Anuradhapura.
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Overview

Anuradhapura is a UNESCO World Heritage listed city in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka.

Understand

As an ancient capital of Sri Lanka and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Anuradhapura is worth visiting for its well-preserved ruins that show off early Sri Lankan civilization. Established in the 4th centure BCE, the city served as a centre for Buddhist scholarship and monastic life for over 1000 years, drawing flocks of monks and pilgrims. Pilgrims still flock to various sites on holy days today. Of its 113 rulers, most of the ruins you can see relate to the reigns of King Devanampiya Tissa, King Dutugamunu the Great, King Valagamba, and King Mahasena.

The historic zone, northwest of the town, consists of a good variety of ruins, spread over a large area (like a mini Siem Reap) along with a number of dagobas that are still important pilgrimage sites. The majority of visitors are white-clad Sri Lankan pilgrims, rather than foreign tour groups, hence a less touristy atmosphere with fewer touts than at Sigiriya and Polonnaruwa.

Get in

By plane As of 2025 there are no scheduled flights to the airport. Air Senok or Helitours may operate charter flights.

From Colombo, slower non-AC buses go from Central Bus Station (Find routes 4, 15, 57; Rs. 350) and slightly quicker AC/Luxury/Private buses go from the nearby Bastian Mawatha Bus Station, terminal 3 (5 hrs, every half hour, until 18:30).

Luxury buses costing Rs. 1600-2800 (depending on class) take between 4-5½ hours from Colombo and can be booked on the Bus Seat website. That said, taking the train from Colombo is faster and much more comfortable than taking the bus, although with the bus the departures are much more frequent.

Buses also run from Kandy (three hours, every hour two or more, until 18:30), Dambulla (hourly, until 18:30), Trincomalee (3½ hours, morning) and other destinations to the bus station in the Anuradhapura New Town.

Note that Anuradhapura has 2 intercity bus stations: Old Bus Stand and New Town Bus Station. Check which one your bus will go to.

To Kandy (change at Polgahawela). Being on the northern line, trains also run direct from Mannar (one per day, 2h, Rs 2100 (1st) / 1000 (3rd)) and Jaffna (two per day, 4h, Rs 2000 (1st) / 1200 (2nd)). If you're starting your train journey in the south or central parts of the country, you will need to change trains in Colombo.

By road Anuradhapura is on the A9 highway, Kandy is 166 km away. The drive from Colombo takes approximately 4 hours.

Fees and permits

Tickets can be purchased at the Archaeology Museum or at the entrance. Tickets are checked randomly by employees on the road when you are travelling between the sites. Many sites can be also accessed for free, e.g. as of 2025 walking straight from the railway station to Sri Maha Bodhi gets you into a central location from where you can explore the large white pagodas north and south from here for free.

Most tuk-tuk drivers can get you in to the paid archaeological sites without paying the ticket but it is not recommended. However, this tour will probably be a scam and include mostly the free sites (not the north side, ie. museums, Abhaygiri Vihara) so check before what will be included. Decide for yourself between supporting your budget and missing important sites or supporting government spending (hopefully) for the maintenance of historical monuments. If you pay for a ticket, check that the ticket is actually bought. Beware of friendly tuk tuk drivers in the bus stand.

Get around

Tuk tuks and buses are abundant. The PickMe app is the ridesharing app of choice here, for motorbikes, tuk tuks and taxis. The New Town is relatively small, and can be walked from one end to another in half an hour.

This old town is quite large, so get a tuk-tuk if you want to cover all the sights in one day (should be Rs 3,500-4,500 per tour in 2023). Alternatively, some hotels in Anuradhapura can provide you with a bicycle (Rs 1,000 per day in 2023) or motorcycle (Rs 2,000 per day in 2023), allowing you to roam around on your own. The old town is open for visiting until 17:00 while a lot of the other temples can be visited until 21:00 or even later on the sacred full moon days (poya).

See

The ancient city of Anuradhapura was first settled ca. 900 BCE, and served off and on as the capital of the Sinhalese Kingdom until ca. 1100 CE, when the capital moved further south. The city was quite large in its heyday, and so there is a lot of archaeology to see.

Bodhi Tree Temple. The second most sacred place in Sri Lanka, after the Sri Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth) in Kandy and also part of the eight sacred places in Sri Lanka. The Bodhi Tree is allegedly a cutting from the original Bodhi tree under which the Buddha gained enlightenment, and has been continuously guarded for over 2,000 years, making it the oldest historically authenticated tree in the world. The temple complex is surrounded by walls, and is quite busy with monks and worshipers. Due to terrorist activities in the 1980s, it is not possible to drive up to the temple, and one must go through a metal detector before entering the complex. Bags will be checked. Shoes can be left near the entrance. It is polite to leave a tip.

Ruwanwelisaya. The oldest and most voluminous stupa at Anuradhapura, has been fully restored, painted white, and is a centre of worship. Walk from the Sri Maha Bodhiya, past the Brazen Palace (an ancient palace that once supported a bronze roof) to the stupa. There are several image houses at the stupa, as well as four smaller stupas in the four corners of the complex. Please be respectful of the worshippers at the site. This is also one of the eight sacred places of Sri Lanka.

Abhayagiri Vihāra. A monastery site of Theravada Buddhism.

Archaeolgy Museum. Showcases many of the artifacts found at the site, from jewellery and gems to coins and pottery. The museum is more focused on religious and elite objects, although some commoner artifacts are also shown.

The Folk Museum: Showcases the archaeology of Anuradhapura from a more folk perspective.

Jetavana or Jetavanaramaya. Large stupa (Buddhist worship structure. Also known as "Dagoba"), undergoing restoration work. Part of the Jetavana Monastery. At ~120 m (400 ft) tall, this was the third tallest structure in the ancient world (after the Great Pyramids at Giza), and the largest in Sri Lanka. It is also one of the eight sacred places of Sri Lanka

The Citadel: This was the secular centre of the city. The Gedige and other palaces can be found here, as well as the old city walls. The Moonstone: Moonstones, to be found throughout Anuradhapura, were at the entrances to monasteries, and represented the movement from the secular to the sacred worlds, by following the path to enlightenment, as carved into the moonstone. This moonstone is of particular note, for its size and impressive decoration. The Western Monasteries: These monasteries represent a different take on worshiping the Buddha than can be found in the main part of the ancient city. Whereas many monasteries were opulent and richly adorned, the Western Monasteries sought a more orthodox existence, without any sort of decoration within the monastery, save for urinal stones. Urinal stones were often very richly adorned, and the symbolism here need not be explicitly stated.

Lovamahapaya. The 1,600 stone pillars that we see today are what are left of an enormous building. Also called the Brazen Palace, this nine-storey monastery was once home to a thousand monks, whose duties included tending the sacred Bo tree, which grew right next to the building. King Dutugemunu (the palace founder) saw to it that the roof of Lovamahapaya was covered in bronze tiles, and that its walls were decorated with silver and precious stones.

Isurumuniya Buddhist temple (Isirumuni Raja Maha Viharaya) situated near to the Tissa Wewa (Tisa Tank). There are four carvings of special interest in this Vihara. They are the Isurumuniya Lovers, Elephant Pond and The Royal Family. Extra fee 500LKR.

Do

Apart from seeing the archaeology of the ancient city, it is possible to explore the area, and to spend time in the Anuradhapura New Town. There are many shops in the New Town, as well as a market, and the interested visitor may wish to patronize some of these.

There are guided city tours offered by bicycle or on foot through local tour agencies, or ask at your hotel.

You can also swim in the Tissa Wewa with the locals. There are also swimming spots in the river near the Jetavanarama Dagoba.

Buy

Souvenir vendors are abundant at the popular sites within the Anuradhapura old town, as well as at Mihintale. You can go to them to purchase postcards, replica artifacts, carved wooden figurines, earrings, masks and any number of other items. Vendors will also often follow you around, and will sometimes not leave you alone when you say that you are not interested. Some vendors attempt to sell authentic ancient artifacts. It is illegal to remove items older than 100 years old from the country, and you may face up to three years in Sri Lankan prisons if you are caught attempting to do so. Besides this, the looting of archaeological artifacts can lead to the destruction of archaeological sites, the loss of important artifacts, and ultimately, the loss of valuable archaeological knowledge. Please do not support looting by purchasing authentic artifacts. The vendor should confirm that they are replicas, and they should be priced as such.

There are numerous shops in the Anuradhapura New Town. Apart from food markets, there are photo shops, sari shops, and several others. Essentials can be purchased from Cargills Food City or at one of several pharmacies. Zam Zams has a wide assortment of products if you forgot to bring anything.

Eat

Smaller shops offer quick eats, such as pastries and rolls, which are also quite good and cheap. Stores and small markets in the New Town and surrounding area often carry snack food such as chips, chocolate bars and nuts, as well as cold drinks. Some also have fresh baking, and many markets sell fresh fruit. Lunch packets, generally sold between 11:00 and 14:00 are excellent for lunch. You can ask the staff not to put too many chillies, as authentic Sri Lankan food is very spicy.

Cargills Food City is a small grocery store which carries many Western products, fresh produce and meat. You can get all the essentials for preparing your own meals here.

Drink

The drinking of alcohol in public is not an acceptable practice in Sri Lanka. There are not many bars, and they tend to be somewhat secluded. Westernised guesthouses have a full bar, and Lion and Carlsberg are the most common beers. There are two alcohol shops in the Anuradhapura New Town, where you can purchase arrack, a spirit made from coconut which is popular throughout Sri Lanka, as well as standard international alcoholic drinks.

Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Elephant House soft drinks are sold at small shops everywhere, and water, juice, and other drinks can also be purchased at these. As always, do not drink tap water.

Sleep

There are numerous guest houses Anuradhapura new town, and many more budget accommodations. Prices at hostels start from Rs 1,500 to 2,000 per person for a night.

Usually he'll take you to see the room for free before committing to rent one.

Feels Like Home. Exactly what you want in a backpacker's hostel - good social area, helpful hosts and the cheapest and easiest shared tours around the town, Mihintale or Wilpattu. The hosts will often sit with the guests in the evening and keep the social good times rolling. The location is very close to the public bus station and convenient for the railway station and temple complexes.

Hotel Shalini. The terrace restaurant which is in a unique British colonial-style building serves authentic and delicious Sri Lankan rice & curry, high quality Western as well as Chinese food. Opening hours: 06:00-11:00, 13:00-15:00, 18:00-23:30.

Lake House Homestay. Hidden away from the hustle and bustle of town, the hosts of Lake House Homestay will do their very best to make your stay an enjoyable one. Always active and responsive in meeting your needs and giving accurate advice. They provide breakfast, lunch and dinner for 900Rs each (which is convenient as there is not much other food nearby). A fantastic place to stay as a couple or a group with their own transport, though not ideal as a single traveller because tuk tuks to the main attractions are ~600Rs.

Miridiya Lake Resort. It is very close to ancient sites and outdoor wonders. 39 standard and deluxe rooms are available, with modern facilities. Facilities include an in-house restaurant, bar, swimming pool, and meditation facility. Excursions to tourist sites can be arranged.

Milano Tourist Rest. In the heart of the town, surrounded by a well maintained garden. Internet/email facilities are free of charge.

Respect

It is respectful, and necessary, to remove shoes and hats when walking around sites of Buddhist veneration. It is also polite to circumambulate to the right; that is, walk to the left around the object so that your right hand, considered to be the clean hand, is constantly facing the object. Women's shoulders should also be covered when exploring Buddhist sites, and respectful clothing should be worn. One is also not supposed to turn their back towards a representation of the Buddha.

It is generally fine to take pictures, but be careful not to take any pictures of people in front of images of the Buddha.