A guide to Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle

Sri Lanka is a country that’s full of exciting attractions and wondrous landscapes for you to visit and explore. In fact, the sheer variety of things to see might even confuse you at first – but fear not, for when in doubt you can always start by touring through the island’s famous cultural triangle.

What is the Cultural Triangle?

Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle covers a number of the country’s most historic cities, including a considerable amount of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Touring through this area will allow you to experience ancient cities like Anuradhapura and marvels of engineering like Sigiriya up-close!

When to Visit

Most of the area covered by Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle belongs to the inland’s dry zone. While temperatures can soar up to 35 degrees at certain points, the weather remains stable for the most part throughout the year. What’s more, you’ll find great accommodation options at some of the best hotels in Sri Lanka during your travels through the triangle – for instance, the offerings of the Araliya Hotels & Resorts.

Cultural Highlights

There are plenty of ancient cultural sights to see and your tour through the cultural triangle, but there are some that you definitely don’t want to miss. Don’t miss out on the ruins and landmarks of Sri Lanka’s ancient capitals, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. The rock fortress of Sigiriya is unlike anything else you’ll find in Sri Lanka and sites like the Dambulla Cave Temple offers amazing sights of ancient religious art and sculpture.

Exploring the Wilderness

Cultural landmarks aren’t the only thing you’ll come across when touring through the triangle, there’s a lot of wilderness to explore as well! Locations like the Minneriya National Park are perfect for spotting big game like the Sri Lankan elephant and the elusive leopard.