Dambulla

The Dambulla cave temple has been a place of worship for over two thousand years. Five caves cut into an overhanging rock hold a hundred and fifty-three Buddha images, statues of kings and gods, and painted ceilings that follow the natural contour of the stone — the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in the country.

The climb takes about twenty minutes and the view from the terrace across the plain to Sigiriya is worth it on its own. Dambulla also has the island's biggest wholesale vegetable market, which starts moving around two in the morning.

Getting there and when to go: Dambulla is about 150 km from Colombo, three and a half to four hours by road, and sits at the crossroads of the cultural triangle, with Sigiriya 20 km away and Kandy about two hours south. The cave temples involve a short uphill walk, best done early or late in the day to avoid the heat. The area is drier and hotter than the hill country, with the most reliable weather from May to September.