A Traveller’s Guide to Sacred Dambulla Cave Temple
Tucked away inside a series of caves in the centre of Sri Lanka sits some of the country’s most intricate religious artwork and statues dating back over 2000 years.
Yeah, it’s pretty special. But it’s a site that doesn’t get the same attention as its neighbour, Sigiriya Rock.
They are very different sites offering very different experiences, and while Sigiriya Rock has all the grandeur, Dambulla Cave Temple has so much more intricacy and detail. If you fancy adding a bit of culture, history, and art to your Sri Lanka itinerary, this is a great place to start!
We have visited the caves twice, once in 2018 and again in 2024. And on both occasions we made the same mistake, so yeah, read this and make note. We made the mistake (twice) so you don’t have to 😊
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How to Get to the Cave Temples
The cave temples are in the central highland town of Dambulla, right next door to the famous Sigiriya. To get to Dambulla though isn’t all that straight forward.
From Colombo
You can take a train from Colombo Fort to nearby Kekirawa or Habarana train stations, and then get a tuktuk to take you the final 20km.
There are also fancy, air-conditioned coaches or much less-fancy but way more local buses that will take you from Bastion Mawatha Bus Station straight to Dambulla Bus Station in 4 or 5 hours.
From Kandy
Get yourself to Kandy Central Bus Station and jump on the next public bus. They leave regularly (probably every half hour) and will get you to Dambulla in a couple of hours.
If the public bus doesn’t take your fancy, you can get a fancy, air-con bus but I’d recommend booking in advance.
From Anuradhapura
Public bus is your best bet from Anuradhapura. The city is pretty close (about 64km away).
From Trincomalee
There is a train that goes from Trincomalee to Dambulla, but it’s much slower and more infrequent than the bus, so we’d recommend getting yourself on a public bus at Trincomalee Central Bus Station.
From Sigiriya
The closest town to Dambulla, there are buses that connect the two, but from Dambulla bus station to Sigiriya is a bit of a walk so bear that in mind.
Sigiriya doesn’t strictly have a bus station however, the buses all run the main road through Sigiriya, so stand at the side and flag the next one down.
Otherwise, because the two are so close, you could easily negotiate a tuk tuk driver to take you there, hang around while you explore inside and then drive you back.
From Further South
It’ll take a while, but getting yourself to either Colombo or Kandy first is going to make life easier. Otherwise, there are tour options to take you to explore Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle on a day trip.
BUT Don’t Make This Mistake!
So once you’ve made your way to Dambulla, you’ll probably be checking Google Maps to get you to the caves, right?
Well, there are two entrances and one of them is just off the main road AA009, so that’ll be the right one obviously?
Wrong.
Instead make sure you get to here where it is marked as ‘Cave Temple Entrance’ on Google Maps.
On both occasions we visited, we went to the main road entrance near the Golden Temple. There is a set of stairs to take you up to the cave temples from here.
BUT you cannot buy your tickets from this side of the complex.
So even if you make it up all the steps in the sweaty Sri Lankan heat, you’ll have to go back down the other side to the ‘Cave Temple Entrance’ where the ticket office is to then come all the way back up again.
Yeah, just don’t put yourself through it. Trust us!
Savvy Traveller Pro Tips 🇱🇰
After exploring Sri Lanka for two months, these are our favourite booking tools that we couldn’t travel without!
Tickets
Make sure you’ve read the paragraph above too! Tickets can be bought from one ticket desk only, which is located at the ‘Cave Temple Entrance’ on Google Maps.
When we visited, tickets cost 2,000 LKR, but I have seen people mention that it is more like 3,000 LKR now.
Tickets need to be paid in cash.
Dress Code
As Dambulla Cave Temple is a sacred pilgrimage site and active Buddhist temple, there is a dress code for everyone.
You have to enter the complex barefoot. If the weather is particularly hot, I’d take an emergency pair of socks that you don’t mind getting dirty in case the floor is unbearably hot to walk on.
There is a stand just before the entrance where you store your shoes for a small fee. And everyone has to have knees and shoulders covered.
We visited with my parents, and both Chris and my Dad had to wrap sarongs around their waists to cover their knees. My Mum and I were already prepared with longer skirts. We did not have to cover our hair.
Exploring the Caves
The cave complex is actually recognised as Sri Lanka’s largest, and best maintained. It is carved into the side of a rock face that is actually 160m high, hence all the steps from the ticket office.
The cave temples date back to the first century over 2000 years ago, which blows my mind. King Valagamba fled Anuradhapura during an invasion from South India and sought refuge in these caves.
After regaining control from the invaders, he had the caves turned into a monastery for the Buddhist monks who took him in.
The caves have been preserved and added to over the years since then. And today they are protected by UNESCO.
There are five caves, each with slightly different decoration. See paintings directly on the cave walls, huge Buddha statues, tiny buddha statues, dagobas inside the caves themselves. The lighting in the caves is dim and it creates with beautifully mystical spiritual ambiance.
You could spend maybe an hour exploring the caves and photographing all the intricate artwork.
Afterwards, grab your shoes and head down the other side of the complex away from the ticket desk to reach the Golden Temple. It’s a completely different style of temple that is much more modern, but still very unique to see.
Where to Stay Nearby
We’d actually recommend you stay in nearby Sigiriya instead of Dambulla as it is a more central location for the main sights in the area.
La Dolce Vita (£)
One of our absolute favourite places we stayed in the whole of Sri Lanka is right here in Sigiriya!
La Dolce Vita is a lovely little spot with maybe four or five rooms and a pool surrounded by palm trees tucked away from the main road. The rooms are beautifully decorated, the pool arena is serene, and there is a restaurant – definitely go for the Sri Lankan breakfast.
The guys who run the place are friendly and really helpful, and they have a cute labrador called Bruno who makes sure all guests enjoy their stay!
🛏️ Plan your Stay 🛏️
Where’s Next?
If you’re already heading to Dambulla, explore the rest of the cultural triangle before you head off! Climb Sigiriya Rock to see historic frescoes, amazing views, and palace ruins.
But then also hike Pidurangala Rock for stunning panoramic views over to mighty Sigiriya Rock.
Travel north to the sacred city of Anuradhapura, hire yourself a bike and cycle around the whole complex of UNESCO dagobas, temples and ruins dating back to the third century BC!
Oh, and don’t forget to also take a trip to Mihintale, the cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.
Plan more of your trip with these:
- Travel Tips for Sri Lanka: 12 Actually Useful Things to Know
- Vegetarian Food in Sri Lanka: 19 Delicious Dishes to Try
- Climbing Sigiriya Rock: Sri Lanka’s Lion Fortress Ruins
- Pidurangala Rock: Hiking to Sigiriya’s Best Viewpoint
- 6 Top Things to Do in Anuradhapura: Sri Lanka’s Sacred City
- Mihintale: Sri Lanka’s Sacred Cradle of Buddhism
- Kandy to Ella Train: Review & Tips to Not Be Disappointed
- 6 Best Beaches in Sri Lanka Without Crowds (& 2 to Skip!)
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