Three is an important number in Sri Lanka. Predominantly Buddhist, the religion’s ideals are collectively known as the 'Three Jewels'. There are over a million three-wheeler vehicles in the country, particularly taxis known as tuk tuks, and there are three major points on the cultural circuit known as the Golden Triangle. These are the three historic capitals – the hill capital Kandy, the first Sinhalese capital of Anuradhapura, and the medieval capital Polonnaruwa.
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galle was a beautiful place, garlanded with red hibiscus and smelling of the palm-scented ocean, possessing cool dutch interiors and ringed by forests of bamboo.
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-Paul Theroux's The Great Railway Bazaar
However, to think of Sri Lanka’s cultural gems as a mere triangle is like disregarding every other instrument in a percussion section. Because close by you also have the rock fortress of Sigiriya, a bit like the big timpani which makes your heart leap when it hits you. Or Dambulla Caves, like a collection of all the shiniest, most striking gongs and chimes. Put everything together and Sri Lanka is a symphony of culture. Find out more in our Sri Lanka cultural vacations travel guide.
