Sri Lanka is a tropical paradise often visited by tourists. Most of the places that you will be visiting are well-known travel attractions and are quite commercialized despite what you would like to think.
However, if you prefer to travel in seclusion, and to discover the roads less travelled. We have compiled a list of the top five hidden attractions that Sri Lanka offers.
- Pidurangala
A few kilometres North of Sigiriya lies Pidurangala, a rock formation which housed a monastery during the same time as Sigiriya. The folklore suggests that the women in the Sigiriya Graffiti are goddesses who are carrying flower offerings to the Pidurangala rock temple. During the days of King Kassapa, he built a Stupa and assisted in developing the monastery. Today, the ruins of the monastery remains. The climb up the Pidurangala rock is not as easy as Sigiriya, as the steps are quite steep. Though the climb is quite strenuous in the latter half, the view at the summit is worth your exhaustion.
- Sinharaja Rainforest
Sinharaja is the last virgin rainforest of Sri Lanka, It is only 21 km in length, yet the forest is one of Sri Lanka’s major biodiversity centrals. Many of Sri Lanka’s endemic plants, birds and animals could be found within the forest. One can only travel only by foot within the forest, and there are guides you can book to guide your trek/ hike. Being a rainforest, Sinharaja is often prone to unannounced rain, as well as leech infestations. Therefore, take precautions before you leave.
- Namal Uyana ( Ironwood Forest)
The Ironwood forest is the largest in Asia and the Rose Quartz mountain in the middle of the forest is quite a spectacular sight. The forest is over 260 acres in its extent, and while you stroll through you encounter ruins of a monastery that dates back to the time of the first Buddhist king of the island.
- Waulpane Cave
A small detour from Ratnapura can lead you to the Waulpane cave. A prehistoric limestone cave inhabited by thousands of bats. Yes! This is what nightmares are made of. The trip is quite a ridiculous trip, into a dark cave infested with bats, and you are advised to wear rain coats. The cave floor is covered mostly in bat-droppings. However once you travel through the cave you arrive at a waterfall, which is truly worth stepping on all the bat-droppings.
- The Knuckles Mountain Range
Trekking in the Knuckles Mountain range is something you must do at least once, if you are in vicinity. The mountains have gotten its name due to the obvious reason of being shaped like the knuckles of a hand. The range is one of Sri Lanka’s biodiversity hotspots, and a trek will reveal the hidden beauty of the misty mountains. There is a hillside monastery, and a rumored hermit who’s been living in the area for twenty years. If you could spare some time to camp under the stars at the Knuckles summit, and enjoy the beauty of the sunrise amidst the veils of cotton candy clouds.
Travelling to a country often involves visiting famous landmarks. However, these often visited places tend to be commercialized and crowded with tourists. This is why we came up with a list of hidden places in Sri Lanka, that would definitely add colour to your journey.