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The reclining Buddha inside the Dambulla cave temple

Cultural Triangle

Dambulla

A crossroads town under the painted cave temple of Dambulla, with prehistoric tombs and a forest arboretum close by and Sigiriya twenty minutes away.

Plan a trip with Dambulla
Time to spend
1 night, or a half day from Sigiriya
Best months
February to September. Some rain from October to January.
Getting around
Tuk-tuks in town. The cave temple is a steep 15 to 20 minute walk up from the road.
Good to know
Cover shoulders and knees and leave shoes at the counter by the cave entrance. Buy the ticket at the office at the foot of the hill first.

The Dambulla cave temple, also called the Golden Temple of Dambulla, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Five caves under a huge granite overhang hold around 150 Buddha statues, and their walls and ceilings are covered with paintings from many periods.

Dambulla sits on the main roads between Colombo, Kandy, Trincomalee and the ancient cities, so it is an easy base for the Cultural Triangle. Sigiriya, Kandalama and the Minneriya safari are all within about half an hour.

Close to town are the Ibbankatuwa megalithic tombs, the shady Popham Arboretum, and, a little further south, the 8th-century stone shrine of Nalanda Gedige.

What to see and do

  • Dambulla cave temple Must see

    Open in Maps

    Five painted caves under one rock overhang, with Buddha statues and ceiling murals spanning many centuries. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    1 hr 30 min · Afternoon · 07:00 to 19:00LKR 2,000 to LKR 3,300to confirmCover shoulders and knees

    Reported between LKR 2,000 and 3,300 for foreign adults; tickets are sold at the office at the foot of the hill, which closes around 17:00.

  • Nalanda Gedige

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    An 8th-century stone shrine in the style of South Indian temples, with Buddhist and Hindu features, moved stone by stone when a reservoir flooded its old site.

    40 min · AfternoonFee chargedto confirm

    A small fee may be charged; confirm on the day.

Also consider

Worth the trip if you have time. The planner leaves these out unless you add them.

  • Ibbankatuwa megalithic tombs

    A prehistoric burial ground of stone cist tombs from around 700 to 400 BC, a few kilometres south of the cave temple.

    45 minAdd to a tripMaps

  • Popham's Arboretum

    A patch of dry-zone forest planted and protected since the 1960s, with short guided walks and good birdwatching in the early morning.

    1 hr 30 minAdd to a tripMaps

Nearby places to stay

Photos

The Golden Temple and its giant gilded Buddha at the foot of the Dambulla rock
The Golden Temple and its giant gilded Buddha at the foot of the Dambulla rock
The golden stupa at the Dambulla temple complex
The golden stupa at the Dambulla temple complex
A painted stupa ringed by seated Buddhas inside a Dambulla cave
A painted stupa ringed by seated Buddhas inside a Dambulla cave