Which one to choose in Sri Lanka
Two ancient sites in Sri Lanka. Polonnaruwa has 89 tickets and tours to book; Sigiriya has 525 tickets and tours to book. The table and the two notes below put them side by side; the full pages have what to see, the ticket and the timing for each.
Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka
Polonnaruwa was the royal capital of Sri Lanka from the late 11th to the 13th century, and its ruins spread for several kilometres beside a vast reservoir. Palaces, relic shrines, brick stupas and Hindu temples stand within cycling distance of each other. The four Buddha images cut from one granite outcrop at Gal Vihara are among the finest rock carvings in Asia.
Sigiriya, Sri Lanka
Sigiriya is a granite rock about 180 metres high in central Sri Lanka, crowned by the ruins of a palace that King Kashyapa built in the late 5th century AD. The climb passes symmetrical water gardens, painted women in a sheltered pocket of the rock, a once-polished wall scratched with ancient verse and two huge carved lion paws at the final stairway.
| Polonnaruwa | Sigiriya | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Ancient City | Fortress & Citadel |
| Civilisation | Asian | Asian |
| Founded | 1070 | AD 477 |
| Entry | USD 30 for foreign adults; children half price | USD 35 for foreign adults; lower rates for Sri Lankans |
| Hours | About 7 am to 6 pm daily; tickets sold until 5 pm; the museum opens around 9 am | 7 am to 5.30 pm; last tickets are sold at about 5 pm |
| Time needed | Half a day; a full day by bicycle | 3 to 4 hours |
| Booking | Buy at the museum ticket office or online from the Central Cultural Fund | Pay at the ticket office by the western entrance; no need to book ahead |
| UNESCO | yes | yes |
| Tickets and tours on GetYourGuide | 89 | 525 |