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Sight Sigiriya & Dambulla

Dambulla Cave Temple

A sight in Sigiriya & Dambulla, moderately priced ($$) and worth about 1.5 hours. Best time to go: Morning.

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Dambulla Cave Temple in Sigiriya & Dambulla
Photo: Lankapic · CC BY 2.5 · license

Why go

Five cave shrines filled with Buddha statues and painted ceilings, a UNESCO site.

It is one of 9 curated places we feature in Sigiriya & Dambulla, alongside 2 activities, 2 places to eat and 2 sights. The closest of our other picks is Jetwing Vil Uyana, 11 km away as the crow flies.

Type
Sight · Culture
Neighborhood
Dambulla
Price
$$
Time needed
1.5 hr
Best time
Morning

Nearby

The 6 closest curated picks in Sigiriya & Dambulla, measured as straight-line distance.

  1. 1
    Jetwing Vil Uyana

    Eco-resort built around restored paddies and wetlands, with a restaurant open to non-guests.

    Food · 11 km straight-line
  2. 2
    Rastha Hotel

    Casual Sigiriya village restaurant for Sri Lankan rice and curry and kottu.

    Food · 14 km straight-line
  3. 3
    Sigiriya village cooking class

    Home cooking sessions teaching rice and curry with clay pots and fresh coconut.

    Activity · 15 km straight-line
  4. 4
    King coconut stall

    Roadside stands selling chilled orange king coconuts, Sri Lanka's go-to drink after a climb.

    Drinks · 17 km straight-line
  5. 5
    Sigiriya Rock Fortress

    5th-century palace atop a 200 m rock, with frescoes, a mirror wall and lion-paw gate.

    Sight · 17 km straight-line
  6. 6
    Pidurangala Rock

    Neighboring rock with a short scramble to the top and the best view of Sigiriya.

    Activity · 17 km straight-line

On these curated routes

Dambulla Cave Temple is a stop on our Sri Lanka: Rock Forts to the South Coast route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.

More sights to see in Sigiriya & Dambulla

Another curated sight in Sigiriya & Dambulla. See the full Sigiriya & Dambulla guide.

When to go

Average daily highs in Sigiriya & Dambulla run from 27°C in December to 32°C in April; November is usually the wettest month. For Dambulla Cave Temple itself, we suggest: Morning.

Modelled monthly averages for Sigiriya & Dambulla from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Full Sigiriya & Dambulla weather by month.

Getting there

Map links open a live search for Dambulla Cave Temple, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.

Address
Kandy - Jaffna Hwy, Dambulla, Sri Lanka
Coordinates
7.85491, 80.65057
Destination
Sigiriya & Dambulla, Sri Lanka

Dambulla Cave Temple: quick answers

How much time do you need at Dambulla Cave Temple?

Plan on about 1.5 hours at Dambulla Cave Temple. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.

When is the best time to visit Dambulla Cave Temple?

Our pick: Morning.

Where is Dambulla Cave Temple?

Dambulla Cave Temple is at Kandy - Jaffna Hwy, Dambulla, Sri Lanka. The Google Maps and Apple Maps links on this page open it for directions.

Which TripsCircle routes include Dambulla Cave Temple?

Dambulla Cave Temple appears on Sri Lanka: Rock Forts to the South Coast, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.

Add Dambulla Cave Temple to your crew's plan

Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Sigiriya & Dambulla.

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Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.