Dambulla Caves and the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy are both UNESCO World Heritage sites that can be visited in one day as they are about 2 hours’ drive from each other on the very good Jaffna-Kandy highway. However, you will have to make arrangements looking into bungalows in Kandy where you can spend the night.
The Dambulla Caves
The Dambulla caves are a massive temple complex with a history that spans over 2,000 years. Various kings added to the structures. There is a collection of well-preserved statues of Buddha; a total of 153 and of kings as well as murals painted on the cave walls. There is a total of 5 caves of varying sizes, each with its unique story.
A Lot of History in One Place
The Dambulla caves have been on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list since 1982 and it has been actively taken care of since with various stages of the conservation process. The significance in terms of history and art, especially the 18th-century restorations that were done under the guidance of the Kandyan Kingdom is what makes this place so unique and important.
The Temple of the Tooth, Kandy
Another significant part of the Cultural Triangle is Kandy, the second-largest city in Sri Lanka that hosts the Temple of the Tooth Relic in the former palace of the last king of Kandy and the world-famous Perahera festival in the months of July/August. You could stay close by the town during this season at a holiday bungalow like Amaya Bungalow Kandy and witness the festival that spans two weeks.
