Dambulla was the starting point of my itinerary. I honestly did not know much about the Dambulla. When I landed in Colombo, I started to find out places to visit in Dambulla. Thus making the go-to-list on the way to the town, since it took around 5 hours to reach the city.
Dambulla is a town situated north of Matale District, Central Province of Sri Lanka. The town is mostly famous for its Dambulla Cave Temple. Most of the travelers prefer to stay in Dambulla because it en routes to Sigiriya Rock Fortress. Many recommend it the best to combine a visit to Dambulla and Sigiriya.
A day or two is good enough to cover all these places. If you can put Dambulla in your travel itinerary, it will surely be worth it. Everything in Dambulla is priced reasonably. So, the best time to visit Dambulla is between December to Mid-April. The weather is mostly dry and pleasant this time of the year in Sri Lanka.
Here are my top 5 must-visit places in Dambulla, Sri Lanka
1 – Sigiriya Fortress
2 – Dambulla Cave Temple
3 – Pidurangala Rock
4 – Minneriya National Park
5 – Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium
Best Places to Visit in Dambulla, Sri Lanka
1 – Sigiriya Fortress
The Ancient Rock Fortress & Palace is the most famous tourist place in Sri Lanka. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage monument. The Fortress stands at a height of 660 feet and has around 1200 steps.
Ticket Cost – LKR 50 for Locals and 30$-40$ for other nationals.
Timings – 7am-4pm
Duration – 4-5 Hours
Visit the Full Blog Post – Sigiriya Rock Fortress
2 – Dambulla Cave Temple
The Town is famous for the cave temple. The Dambulla cave temple is a world heritage site. It is a sacred pilgrimage site for more than 22 centuries. It is definitely a must-visit place in Dambulla.
Ticket Cost – LKR 1500 (8$).
Timings – 7am-7pm
Duration – 1 Hour
3 – Pidurangala Rock
The hike to the top of Pidurangala rock is totally worth it. It houses a temple at the start of the hike. Although it is an easy hike of aroun25-30 mins, some would find a little challenging. Since there are few spots that require bouldering but can be done. The 360 views are mesmerizing once reached the top. The place is easily in the top 5 places to visit in Dambulla.
Ticket Cost – LKR 500 (3$).
Timings – 7am-7pm
Duration – 1 Hour
4 – Minneriya National Park
The Minneriya National Park is around 4 hours away from Colombo. There are many kinds of animals that can be found. It’s an amazing place to visit for wildlife enthusiasts.
Ticket Cost – 13$
Timings – 5:30am-7pm
Duration – 3+ Hour
5 – Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium
The Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium is visited by many cricket fans around the world. The stadium offers great views in the surroundings. The only stadium which is in the dry zone of the country
Ticket Cost – Free
Timings – open
Duration – 1 Hour
How to Reach Dambulla, Sri Lanka?
While I was traveling in Sri Lanka, I started my journey from Dambulla as per my itinerary.
There are a couple of options to reach Dambulla.
1 – By Car
It will take Approx. 162Km, 4-5 hours to reach Dambulla from Colombo. You can opt for a private car for around 5000-6000 LKR which also depends on your luggage if you get fellow travelers to join you can split the cost per person. This would be cheaper and not a bad option.
If you visit Kandy first, you could visit Dambulla next. It will take 2-3 hours to reach via roadways.
2 – By Bus
You can also catch a bus from Colombo to Dambulla, no idea about comfort but it takes around 5 hours for the journey. The bus fare will cost you around 150-400 LKR.
3 – By Train
It is one of the best ways to reach Dambulla. The railway starts from Colombo fort station to Habarana and takes around 1 hour for the journey. From here you can take a cab which will take 25 mins to the destination. The cost depends on the class of travel, which ranges from 80-120 LKR.
4 – By Tuk-tuk
You can rent and drive your tuk-tuk in Sri Lanka. It’s a lot of fun to drive around in Tuk-tuk. Most of the backpackers choose to travel by renting Tuk-tuk. The cost of the rental depends on the rental company, but the average rent would be around 3500-4000 LKR per day.
When is the Best Time to Visit Dambulla?
I visited Sri Lanka in January, where the weather was cooler at day & night but hotter at midday. September to November is usually the monsoon season and it might crush your plans.
So, the best time to visit Dambulla would be between December to Mid-April. The weather is mostly dry and pleasant this time of the year in Sri Lanka.
I hope this blog helps add value to your travel plans to Sri Lanka in the Future.
Wondering where to stay in Dambulla? Read my Full Blog Post on Best Places to Stay in Sri Lanka.
Read my full blog on 18 must-do things in Sri Lanka in one week.
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