Top Things to Do in Anuradhapura - Anuradhapura Attractions
Revenue and your browsing history impact the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Things to Do in Anuradhapura
Check out must-see sights and activities:
Mihintale, Wilpattu National Park, Sacred & Religious Sites, City Tours. For personalised recommendations, try our AI trip-planning product.
Mihintale, Wilpattu National Park, Sacred & Religious Sites, City Tours. For personalised recommendations, try our AI trip-planning product.
Powered by AI
BETA
Revenue and your browsing history impact the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Explore popular experiences
See what other travellers like to do, based on ratings and number of bookings.
Book these experiences for a close-up look at Anuradhapura.
- fromper adult (price varies by group size)$275
Likely To Sell Outfromper adult$55- fromper adult (price varies by group size)$172
Multi-day Toursfromper adult$2,046
Extreme Sportsfromper adult (price varies by group size)$244
Multi-day Toursfromper adult$73
Multi-day Toursfromper group (up to 3)$2,346- from
$1,185per adult (price varies by group size)$1,067 - fromper adult$91
Rail Toursfromper adult$127
Points of Interest & Landmarks
Sacred site with panoramic views, historical temples, and tranquil ambiance. Ideal for cultural exploration and sunset hikes. Guides provide insightful context to the ancient ruins.
This attraction description was created by AI, using information and phrases commonly found in reviews users submitted to Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor did not create and is not responsible for this description. Please read full traveller reviews for more details and information. If you believe something in this AI-generated description is inaccurate, please share your feedback.
Nature & Wildlife Areas
Admission tickets from $97
Architectural Buildings
Sacred Buddhist site with tranquil ambiance, home to revered relics and intricate carvings. Provides a reflective space amidst lush greenery for cultural insights and historical significance.
This attraction description was created by AI, using information and phrases commonly found in reviews users submitted to Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor did not create and is not responsible for this description. Please read full traveller reviews for more details and information. If you believe something in this AI-generated description is inaccurate, please share your feedback.
Religious Sites
Points of Interest & Landmarks
Religious Sites
Points of Interest & Landmarks
Religious Sites
Ancient Ruins
Bodies of Water
Other Top Attractions around Anuradhapura
Revenue and your browsing history impact the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Learn more about this content
Tours, activities and experiences bookable on Tripadvisor, ranked using exclusive Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, popularity, user preferences, price, and bookings made through Tripadvisor.
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
What travellers are saying
- David C75 contributionsWell worth a visit, small entrance fee & we hired a local guide which proved invaluable as we wouldn't have seen or done a fraction of the things we did including climbing to the top barefoot.Written 20 December 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- GamW2015Perth, Australia88 contributionsThis park is famous for leopard sightings but there are no guarantees - we did a full day (10hr) safari and saw many animals including a bear up close but no leopards. Our time there was just after some rains and it appeared that the animals really come out on dry days. Still, it was an enjoyable day - there were probably another 8-10 jeeps in the park, all hunting leopard sightings but it seemed only one jeep had managed a sighting. Reasonable facilities inside the park at the lunch venue.Written 10 December 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Dilina GuneSri Jayawardenepura, Sri Lanka112 contributionsWe love visiting Ruwaweliseya and try to do it once during every 6 months (or sooner if possible). Try to go in the mornings if possible to avoid massive crowds during school holidaysWritten 5 January 2025This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Matthew SMelbourne, Australia86 contributionsI took a scooter ride with Kingsley to the monastery, which was great fun. Once there, the tour was an amazing history lesson of the Buddhist way of life so many years ago. It's a lot of uphill and downhill walking, so wear comfy walking shoes.
The tour ended with a 30 minute yoga session with Kingsley where I felt so relaxed afterwards and grateful for the experience.Written 1 January 2025This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Kevin TAuckland, New Zealand1,204 contributionsSaid to be over 2,500 years old and a sacred part of everyday life. There is a strict dress code and it was incredibly busy although it’s really difficult to see the tree itself. Having said that the atmosphere was compelling and it was a privilege to be part of something so important in day to day life. Enjoy……Written 5 June 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Sugath SBattaramulla, Sri Lanka20 contributions• The next morning at around 7:30, we explored the revered Abhayagiriya Stupa and its extensive archaeological site, covering approximately 200 hectares . Workers were already busy on-site amidst this vast ancient temple complex. This is an indescribably large ancient temple complex.
• From the moment we commenced trekking through the sunlit pathways amply covered by huge shady trees, I was captivated by the rich history of ancient Sri Lanka. Every direction revealed the profound legacy embedded in each stone of this sacred area. The whispers of centuries past echoed through rustling leaves, reflecting the cultural heritage that flourished here, a monumental testament to the architectural excellence of a bygone era.
• As I stood in its shadow these are, a hidden world of architectural marvels and cultural treasures waiting to be unearthed. The remnants of the former weather beaten monasteries for more than 1000 of years though still convey a sense of grandeur. The intricate carvings and sturdy stonework tell tales of devotion and artistry, urging us to delve deeper into the narrative woven into the very fabric of the ruins.
• Abhayagiriya is one of the most captivating religious and archaeo logical sites in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka's ancient capital. The complex remains largely unexplored,with only about a third of the existing structures uncovered. In addition to the iconic massive stupa, the site features bedeviled by picturesque ruins overgrown with tangled undergrowth.Written 26 December 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - traveller4576Dublin306 contributionsVery lively temple which is very important to its congregation. If you are patient and respectful, they will let you participate and bless you (for a small fee). Great to experience living cultural sites.Written 15 August 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Peter MMelbourne, Australia1,293 contributionsIsuruminya Temple is in the Royal Pleasure Gardens next to the Tisa Tank. There are three carvings of special interest in this Temple (Vihara)-Isuruminiya Lovers, Elephant Pond and the Royal Family. I only saw the Elephant Pond the largest. It was built by King Devanampiya Tisa (307-267BC)Written 13 August 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Yuri_mw4Colombo, Sri Lanka10 contributionsThis was built by king dewanampiyatissa celebrating the introduction of Buddhism to srilanka this is the very first sthupa in here named by combining sthupa for structure and arama monasteryWritten 18 January 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Travel With NiraKelaniya, Sri Lanka17 contributionsRanmasu Uyana
It is an ancient royal park in Anuradhapura sacred city adjoining Isurumuniya temple.
Royal gardens were first constructed here in the time of King Tissa (3rd century BC) when the reservoir was built. However, the pleasure pavilions and other fixtures are seen today date from the 8th-9th centuries AD.
This pleasure garden was also known as ‘Magul Uyana’ and served as an ancient recreation park once enjoyed by a succession of monarchs of ancient Anuradhapura over the centuries. The elaborately laid-out garden complex epitomises ancient Sri Lanka’s innovative landscape architecture and engineering excellence.
රන්මසු උයන
එය ඉසුරුමුණිය විහාරස්ථානයට යාබද අනුරාධපුර පූජා නගරයේ පිහිටි පුරාණ රාජකීය උද්යානයකි.
මෙහි ප්රථම වරට රාජකීය උද්යාන ඉදිකරන ලද්දේ තිස්ස රජුගේ කාලයේ (ක්රි.පූ. 3 වන සියවස) ජලාශය ඉදිකරන විටය. කෙසේ වෙතත්, විනෝද මණ්ඩප සහ අනෙකුත් සවිකිරීම් අද දක්නට ලැබෙන්නේ ක්රිස්තු වර්ෂ 8-9 සියවස් වලට අයත් වේ.
මෙම විනෝද උද්යානය 'මඟුල් උයන' ලෙසද හඳුන්වනු ලැබූ අතර, සියවස් ගණනාවක් පුරා පුරාණ අනුරාධපුරයේ රජවරුන් අනුප්රාප්තිකයා විසින් භුක්ති වින්දා පැරණි විනෝද උද්යානයක් ලෙසද සේවය කළේය. සවිස්තරාත්මකව සකස් කර ඇති උද්යාන සංකීර්ණය පුරාණ ශ්රී ලංකාවේ නව්ය භූ දර්ශන ගෘහ නිර්මාණ ශිල්පය සහ ඉංජිනේරු විශිෂ්ටත්වය සංකේතවත් කරයි.Written 17 December 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - ShardhaColombo, Sri Lanka127 contributionsJust let your imagination run wild. You should let this transport you to 2,000 years ago to get impressed by it.Written 13 January 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Kai WahMalaysia3,814 contributionsSamadhi refers to Buddha’s enlightenment which is depicted by the statue with the sitting position of meditation. The statue is located in the Mahamevnawa Park in between the Twin Ponds and Thuparamaya Temple. It is inclusive in the entrance fee for Anuradhapura Ancient Site at USD25 or LKR4,550. Hiring a driver is necessary since various sites are far from each other. Appropriate dressing required and no shoes are allowed. There are locals here for the worshiping. Good representation of the heritage of Buddhism culture since Anuradhapura Kingdom in 3rd century.Written 10 March 2020This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
The above attraction descriptions were created by AI, using information and phrases commonly found in reviews users submitted to Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor did not create and is not responsible for any of the above attraction descriptions. Please read full traveller reviews for more details and information.
Reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.