exploreLK

14/01/2017

We Make Memories

04/01/2017

It's high time to travel to Sri lanka....

Make this year your most adventurous one yet.

29/12/2016

http://explorelk.com/make-your-own-tour/

Select destinations you wish to visit Anuradhapura Arugambay Bandarawela Bentota Ella Galle Hikkaduwa Horton Plains Kandy Kithulgala Matale Minneriya Negombo Nuwaraeliya Pasikuda Pinnawala Polonnaruwa Sigiriya Trincomalee Unawatuna Yala

30/11/2016

We are an inbound tour operator in Sri Lanka with all the capabilities of providing life time experiences to the tourists. The tours have been carefully crafted in order to provide a supreme pleasure with including most wanted and desired places in this wonderful tropical island, Sri Lanka.

We offer…

Amazing Inclusive Tour Packages
Premium City Tours
Astonishing Activities
Free Airport Pickup & Drop
Detailed Itineraries
Guidance With Different Languages
Luxury Vehicles

Apart from accommodation and food expenses, all the other costs (entrance tickets, vehicle costs, driver and guide costs, safari jeep costs, etc.) are included in each tour price.

http://explorelk.com/tours/

18/11/2016

http://explorelk.com/tours/the-last-kingdom-private-day-tour-in-kandy/

18/11/2016

Hikkaduwa is a small coastal town in the south situated 99 km south of Colombo. Well-known for its beach, coral gardens and nightlife, Hikkaudwa is one of most popular tourist destinations in Sri Lanka. The corals sanctuary replete with colorful fish is quite fascination and you can explore these fantasies in a glass-bottomed boat. This is also a better place for sunbathing, snorkeling, board-surfing and many other pastimes.

18/11/2016

Unawatuna located south of Galle is a world-renowned beach and undoubtedly the most famous beach in Sri Lanka. The gorgeous beach, coral reefs and delicious seafood available in the surrounding hotels attract many tourists. It is known for scuba diving, surfing and many more water sports. The jungle Beach, Rhummassala Hills, Kathaluwa Temple, and Galle Fort are nearby exciting places to visit.

10/11/2016

Another celebrated beach of Sri Lanka, Bentota beach with the river, lagoon, palm groves and resort complex is one of the most-visited tourist destinations in the island. Lush greenery of the landscape around is really breathtaking. Bentota is a heaven for water sport enthusiasts. Hotels offer interesting boat rides to the hamlets bordering the river and the Meetiyagoda Moonstone mines and facilities for a variety of water sports.

Further Madu river boat safari is a famous ride that tourist want to experience when they are in Bentota.

10/11/2016

Located 200 km east of Colombo and 28 km south of Badulla town, Bandarawela is one of the key towns with tourist attractions. Bandarawela town had much development during the British colonial era and buildings such as ‘Cargills Building’, ‘Bandarawela Hotel’, and ‘Tennis Club’ bear evidence to their influences. Bandarawela is a town that has mild weather all year around because it is situated at a higher altitude. Bandarawela is one of the popular locations amongst local travellers as it is a destination that provides relaxing environmental conditions & soothing climate to make the family gatherings enjoyable and memorable.

Historical references mention that King Valagamba found his perfect hideout at Dhowa area in Bandarawela to regroup his army to battle against the south Indian Chola invaders. Ancient ‘Dhowa rock temple’ is one of the historic places which you could visit. It is said that the temple was founded by ‘King Valagamba’ in the first century BC. Roman Catholic Church, St Anthony’s Church & Methodist Church are some of the other historic places that belong to the colonial era.

Bandarawela town has a mix population with a Sinhala majority. When the British introduced tea plantation to Sri Lanka, they hired south Indian Tamils as labourers to work on the tea estates. Hence, the central hills including Bandarawala started to be inhabited by immigrant Tamils.

Bandarawela boasts of one of the healthiest climates in the world and average temperature of the region stands at 12oC in December and rises up to 27oC from May to June. This climatic condition suits perfectly for Tea plantation.

The tallest waterfall Bambarakanda, Diyaluma falls and Adisham bunglow are three placeswith close proximity from Bandarawela.

10/11/2016

World-renowned as a paradise of surfing, Arugam Bay is ranked 3rd among the best 20 beaches for windsurfing in the world. It is located in the southeast coast of the island. It is best for surfing there from April to October and good for swimming during the off season. The tropical white sandy beach, with perfect blue water and palm groves is without doubt an ideal place for you to enjoy your holiday.

10/11/2016

Pasikuda and Kalkuda are two separate beautiful beaches in the east coast. These stunning sandy beaches that are very popular among tourists both here and abroad are ideal for bathing, windsurfing and water skiing.

08/11/2016

Kithulgala is famous for white water rafting and the adventurous activities.

Rafting or white water rafting is a tough recreational outdoor activity using an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other bodies of water. This is usually done on white water or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers.

With the development of this activity as leisure sport, this has become popular since the mid-1970s. It is considered to be an extreme sport as it can be dangerous too.

Sri Lanka’s most popular place for white water rafting is Kitulgala on the picturesque Kelani River. It is in Kitulgala where white water rafting originated in Sri Lanka. Kitulgala is 80kms east of Colombo on the A7 Route that extends to Nuwara-Eliya. The period from May to December is the most suitable time for white water rafting in Kitulgala.

Apart from white-water rafting, Kitulgala promises you a number of other adventurous as well as recreational activities such as bird watching, walking in the jungle, trekking to waterfalls, jumping and sliding into natural pools, river expeditions, flat water rafting and mountain biking.

Kitulgala came to international fame due to the fact that the academy award-winning “The Bridge on the River Kwai” was filmed on the Kelani River near Kitulgala 1950s, although nothing remains now except the concrete foundations for the bridge.

08/11/2016

Trincomalee natural deep-water harbor has attracted seafarers like Marco Polo, Ptolemy and Sea Traders from China and Eastern Asia since ancient times. Trinco, as it is universally called, has been a sea port since the days of the ancient Sri Lankan pre historical kings. The earliest known recorded reference to the port of Gokanna is found in the Mahavamsa stating that in 5th century BCE, when King Vijaya who having failed to convince his brother to come to Sri Lanka as his successor, got down his youngest son Panduwasdewa, who landed at Gokanna and was subsequently enthroned at Upatissagama. Trinco is sacred to both Sinhala and Tamil people and its environs have many Buddhist and Hindu sites of historical importance. These sites are sacred to the Buddhists and Hindus who revere them. The Hindus of this area maintain peaceful relationships with the Sinhala Buddhists living in the area. Koneswaram Kovil was destroyed in 1622 by the Portuguese (who called it the Temple of a Thousand Columns), and who fortified the heights with the materials derived from its destruction. Some of the artefacts from the demolished temple were kept in the Lisbon Museum including the stone inscriptions. The entrance leading to Koneswaram is actually the entrance to the Fort Fredrick. The fort was built in 1623 by the Portuguese and captured in 1639 by the Dutch and went through a phase of dismantling and reconstruction and was attacked and captured by the French in 1672.

During the Second World War the British and the Allied Powers chose it as the chief naval base for the entire South East Asia and Far East Command during World War II. The Japanese attack at Trincomalee harbour in 1942 was not successful in spite of a su***de attack on the Trincomalee fuel tanks. Sri Lanka, then called Ceylon, did not face a real threat of an invasion by the Japanese at any point during the war.

Trincomalee strategic importance has shaped its recent history. The harbour, the fifth largest natural harbour in the world, is overlooked by terraced highlands, its entrance is guarded by two headlands, and there is a carriage road along its northern and eastern edges. It has some of the most charming and lovely beaches found in Sri Lanka, relatively un spoilt and clean and are famed for bathing and swimming, owing to the shallowness of the sea, allow walking out over a hundred meters into the sea without the water reaching the chest. Whale watching is a common pastime in the seas off Trincomalee, and successful sightings are on the rise with the increase of tourism in the area.

This is a pristine beach, very popular for whale watching, in addition to surfing, scuba diving and fishing.

08/11/2016

Mahavamsa and Chulavansa speak of Pulathisipura; the early historical name of Polonnaruwa; a UNESCO world heritage site, which has a great history of invasions and struggle. Behind it rightfully forms the third element in the cultural triangle. Located about 140 km north east of Kandy, Polonnaruwa offers hours of endless pleasure for history and culture lovers, as there are numerous sights of significance.

Polonnaruwa became the capital of Sri Lanka subsequent to the decline of Anuradhapura and witnessed the Sinhala Buddhist civilization reading much greater heights. The vast irrigation network with reservoirs that look like inland seas sustained such classic balance in rice cultivation during the rule of King Parakramabahu the Great (1153-1186 AD) and Sri Lanka came to be known as the Granary of the orient. The main attractions are the conserved ruins of glorious royal palaces, massive Buddhist temples and unbroken monuments of colossal statues carved from solid rock boulders and with its conserved ruins and renovated ancient irrigation reservoirs it is a must visit destination in Sri Lanka.

As much as the conserved cultural monuments would enlighten the tourists, the wildlife sanctuaries in the district of Polonnaruwa afford ample opportunities for the joy and fun in the close range of wild elephants, other mammals to the lovers of wildlife. At the city of Polonnaruwa the large ancient irrigation reservoir called Parakrama Samudra (Sea of Parakrama) is always lovely with the excess of birdlife, it is seldom that there is not something interesting going on upon its shimmering expanses of waters.

08/11/2016

Yala National Park is the most visited and the second largest national park in Sri Lanka. Actually it consists of five blocks, two of which are now open to the public; and also adjoining parks. The blocks have individual names also like Ruhunu National park, block 1, Kumana National Park or Yala east for the adjoining area. The park is situated in dry semi-arid climatic region and rain is received mainly during the northern monsoon.

Yala hosts a veriety of ecosystems ranging from moist monsoon forests to freshwater and marine wetlands. It is one of the 70 important bird areas in Sri Lanka. Yala harbours 215 bird species including six endemic species of Sri Lanka. The number of mammals that has been recorded in the park is 44 and it has one of the highest leopard densities in the world.

08/11/2016

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage was established in year 1975 with five orphan elephants in an area of 25 acres at Pinnawala, Rabukkana. The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is located in Kegalle district and it’s around two and half hour drive from Colombo.

Being the first elephant orphanage and its unique way of maintaining a large free herd of elephants, this elephant orphanage has become famous among international tourists and place of vital importance in tourist itineraries. At present, the elephant orphanage serves as a conservation and breeding center as well as a place of informal education on elephants and their conservation.

Now it has about 86 elephants and is the largest captive elephant breeding center in the world. In 1984 the first baby elephant of the orphanage, named “Sukumali” was born and thereafter 64 calves were born. Visitors can see the elephants in and around the Ma-Oya River and bathing in flowing water.

08/11/2016

Nuwara-Eliya is one of the cities that lie at the highest altitude of Sri Lanka and is popular as a paradise holiday destination. Located in the central hills, 180km away from Colombo, Nuwara-Eliya is a classic example of climate diversity of Sri Lanka. It is also a city where the influence of the British-Colonial architecture is visible.

Covered and cornered from three of the highest mountains of the country that is Piduruthalagala, the Great Western & Haggala, it becomes a paradise of its own isolating itself from other bustling cities and towns. However, it offers many activities for tourists such as hiking, pony riding, boating, golfing, visits to the tea plantations and the lovely landscapes & parks.

Nuwara-Eliya boasts a cool climate but gets warmer and is considered as the summer season during the period from March to May.

It is believed that King Rawana had a capital in the region of Nuwara-Eliya. It is said that King Rawana kept Sita in a place called ‘Sita-Eliya’ where we can now find a Hindu Kovil known as Sita Amman Kovil (a Hindu Temple) lying close to the Haggala Botanic Garden. It is also said that King Rawana punished Hanuman when the Monkey-Leader together with his monkey army came to save Sita and lit Hanuman’s tail on fire. Hanuman used his swift movement ability and burnt King Rawana’s entire city, legend says that the black soil found in the Nuwara-Eliya region is a result of this burning and that it is the only ruins left of the capital of King Rawana.

Ancient Kings kept Nuwara-Eliya as a treasure; they did not construct any building in the region to keep the natural beauty as well as to protect the natural resources. However, they knew about the resource availability and then used footpaths to collect gems & materials to produce arms.

Governor William Gregory constructed the lake during his rule from 1872 to 1877 utilizing water from Nanu Oya which runs across the town. It is about 91.2 hectares in extent and was used for water sports and recreational activities at the time of the British rule. Lake Gregory is a significant tourist attraction loved locals and foreigners alike. Boat Yard offers boating for people who love & enjoy being with the water.

08/11/2016

Minneriya national park is in the midst of three agricultural towns; Habarana, Polonnaruwa and Minneriya. This is heavenly area for elephants coming from neighbouring jungles to enjoy the lush grass fields on the banks of the Minneriya reservoir, especially during the dry season. Reports of elephant sightings range from 100 to a surprising 700. Endemic monkeys as well as many resident and migratory bird species can also be spotted. There are endemic reptiles such as the painted-lip lizard and the other reptiles that dwell here are the saltwater crocodile, the Indian python and the water monitor.

The Minneriya reservoir is an important habitat for large water birds such as lesser Adjutant, Painted Stork and Spot-billed Pelican. Minneriya is a dormitory for many residents as well as migrant bird species. Large number of elephants are attracted to grass fields on the edge of the reservoir during the dry season and Minneriya tank contributes to sustain a large herd of elephants. The individual elephants that gather in numbers are around 150-200. Some reports account number of elephants as high as 700. Tourists visit Minneriya largely because of elephants; especially in dry season from August to December as it is the high season to witness elephants in Minneriya.

Exploring wildlife riding on an elephant’s back would be an unrivalled experience for you. It not only lets you view wildlife from the back of an elephant, but more significantly , provides the unique opportunity to share a day, picnicking with them in the bush, grooming , feeding or swimming with them, or experiencing the pleasure of being close to such magnificent animal; the encounter is truly memorable. Elephant safari in Sri Lanka is an experience by itself.

08/11/2016

Kandy is the last capital of Sri Lanka; its history brings to mind images of riches, marching elephants and much pomp and pageantry. Kandy is amongst a hilly terrain and all eyes are drawn to the centre of the city, where the Kandy Lake forms a charming feature. It’s one of the eight UNESCO World Heritage sites in Sri Lanka. Kandy was last home to the Kandyan Kings of yore in the 19th century and a fountain for all the music, arts, crafts and culture in the country. Taking in a performance of Kandyan Dancers is rather like floating on an unending wave where rhythm and movement become one against the backdrop of the throbbing drums

Kandy Esala Perahara is one of the grandest festivals exclusively unique to Sri Lanka. Kandyan dancers plays a vital role in this festival. Kandyan dance is regarded as the national dance form of Sri Lanka. The dance evolved primarily during the period of Kandyan kings; hence it was named Kandyan dancing. These dance forms depicts scenes of Ramayana, tales of kings, queens, princes and heroes as well as dancing of kings and heroes. Costumes of Kandyan dancers are quite elegant. Male dancers wear spectacular headgear and their bare chests are adorned with elegant silver regalia and also wear silver bangles on arms and anklets. They dance to the rythms of drums which are called “Bera”. The experience of Kandyan dancing can be arranged at any day of the year.

The “Dalada Maligaawa” is situated in the heart of Kandy with a wonderful surrounding of “Bogambara” Lake. It is the castle of the last king of Sri Lanka. Currently the tooth relic of Buddha is placed here and therefore large number of people come to worship “Dalada Maligawa” daily.

Even if you miss this spectacle, there are many more sights and sounds in Kandy that would hold your attention. The Peradeniya Botanical Gardens invite visitors to a learning experience about flora and fauna and some majestic trees that can be traced back to centuries. A visit to the National Museum once again highlights the city’s royal past and is well worth a stop. The Malwatta and Asgiriya Monasteries house ancient manuscripts and other treasures from a bygone era.

Kandy is an exciting place for shopping and a well-known centre for elaborate brass, bronze and silver ware. Batiks, handlooms, ceramics, jewelry, reed ware and jewelry are other readily available items. This hill capital is at the heart of the island’s history and identity and no visit to Sri Lanka is complete without a stop-over in Kandy.

08/11/2016

Ella is a small village of quaint beauty, safely tucked-in amidst the towering peaks of Sri Lanka’s central highlands of the Uva province. The sleepy village is nestled in a valley peering straight through Ella Gap to the plain nearly 1000m below and across to the coastline; where on a fine day, you could even catch a glimpse of the Great Basses lighthouse of Southern Sri Lanka. If the view alone wasn’t good enough, Ella is also surrounded by hilly countryside perfect for walks; through tea plantations to ancient temples and waterfalls.

Ella is a famous destination among the tourists due to the Rawana Falls, Rawana Cave, nine arch bridge and the Eco Resort, a hotel with fantastic sceneries.

Rawana falls is located on the Ella-Kithalella road below the famous Rawana cave where Seetha was in captivity. It can be viewed by taking a walk along the railway track. The other route is along a farm road; over a small rock bridge you can have a close look at one of the most ignored waterfalls in the country that speaks of our prehistory.

There are many legends linking King Rawana and Seetha and the falls. According to the legend , it is said that King Rawana (king of Sri Lanka at the time) had kidnapped princess Seetha, and had hidden her in the caves behind this waterfall, now simply known as the Rawana Ella(Rawana falls) Cave. At the time, the cave was surrounded with thick forests in the midst of the wilderness. It is said that Princess Seetha bathed in the Pool where water collects from the fall. Rawana cave is one of the most attractive places for both local and foreign a tourists. It is located rear Rawana falls it’s about 4490 ft. above sea level.

08/11/2016

Sir Emerson Tennant claims that Galle was the “Tarshish” mentioned in the Bible, as the harbor where ships trading with King Solomon obtained their Elephants, Peacocks and Gemstones. Most certainly the place where the Galle Fort now stands as well as other areas like Unawatuna, Magalle, Kaluwella and even the China Gardens (which held a colony of Chinese traders several years ago) were all areas with historic connections which go along before the Portuguese Era. International traders, Persians, Moor traders from the Persian Gulf, South Indian traders, Malays and especially the Chinese and a host of other nationalities lived and traded in Galle. The Cripps road inscription reveals the polyglot and poly ethnic character of Galle. Even in early British times the earliest embassies were situated in Galle. For example the first Consul from USA was resident in Galle.

The Galle Fort was built by the Dutch during their rule and it is the largest and the most secured fortress in Sri Lanka. It was declared an archeological reserve by the UN since 1969 and in December 1988, UNESCO declared Galle Fort World Heritage 38th Monument. A Parliament bill titled Galle Heritage Foundation Act was passed in 1994 in Sri Lanka. In addition to these entire claim, Galle Fort is unique, very special and charming as there are no other sites, areas, fortress or location when compared with Galle Fort walled city of 38 hectares (90 acres) in Sri Lanka.

The Fort of Galle is the living symbol of all this history unless the Sri Lankan Government turns out to be conscious of its responsibility to protect and preserve the tangible remains of our history; not only in Galle, but also all over Sri Lanka, otherwise all will be lost. Let the world heritage site of Galle remain symbolic of its heritage and not become a center of palatial dwellings of foreigners, night clubs and all that go with them.

It is the only place in Sri Lanka that still retains a unique old world atmosphere and its unique place in the history of VOC. It houses eight religious institutions that include Temples, Y.M.B.A, and Y.W.C.A churches, Mosques, Zaviyas and Thakkiyas etc, that have pioneered and propagated religion and upheld all cultural values, morals, traditions, customs and other activities for several centuries. Galle is also home to educational institutions such as Southlands Maha Balika Vidyalaya established, in 1885 for girls, All Saints Maha Vidyalaya established in 1876 for boys, Al Bahjathul Ibrahimiya Arabic College established in 1892 for boys from all over Sri Lanka and three other Montessori schools are in operation.

Eighty per cent of Galle Fort has remained valued residential location. It has around 375 dwelling houses of Sinhalese, Muslims, Tamils, Burghers and others living for years in total harmony without any communal differences. Galle Fort remains an esteemed and respected residential location for centuries, with its rich religious, educational and cultural values. It has also been producing eminent scholars, educationists, doctors, engineers, lawyers, professionals and reputed businessmen. In addition, there are some 25 small business premises and about 16 government offices.

The sea beaches and the beautiful ramparts surrounding the Fort have become nature’s inspiration which has been often featured in many magazines both here and abroad. The history of Galle Fort reveals that it has maintained a flawless reputation, devoid of criminal records at all times resulting in all communities within the Fort living in peace and amity upholding all human values. The combination of historical, archaeological, and architectural institutional and residential, buildings and the fortress has inspired and influenced UNESCO to declare Galle Fortress as a world heritage which should last for many centuries to come than being modified and converted into varied types of liquor bars and vice dens.

Galle is one of 213 places of great historical value in the world that should be conserved and protected for posterity. Perhaps the earliest recorded reference to Galle comes from the great Arab traveler Ibn Batuta, who visited the port which he calls Qali-in the mid-14th century. The Portuguese fi rst arrived in 1505, when a fleet commanded by Lorenzo de Almeida took shelter from a storm. Clearly the strategic significance of the harbour impressed the Portuguese, for 82 years later, in 1587; they seized control of the town from the Sinhala kings and began the construction of the Galle Fort. This event marked the beginning of almost four centuries of European domination of the city, resulting in the fascinating hybrid-architecturally, culturally and ethnically-which Galle is today.

The Dutch captured the city from the Portuguese in 1640, and immediately began strengthening the defenses. They remained for almost 150 years, until the city was in turn taken by the British in 1796. Not until 1947, when Ceylon gained its independence from the British, did Galle become, once again, an independent city-and by this time the long years of association with European colonialism had left an lasting stamp on the city which makes it unique in today’s Sri Lanka. In recognition of this fact, the Old City of Galle-essentially the fort and its surroundings-was declared a World Heritage Site in 1988.

08/11/2016

Recorded history refers to Anuradhapura as the first capital of Sri Lanka. The extensive city still holds relics of architectural ruins of its ancient kingdom and Buddhist temples not seen in most parts of the world. Be prepared to grip history the minute you step into this sacred city; Anuradhapura. It is the base of ancient civilization in Sri Lanka and an ancient city with a rich heritage in history, culture, politics and religion.

The UNESCO world heritage site offers a deep insight into the life and times of the majestic kings of Sri Lanka and the engineering and architectural potential of the times.

The most famed monument is the ruins of the brazen palace and the ruwanwelisaya built by King Dutugamunu in 164 BCE. Anuradhapura is one of the three stunning locations in the cultural triangle. Mahamevuna Uyana houses the sacred Bo Tree or Sri Maha Bodhi, the oldest authenticated sacred tree, which is said to date back to BCE and planted from a sapling from the sanctified tree under which the Lord Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment.

Another magnificent sight is the Jetavanaramaya, the largest Dagoba in the world. The city is spread with ruins of ancient Dagobas and other sites of religious significance. Their complicated carvings and sculptures are remarkable and the ancient stones speak of the days of yore when the city was ruled by brave kings presided over by Buddhist clergy.

Pilgrims around the world flock to Anuradhapura; it is regarded as a place where Buddhism is safeguarded for humanity. It is so unfortunate that the city finally declaimed in importance due to foreign invasions and went into disorder. The city remained the capital for almost 1000 years and during the height of its rise, commanded great respect and power internationally.

A visit to Anuradhapura leaves the visitor with a sense of wonder and history so deep that the experience lingers long after the visit.

08/11/2016

Sigiriya consist of an ancient castle built by King Kassapa during the 5th Century. However, the beginnings and the original builder of Sigiriya is challenged by mangy local and foreign historians and archaeologists. The Sigiriya has the leftovers of an upper palace on the flat top of the rock, a mid-level terrace including the Lion Gate and the mirror wall with its frescos, the lower palace that lings to the slopes below the rock; the moats, walls and gardens extending for some hundreds of metres out from the base of the rock.

It is both a palace and a fortress. Despite its age, the splendor of the palace still furnishes a stunning insight into the ingenuity and creativity of its builders. The upper palace on the top of the rock includes cisterns cut into the rock that still retain water. The moats and walls that surrounds the lower palace are still gracefully attractive.

Sigiriya is considered one of the most important urban planning sites of the first millennium, and the site plan is considered very elaborate and imaginative. The plan combined concepts of balance and irregularity to intentionally link the man-made geometrical and natural forms for the surroundings. On the west side of the rock lies a park for the royals, laid out on ta balanced plan; the park contains water-retaining structures, including sophisticated surface/subsurface hydraulic systems, some of which still work to date. In the south lies a man-made reservoir; these were extensively used from the previous capital of the dry zone of Sri Lanka. Five gates were placed at the entrances. The more sophisticated western gate is regarded to have been reserved for the royals.

John Still in 1907 states; “The whole face for the hill appears to have been a gigantic picture gallery… the largest picture gallery in the world perhaps”. The paintings would have covered most of the western face of the rock, covering an area 140 m long and 40 m high. There are references in the graffiti to 500 ladies in these paintings. However, many more are lost forever, having been wiped out when the Palace once more became a monastery so that they would not disturb meditation. However, historicity states that it would have been a monastery before King Kassapa renovated it. Many frescoes, different from the popular collection, can be seen elsewhere on the rock surface, for example on the surface for the location called the “Cobra Hooded Cave”.

The water gardens are seen in the central section of the western gardens. Three principles gardens are found here. The first garden consist of a plot surrounded by water. The second contains two long deep pools set on either side of the path. The third garden is sited on a higher level than the other two with a large octagonal pool on a raised podium on its northeast corner.

The water gardens are built on the east-west axis. They are connected with the outer moat on the west and the large artificial lake to the south of the rock. Al the pools are also interlinked using an underground conduit network fed by the lake, and connected to the moats. At miniature water garden is located to the west of the first water garden, consisting of several small pools and watercourses. This recently discovered smaller garden appears to have been built after the occupation of King Kassapa, possibly between the 10th and 13th centuries. This proves that Sigiriya was occupied by many from prehistory and even after King Kassapa.