Sri Lanka off the beaten track

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Where to go to get ahead of the crowds
when travelling in Sri Lanka?

Benefit from our unrivalled expertise ...
... and visit places others miss to see!

Less-known sites in each region

Find lists of hidden gems of the entire island further below.
First, have links to recommendations for specific regions:

For lonesome places of interest ...

... around Colombo & Negombo click here
... between Colombo and Anuradhapura click here
... around Anuradhapura click here
... in the Northern Province click here
... around Trincomalee & Nilaveli Beach click here
... around Polonnaruwa & Pasikuda click here
... around Sigiriya & Dambulla click here
... in the surroundings of Kandy click here
... in the Central Highlands click here
... in the hinterland of Arugam Bay click here
... in the Deep South click here
... around of Bentota & Beruwela click here

Top-rated hidden treasures all over Sri Lanka - favourites first

The table below lists less-known places that could be of interest for travellers who want to enjoy rewarding destinations undisturbed by mass tourism.
Those places off the beaten track that we recommend most are listed first.
number of km: road distance, not as the crow flies

appeal ratings	3***stars	2**stars	1*star
hidden & almost never visited	Dimbulagala backyard hill of Polonnaruwa various archaeological sites good hiking area, great vistas 27 km east of Polonnaruwa Maduru Oya third largest national park not crowded with jeeps noteworthy ancient sites 64 km southwest of Pasikuda Namunukula backyard mountain of Badulla most scenic mountain road rarely visited tea area 18 km southeast of Badulla Thiriyai well-preserved circular temple nice location atop a hill some more ancient ruins 45 km north of Trincomalee Deanston wonderful scenic outpost easy to reach, only 2 km walking gateway to Knuckles Range 48 km east of Kandy Pilikuttuwa typical forest monastery very charming setting some painted caves 35 km northeast of Colombo	Dambadeniya scenic outpost and Kandyan temple 30 km southeast of Kurunegala Arankale romantic ruins in the jungle 26 km north of Kurunegala Madagama wonderful ancient rock temple between Anuradhapura and Trincomalee Maligatenna forest monastery and view point 35 km northeast of Colombo Dedigama large stupa and excellent museum 32 km south of Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage Rufus Kulam picturebook lake and wildlife area 37 km north of Arugam Bay Varana meditation monastery with caves 37 km northeast of Colombo Maligawila largest ancient freestanding statues 63 km north of Kataragama Kiralagala first monastery of Pansukulika type between Anuradhapura and Trincomalee Manakanda Sri Lanka's second Ritigala 40 km north of Dambulla Kandarodai group of small-sized stupas 13 km north of Jaffna Paramakanda rock romantic view point, rock temple between Puttalam and Kurunegala Mannakethi two very picturesque waterfalls 5 km north of Kitulgala Lahugala national park and ancient temple 20 km west of Arugam Bay Pettagangala spectacular logan as temple 45 km east of Colombo Lakshapana Falls horsetail waterfall 9 km west of Norton Bridge Salgala forest hermitage, meditation centre 40 km northwest of Kitulgala Divaguhawa cave temple with Hindu shrines 21 km north of Ratnapura	natural attractions: Mannar Island in the northwest Uda Pusselawa east of Nuwara Eliya Bamarakir Fall 22 km north of Kandy Gampaha 31 km northeast of Colombo Batadombo Lena 15 km to Ratnapura Wawul Pane western part of Sinharaja Manalkadu 45 km west of Jaffna Thennadi Bay 17 km north of Pasikuda Arisimalai 56 km north of Trincomalee archaeological sites: Panduvasnuwara 38 km to  Chilaw Rambavihara 31 km to Hambantota Bogoda Bridge 18 km east of Badulla Nillakgama 53 km south Anuradhapura Velgam Vehera 4 km north Kanniyai Kokabe 47 km east of Anuradhapura Seruwila 42 km south of Trincomalee Menikdena 14 km south of Dambulla Divulwewa 45 km east of Anuradhapura Panavitiya 8 km northeast Dambadeniya Padavigampola 8 km to Pinnawela Pahiyangala 50 km west of Ratnapura Bakamuna 25 km east of Dambulla Veheragala 29 km eas of Anuradhapura Karagahagedara 11 km to Panavitiya Buddhist temples: Buddhangala 80 km to Arugam Bay Hanguranketa 32 km east of Kandy Danthure 14 km west of Kandy Somawathiya 39 km to Polonnaruwa Atthanagala 46 km east of Colombo Koskandawala 3 km to Pilikuttuwa Padeniya 28 km south of Yapahuwa Isinbassagala 26 km north Mihintale Jambukola 20 km northwest of Jaffna Alahuwa 29 km south of Kurunegala Aluthepola 15 km east of Negombo Maradankadawala 35 km Dambulla Maboda 21 km east of Negombo Beligala 27 km west of Pinnawela Hindu sanctuaries: Keerimalai 19 km north of Jaffna Madampe 11 km south of Chilaw Manavari 12 km north of Chilaw Kanniyai 10 km northwest Trincomalee
rarely visited by tourists	Pidurangala great panoramic view reclining Buddha in rock shelter ruins of ancient monastery 1 km north of Sigiriya Ridee Vihara painted caves similar to Dambulla Polonnaruwa period stone temple stupa under overhanging rock 43 km northwest of Kandy Rasvehera giant rock-cut Buddha statue painted caves wildlife sanctuary 43 km northwest of Dambulla Nainativu Island tiny island with palm groves colourful Hindu pilgrimage site nearby Buddhist pilgrimage site 33 km west of Jaffna Delft Island remote island with feral horses Portuguese and Dutch ruins large Baobab tree 35 km west of Jaffna, as the crow flies	Hatthikucchi romantic ruins surrounded by rocks 40 km south of Anuradhapura Gal Oya national park for boat safaris 81 km northwest of Arugam Bay Situlpahuwwa rock temple in Yala National Park 17 km east of Kataragama Thantirimale rock-cut Buddhas, ruins, Bo-tree 42 km northwest of Anuradhapura Kudumbigala nature reseve, stupa, perfect vistas 43 km south of Arugam Bay Kalupokuna ruins in the jungle 17 km east of Dambulla Namal Uyana iron wood, rose quartz hill 17 km northwest of Dambulla Kuruwita waterfalls, caves, temple for tooth 13 km north of Ratnapura Aberdeen Falls stunning horsetail waterfall 17 km southeast of Kitulgala Yudaganawa largest stupa in the south 47 km north of Kataragama Beli Lena prehistoric cave behind waterfall 5 km from Kitulgala Munneshvaram important Hindu pilgrimage temple 2.5 km west of Chilaw	Batticaloa large lagoon, many Hindu temples 320 km east of Colombo Degaldoruwa high-quality Kandyan paintings 6 km east of Kandy Kurunegala view point at modern giant Buddha between Colombo and Anuradhapura Chilaw surrounded by Hindu temples 85 km north of Colombo Sankapala Buddhist caves, Hindu shrines between Ratnapura and south coast
well-known, but not too crowded	Yapahuwa isolated inselberg with caves great sculptures at grand staircase preserved medieval city walls 73 km south of Anuradhapura Mulgirigala best painted caves in the south isolated steep rock living monastery 18 km north of Tangalle Aukana Buddha Sri Lanka's largest ancient statue cut from the rock excellently carved 36 km northeast of Dambulla Nallur largest Tamil temple in Sri Lanka centre of Hindu learning former royal residence 2.5 km northeast of Jaffna	Ritigala largest ancient forest monastery hidden in the jungle famous for Ayurvedic plants 31 km northeast of Sigiriya Medirigiriya large ancient circular temple many Buddha statues in situ ruins of an ancient hospital 32 km north of Polonnaruwa Kalpitiya Peninsula dolphin watching kite surfing lonesome sandy beaches 170 km north of Colombo Nalanda Gedige only temple completely built of stone tantric erotic sculptural decoration Sri Lanka's Abu Simbel 26 km south of Dambulla	-

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