Dambulla

High on a granite outcrop above Dambulla town, a series of five caves has served as a Buddhist sanctuary for more than two thousand years. Inside, more than 150 images of the Buddha sit, stand and recline beneath ceilings painted edge to edge with murals, their ochres, reds and golds softened by centuries of lamplight. It is one of the most atmospheric sacred spaces in Sri Lanka, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The visit itself is unhurried. A gentle path climbs past frangipani trees and resident toque macaques to a whitewashed colonnade built into the rock, where you leave your shoes and step from bright sunlight into cool, incense-scented shadow. Each cave has its own character, from the great reclining Buddha carved from the living rock to the largest chamber, where rows of seated figures fade into the gloom.

From the terrace, the view stretches across forest and paddy towards Sigiriya on the horizon. Below, in town, the Dambulla wholesale market is a lively counterpoint, with lorries of pumpkins, plantains and chillies arriving from across the island. Nearby, quiet village roads lead to rural temples, lotus ponds and small family farms.

Because it sits at the crossroads of the Cultural Triangle, Dambulla fits naturally into almost any journey. Most guests visit for a morning or late afternoon while staying around Sigiriya, or pause here on the drive between Kandy and the ancient cities of Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura.