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Pahala Thalkote Tank
An absolutely stunning lake which stretches a vast distance, the Pahala Thalkote Tank overlooks both Sigiriya & Pidurangala rocks and provides spectacular sights throughout the day, especially at sunrise and sunset.
It is a popular place for bathing, relaxing and an ideal place for wildlife and nature photographers. The sunset boat ride offered by Back of Beyond at Pahala Thalkote Tank is highly recommended.
Read more in the Sigiriya & Beyond book pp 320
Sigiriya wewa
At the height of its existence, the bund of the tank extended for a distance of over 7km south of the Sigiriya rock and its water spread over an area larger than 800 hectares.
Locals can be seen fishing using traditional fishing methods and harvesting lotus root to sell in the local markets and the flowers to sell to the temples.
Read more in the Sigiriya & Beyond book pp 333
Kayanwala wewa
Spend endless hours watching the serene natural beauty of this lake which sits on the foothills of Sigiriya rock. As the sun sets, the Sigiriya rock blazes orange as the Mirror Wall deflects the light across the tank.
Read more in the Sigiriya & Beyond book pp 300
Halmilla Wewa
One of the most visited sites in Sri Lanka by both locals and tourists is the Dambulla Caves, designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in the 1990’s and listed as one of the top ten sacred caved in the world by National Geographic.
With a history dating back to 2ndcentury B.C. the Dambulla Rock Cave complex includes 5 main caves which are open to visitors, housing breathtaking cave paintings. The largest cave Maharaja Lena is one of the largest Buddhist cave shrines in the world. In addition to the intricate paintings visitor can also find the statues of 157 Buddhas, 5 gods as well as 3 kings here.
The spiritual energy within the caves is tangible and especially the Maharaja Lena is a wonderful place to sit in quiet meditation. The history of the caves begs to be learned as it has been a Buddhist temple continuously for over 23 centuries – pretty impressive! It has also been a place of hiding for Kings fleeing invaders and a refuge for countless others in search of a refuge of a different kind.
To read more on the Dambulla Cave Temples and its history and attractions, you can read Chapter 04 pp 118 - 134 in the Sigiriya & Beyond book
