Places deriverative Wants to Go

This rural Sri Lankan village hides a cluster of small, enigmatic stupas.

This peaceful sanctuary is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Colombo.

This space rocket-like Buddhist stupa sits atop two giant arches and can be seen from out at sea.

The first and only planetarium in Sri Lanka.

Seven beautiful 1,000-year-old rock-cut Buddhist statues.

This enigmatic stone pool is all that remains of an ancient palace.

This ancient cave temple complex is the largest and best-preserved temple complex in Sri Lanka.

Known as the most scenic route in Sri Lanka, this train line is steeped in history and offers an unparalleled view of the country.

Does this 10-foot-tall statue carved into a rock face depict a king afflicted by a skin condition or a Buddhist figure?

This fort dates back to 1588 and was colonized by the Portuguese, Dutch, and English and sits prominently on the Indian Ocean where azure water lap the coast.

The trunk of this 700-year-old tree measures more than 60 feet around, making it the oldest and largest baobab in Sri Lanka.

Originating in the 16th century this fort is far more than a military structure.

Beautiful and terrifying masks displayed in the island’s only mask library.

This site was once the religious, cultural, and trade center of Sri Lanka.

Ancient cave temple near a massive Buddha statue.

This 19th-century tea factory turned hotel showcases restored machinery from the era.

Surrounded by thick vegetation, this basilica integrates Sinhalese and Western architecture.

This storied Buddhist temple is a rare example of a stupa within a stupa.

This 14th-century Sri Lankan temple is a mixture of Sinhalese and Dravidian architecture.

An asymmetrically spiraling tower perched on top of a protected mountain.

An enigmatic temple with complicated history, at the center of Sri Lanka.

This enormous statue of the Buddha is a response to the destruction of the Bamiyan statues in Afghanistan.

Actually this "ancient" way of fishing may have started as recently as WW2

Light still pours into the ruins of this ancient Islamic observatory.