SIGIRIYA
Area: Sri Lanka
Country: Sri Lanka


Location:
Fairly centrally placed, almost 100 miles NE of Colombo and Bandaranaike international airport, 10 miles NE of Dambulla.

Telephone code from UK:
94 25

Position:
In lush jungle surroundings of rolling hills and agricultural land.

Description:
A small shanty village, best known for its 5th-century rock fortress and temples. The 600-foot-high monolithic Sigiriya Rock dominates the surrounding scenery and attracts an abundance of tourists, normally on a one- or two-night stopover. Accommodation is spread across a vast area with some of the higher-rated properties up to 10 miles away.

Suitability:
Popular destination with day-trippers touring the area's historic sites.

Accommodation:
Pair of fairly basic self-contained properties quietly placed on outskirts of village. More sophisticated properties in Habarana to N.

Shopping:
One or two souvenir stalls only. Buddhist artefacts, spices, fresh fruit and vegetables often sold on the roadside.

Entertainments:
Hotel based.

Eating:
Hotel based. A couple of small shack-type eateries for daytime snacks.

Public-transport:
Infrequent buses to Colombo and Kandy via Dambulla. Motorised rickshaws outside major tourist sites.

Local-excursions:
Half day: rock fortress; Dambulla rock caves; Polonnaruwa temples; Anuradhapura temples. Full day: Kandy; elephant orphanage.