Two thousand years of kings,and faith that never fell silent.

In the dry plains of the north lie the ancient capitals that made Sri Lanka one of the great civilisations of Asia. Here, kings built stupas as tall as hills, carved Buddhas from living rock and engineered vast reservoirs that still water the land today.

Anuradhapura was Sri Lanka’s first great capital and remained so for well over a thousand years. Pilgrims dressed in white still come to the Sri Maha Bodhi, a sacred fig grown from a cutting of the tree under which the Buddha found enlightenment — planted here in the third century BC — and to circle the great white dome of Ruwanwelisaya at dusk.

Nearby Mihintale is where, according to tradition, Buddhism first came to the island. Climb the ancient stairway to the hilltop stupa for views across the forest. A short drive away, the medieval capital of Polonnaruwa is best explored by bicycle, ending at the serene Gal Vihara, where great Buddha figures are carved from a single granite face.

At Dambulla, five caves high on a rock are filled with more than 150 statues of the Buddha and ceilings painted with murals in red, ochre and gold. It is one of the most moving places on the island. All of these sites are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.