Quick answer
A cricket and Cultural Triangle trip takes about ten days: stay in Sigiriya for a game at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, climbing Sigiriya or Pidurangala at dawn, then visit the Dambulla cave temple, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura on the free days, and finish in Kandy for a game at Pallekele with the Temple of the Tooth. Sigiriya is about 30 minutes from the Dambulla ground, and Kandy about two to two and a half hours.
Key takeaways
- The Cultural Triangle holds five of Sri Lanka's eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
- Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium is about 30 minutes from Sigiriya.
- Polonnaruwa is about an hour from Sigiriya, and Anuradhapura about two hours.
- Kandy is about two to two and a half hours south of Sigiriya, and Pallekele about 30 to 40 minutes beyond.
- The Cultural Triangle is in the dry zone and is mostly dry during mid-year tours.
The shape of the trip
A cricket and Cultural Triangle trip works when an Australian series plays at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, at Pallekele near Kandy, or both. The ancient cities lie between them, so a ten-day loop can take in two or three games and the main monuments without long drives.
The Cultural Triangle holds five of Sri Lanka's eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Sigiriya, the Dambulla cave temple, Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura and the sacred city of Kandy. It is in the dry zone, which suits mid-year tours, when the southwest is in its monsoon.
- →Base 1: Sigiriya, for Dambulla games.
- →Base 2: Kandy, for Pallekele games.
- →Five UNESCO sites in ten days.
Sigiriya and Dambulla
Sigiriya is the best base for a game at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, about 30 minutes away. Climb Sigiriya at 7 am, when the gates open, or Pidurangala at sunrise for the view, and be back at the hotel by 10 am to rest before an afternoon start.
The Dambulla cave temple, a few minutes from the ground, has five caves of Buddha statues and painted ceilings, some over 2,000 years old. It makes a good morning before a game, with a climb of about 20 minutes on stone steps.
With a free afternoon, a jeep safari at Minneriya or Kaudulla, best roughly July to September, shows the elephant herds.
- →Sigiriya: about three hours, at 7 am.
- →Dambulla caves: about 1.5 hours.
- →Minneriya or Kaudulla: afternoon safari.
Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura
Polonnaruwa, the medieval royal capital, is about an hour from Sigiriya and best seen by bicycle in the morning. The Gal Vihara's rock-cut Buddhas, the circular Vatadage, the royal palace and the great reservoir, the Parakrama Samudra, fill half a day.
Anuradhapura, the older capital, is about two hours from Sigiriya and needs a full day. Its great dagobas, the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, a sacred fig grown from a cutting of the Buddha's tree, and the monastery ruins are among the most important Buddhist sites in Asia.
Lankan Stays & Trails fits the ancient cities around the match days, with Polonnaruwa on a free morning and Anuradhapura as a full day trip.
- →Polonnaruwa: half a day, by bicycle.
- →Anuradhapura: a full day.
- →Dress modestly at all sacred sites.
Kandy and Pallekele
Kandy, about two to two and a half hours south of Sigiriya via Dambulla and Matale, is the last royal capital and the base for games at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, about 30 to 40 minutes east of the city.
On the way from Sigiriya, the spice gardens of Matale and the Aluvihare rock temple, where the Buddhist scriptures were first written down, are good stops. In Kandy, the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, the lake and the Peradeniya gardens fill the free days.
- →Matale: spice gardens and Aluvihare.
- →Kandy: Temple of the Tooth.
- →Pallekele: 30 to 40 minutes away.
A ten-day plan
A typical ten-day trip: day 1, arrive and drive about four hours to Sigiriya; day 2, Sigiriya at dawn and the Dambulla caves; day 3, a game at Dambulla; day 4, Polonnaruwa and a Minneriya safari; day 5, Anuradhapura; day 6, drive to Kandy via Matale; days 7 to 9, Kandy and a Pallekele game; day 10, drive to the airport, about three hours.
The order changes with the fixtures, but the principle stays the same: base in Sigiriya for Dambulla and in Kandy for Pallekele.
- →Days 1 to 5: Sigiriya base.
- →Days 6 to 9: Kandy base.
- →Day 10: airport, about three hours from Kandy.
Dress and etiquette at sacred sites
Many sites in the Cultural Triangle are active places of worship. Cover shoulders and knees, remove shoes and hats before entering temple areas, and never pose with your back to a Buddha statue for a photograph.
Carry a sarong or light trousers for temple visits on match days, and socks for hot stone floors.
Frequently asked questions
Can you combine cricket with the Cultural Triangle?
You can when a series plays at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium or at Pallekele near Kandy. Base in Sigiriya for Dambulla games and in Kandy for Pallekele games, and visit Sigiriya, the Dambulla caves, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura on free days and mornings.
How far is Polonnaruwa from Sigiriya?
Polonnaruwa is about an hour by road from Sigiriya, making it an easy half-day trip. The best way to see the ancient city is by bicycle in the morning, before the heat. Combine it with an afternoon elephant safari at Minneriya or Kaudulla.
Is Anuradhapura worth visiting on a cricket trip?
Anuradhapura is worth a full day if you have one free. It was Sri Lanka's first great capital, with huge dagobas, the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi and monastery ruins. It is about two hours from Sigiriya, so it suits a free day between games.
Where should you stay for a game at Dambulla?
Sigiriya, about 30 minutes from Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, is the best base, with the widest choice of hotels and the rock on the doorstep. The lake hotels at Kandalama and Habarana are also within about 20 to 40 minutes of the ground.
What should you wear to temples in the Cultural Triangle?
Cover shoulders and knees, remove shoes and hats before entering temple areas and avoid clothing with images of the Buddha. A sarong or light trousers are easy to carry on match days. Socks help on hot stone floors in the middle of the day.
How many days do you need for the Cultural Triangle?
Four or five days covers the main sites: Sigiriya, the Dambulla caves, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura, plus a safari. With games at Dambulla and Pallekele and a few days in Kandy, a ten-day trip combines the cricket and the ancient cities comfortably.
Is the Cultural Triangle dry during mid-year tours?
The Cultural Triangle is in the dry zone and is mostly dry and hot from roughly May to September, during the southwest monsoon. That makes it a good region for a mid-year tour, when Galle and Colombo can be wet. Afternoon showers are possible but usually short.