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Traveller Stories

Real experiences, honest stories and practical guides to the places we write about across all nine provinces.

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Ridi Viharaya: The Silver Temple of Kurunegala — North Western travel storyNorth Western

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-09-21

Ridi Viharaya: The Silver Temple of Kurunegala

A cave temple founded on a silver ore discovery, with intricate carvings and a peaceful hill setting.

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Munneswaram Temple: Chilaw's Colourful Hindu Complex — North Western travel storyNorth Western

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-09-14

Munneswaram Temple: Chilaw's Colourful Hindu Complex

A historic Shiva temple near Chilaw, known for its vivid gopuram and the Munneswaram festival.

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Kalpitiya Peninsula: Kitesurfing, Dolphins and Lagoon Life — North Western travel storyNorth Western

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-09-07

Kalpitiya Peninsula: Kitesurfing, Dolphins and Lagoon Life

Sri Lanka's kitesurfing capital, with flat lagoon water, dolphin trips and empty beaches.

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Yapahuwa Fortress: The Forgotten Rock Capital — North Western travel storyNorth Western

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-08-31

Yapahuwa Fortress: The Forgotten Rock Capital

A thirteenth-century rock fortress with a ceremonial staircase — and hardly any crowds.

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Delft Island: Wild Horses and Coral Walls in the Far North — Northern travel storyNorthern

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-08-24

Delft Island: Wild Horses and Coral Walls in the Far North

A remote island of feral horses, Dutch ruins and coral-stone walls, reached by a slow ferry from Jaffna.

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Casuarina Beach: The Northern Tip's Quiet Sands — Northern travel storyNorthern

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-08-17

Casuarina Beach: The Northern Tip's Quiet Sands

A long, casuarina-lined beach near Karainagar — calm, local and far from the south-coast crowds.

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Nallur Kandaswamy Temple: Jaffna's Golden Kovil — Northern travel storyNorthern

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-08-10

Nallur Kandaswamy Temple: Jaffna's Golden Kovil

The north's most important Hindu temple, with a towering gopuram and a calendar of festivals.

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Jaffna Fort: A Walk Through the North's Colonial Ramparts — Northern travel storyNorthern

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-08-03

Jaffna Fort: A Walk Through the North's Colonial Ramparts

A star-shaped Dutch fort on the Jaffna lagoon — and a reminder of the peninsula's layered history.

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Mihintale: Where Buddhism Arrived in Sri Lanka — North Central travel storyNorth Central

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-07-27

Mihintale: Where Buddhism Arrived in Sri Lanka

A hilltop of stupas, rock caves and sunset views — the birthplace of the island's Buddhist tradition.

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Minneriya National Park: The Great Elephant Gathering — North Central travel storyNorth Central

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-07-20

Minneriya National Park: The Great Elephant Gathering

Hundreds of elephants around an ancient reservoir — when to go and how to safari responsibly.

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Gal Viharaya: Polonnaruwa's Rock-Cut Buddhas — North Central travel storyNorth Central

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-07-13

Gal Viharaya: Polonnaruwa's Rock-Cut Buddhas

Four colossal figures carved from a single granite rock — the artistic highlight of Polonnaruwa.

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Ruwanwelisaya: The Great White Stupa of Anuradhapura — North Central travel storyNorth Central

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-07-06

Ruwanwelisaya: The Great White Stupa of Anuradhapura

A two-thousand-year-old stupa at the heart of the sacred city — scale, symbolism and how to visit respectfully.

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Ratnapura Gem Mines: Inside Sri Lanka's City of Gems — Sabaragamuwa travel storySabaragamuwa

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-06-29

Ratnapura Gem Mines: Inside Sri Lanka's City of Gems

Sapphires, rubies and muddy pits — how to visit Ratnapura's gem country responsibly.

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Udawalawe National Park: Elephants, Tanks and an Easy Safari — Sabaragamuwa travel storySabaragamuwa

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-06-22

Udawalawe National Park: Elephants, Tanks and an Easy Safari

One of the most reliable places to see wild elephants in Sri Lanka, with open plains and a short drive from the south coast.

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Sinharaja Forest Reserve: Sri Lanka's Last Great Rainforest — Sabaragamuwa travel storySabaragamuwa

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-06-15

Sinharaja Forest Reserve: Sri Lanka's Last Great Rainforest

Endemic birds, giant trees and leech socks — a guide to walking the island's UNESCO rainforest.

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Adam's Peak: Climbing Sri Lanka's Sacred Mountain — Sabaragamuwa travel storySabaragamuwa

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-06-08

Adam's Peak: Climbing Sri Lanka's Sacred Mountain

The overnight pilgrimage to Sri Pada — what to pack, when to go and what happens at the summit.

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Dunhinda Falls: The Bridal Veil Near Badulla — Uva travel storyUva

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-06-01

Dunhinda Falls: The Bridal Veil Near Badulla

A tall, powerful waterfall a short trip from Badulla, reached by a forest path and a lot of steps.

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Lipton's Seat: Sunrise Over Sri Lanka's Tea Estates — Uva travel storyUva

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-05-25

Lipton's Seat: Sunrise Over Sri Lanka's Tea Estates

The hilltop where Sir Thomas Lipton surveyed his tea empire — and one of the best sunrise views in the highlands.

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Ravana Falls: Ella's Roadside Waterfall and the Legend Behind It — Uva travel storyUva

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-05-18

Ravana Falls: Ella's Roadside Waterfall and the Legend Behind It

A tall cascade beside the Ella–Wellawaya road, tied to the Ramayana and best seen after the rains.

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Nine Arch Bridge: Ella's Jungle Viaduct, and How to See It Properly — Uva travel storyUva

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-05-11

Nine Arch Bridge: Ella's Jungle Viaduct, and How to See It Properly

Where to stand, how to walk there, when the trains actually cross and why the bridge exists in the first place.

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Yala National Park: Leopards, Safaris and What to Actually Expect — Southern travel storySouthern

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-05-04

Yala National Park: Leopards, Safaris and What to Actually Expect

How a Yala safari works, when the leopards are easiest to see, which block to choose and why the crowds matter.

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Pasikudah Beach: The Shallow Lagoon on Sri Lanka's East Coast — Eastern travel storyEastern

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-05-04

Pasikudah Beach: The Shallow Lagoon on Sri Lanka's East Coast

Warm, waist-deep water and a gently sloping bay make Pasikudah one of the island's easiest swims.

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Nilaveli Beach: White Sand, Pigeon Island and Calm East-Coast Water — Eastern travel storyEastern

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-04-27

Nilaveli Beach: White Sand, Pigeon Island and Calm East-Coast Water

A long, quiet beach north of Trincomalee with snorkelling trips to Pigeon Island and a genuinely slow pace.

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Koneswaram Temple: Trincomalee's Cliff-Top Shiva Shrine — Eastern travel storyEastern

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-04-20

Koneswaram Temple: Trincomalee's Cliff-Top Shiva Shrine

A Hindu temple above the harbour, with a sacred spring, cliff views and a history stretching back centuries.

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Arugam Bay: Surf, Lagoon and the Slow East Coast — Eastern travel storyEastern

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-04-13

Arugam Bay: Surf, Lagoon and the Slow East Coast

A world-class right-hand point break, laid-back cafés and a coastline that stays quiet outside season.

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Hikkaduwa Coral Reef: Snorkelling and Turtles on the West Coast — Southern travel storySouthern

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-04-06

Hikkaduwa Coral Reef: Snorkelling and Turtles on the West Coast

Glass-bottom boats, green turtles and a fringing reef — plus how to visit without damaging it.

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Unawatuna Beach: Swimming, Coral and the Road South — Southern travel storySouthern

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-03-30

Unawatuna Beach: Swimming, Coral and the Road South

A sheltered crescent bay near Galle with calm water, beach cafés and a reef just offshore.

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Whale Watching in Mirissa: Blue Whales, Early Boats and Rough Seas — Southern travel storySouthern

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-03-23

Whale Watching in Mirissa: Blue Whales, Early Boats and Rough Seas

What a Mirissa whale-watching morning is really like, when the season runs and how to pick a boat worth boarding.

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Galle Fort: A Walking Guide to Sri Lanka's Walled City — Southern travel storySouthern

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-03-16

Galle Fort: A Walking Guide to Sri Lanka's Walled City

Ramparts, lighthouse, boutique cafés and four centuries of colonial history inside a UNESCO old town that people still call home.

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Horton Plains and World's End: Sri Lanka's Cloud Forest Walk — Central travel storyCentral

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-03-09

Horton Plains and World's End: Sri Lanka's Cloud Forest Walk

A misty plateau, dwarf forest and a dramatic cliff — plus how the pre-dawn start actually works.

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Nuwara Eliya Tea Country: A Guide to Sri Lanka's Hill Station — Central travel storyCentral

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-03-02

Nuwara Eliya Tea Country: A Guide to Sri Lanka's Hill Station

Cool air, colonial bungalows and endless tea estates — how to visit the heart of Ceylon tea without rushing it.

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Temple of the Tooth: Inside Kandy's Sacred Relic Shrine — Central travel storyCentral

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-02-23

Temple of the Tooth: Inside Kandy's Sacred Relic Shrine

Sri Lanka's most important Buddhist temple, the three daily pujas and the rituals around a single tooth.

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Sigiriya Rock Fortress: A Practical Guide to Climbing Lion Rock — Central travel storyCentral

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-02-16

Sigiriya Rock Fortress: A Practical Guide to Climbing Lion Rock

Tickets, timing, the frescoes and the climb — what to expect at Sri Lanka's most famous rock fortress, plus the quieter view from Pidurangala.

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Mount Lavinia Beach: Colombo's Closest Sandy Escape — Western travel storyWestern

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-02-09

Mount Lavinia Beach: Colombo's Closest Sandy Escape

A crescent of sand just south of the capital, with the historic Mount Lavinia Hotel watching over the bay.

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Negombo Beach: Fishing Boats, Lagoon Sunsets and Easy Airport Stops — Western travel storyWestern

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-02-02

Negombo Beach: Fishing Boats, Lagoon Sunsets and Easy Airport Stops

A working fishing town with a long sandy beach — and the easiest first or last stop near Colombo airport.

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Gangaramaya Temple: Colombo's Most Eclectic Shrine — Western travel storyWestern

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-01-19

Gangaramaya Temple: Colombo's Most Eclectic Shrine

A temple, museum and monastic library rolled into one on the edge of Beira Lake.

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Colombo's Skyline: How to Spend a Day in Sri Lanka's Capital — Western travel storyWestern

Sahan Kalpa Dayarathna · 2026-01-12

Colombo's Skyline: How to Spend a Day in Sri Lanka's Capital

Lotus Tower, Galle Face Green and the streets in between — a practical one-day guide to Colombo.

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