred on a large reservoir, the open parkland of Uda Walawe is ideal for viewing elephants. The scenery here is stunning, with the dark hills of Horton Plains forming a dramatic backdrop to the open parkland occasionally dotted with the silhouette of a large flowering tree.
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  • Uda Walawe National Park
  • 6.50567472833183
  • 80.8810043334961
  • Safari & Wildlife
  • Landscape & Scenery
  • Activities & Adventure
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  • yala national park
  • Yala National Park
  • One of the largest national parks in the country, the terrain at Yala is varied with grassy plains and forest, rocky scrubland, lagoons and a coastline. This multitude of environments supports a diverse range of animals and an abundance of birdlife.
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  • Yala National Park
  • 6.59316229799194
  • 81.6031837463379
  • Safari & Wildlife
  • Landscape & Scenery
  • Activities & Adventure

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