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Voykit pocket guide · Sri Lanka
Polonnaruwa
පොළොන්නරුව
Give Polonnaruwa one full day: rent a bicycle at the ruins entrance (Rs 750–1,000) and ride the compact ancient city, then leave the next morning.
Polonnaruwa was Sri Lanka's capital from the 11th to the 13th century and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The ruins sit in one flat, compact area 3 km north of the modern town, so a bicycle covers the whole archaeological park in a day. Most travellers arrive from Dambulla or Anuradhapura, sleep one night in the new town and move on.
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Local name
- පොළොන්නරුව
- Best months
- Jan–Sep (dry season in the Cultural Triangle)
- Avoid
- Oct–Dec (northeast monsoon rain)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- LKR
- Money
- LKR in small notes for tuk-tuks, buses, tea and entry tickets.
- Daily spend
- Budget Rs 6,000–10,000 excl. bed · Mid Rs 10,000–18,000 excl. bed · High Rs 18,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Dialog, Mobitel (SLT-Mobitel) and Hutch sell tourist SIMs at the airport; passport required.
- Emergency
- Police 119 · Ambulance 1990 · Fire 110
- Plugs
- Types D, G, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · Old three-round-pin (D and M) and UK three-flat-pin (G) sockets both appear; bring a universal adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Nothing extra if 10% service is on the bill; otherwise 10%.; Driver: Rs 2,000–3,000 a day at the end.; Safari jeep driver and tracker: Rs 1,500–3,000.; Guide: Rs 1,000–2,000 for a site visit.; Hotel staff: Rs 200–500; many hotels have a tip box.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Bottled water everywhere; many hotels provide filtered water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels and restaurants, with a hose; squat toilets in bus stations. Carry tissue.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Rice and curry (local joint) | Rs 350–800 |
| Bicycle rental, one day | Rs 750–1,000 |
| Tuk-tuk, town to ruins | Rs 300–600 |
| Guesthouse bed per person | Rs 1,500–2,000 |
| Private transfer from Colombo | Rs 21,000–30,000 |
| Ancient City entrance ticket | USD 25 (2018 rate; check 2026) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- HIM · Hingurakgoda Airport
- Nearest airfield, about 15 km north; no scheduled flights as of 2025Nearest airfield, about 9.3 mi north; no scheduled flights as of 2025
- GIU · Sigiriya Airport
- Charter flights only; about 50 km westCharter flights only; about 31 mi west
Typical fares
- Bicycle rental at the ruins
- Rs 750–1,000 per day
- Tuk-tuk town → ruins
- Rs 300–600
- Bus Polonnaruwa → Dambulla
- under 2 h, cheap local fare
Get around
Bicycles are the standard way to see the ruins: rentals in front of the main entrance cost Rs 750–1,000 per bike (Rs 500 for kids' bikes; child seats and tandems available). The archaeological area is flat and the monuments sit next to each other. Tuk-tuks cover the 3–4 km between town and the ruins; the bus stand and railway station are 4–5 km east of the sites.Bicycles are the standard way to see the ruins: rentals in front of the main entrance cost Rs 750–1,000 per bike (Rs 500 for kids' bikes; child seats and tandems available). The archaeological area is flat and the monuments sit next to each other. Tuk-tuks cover the 1.9–2.5 mi between town and the ruins; the bus stand and railway station are 2.5–3.1 mi east of the sites.
See and do
Known for
- Gal Vihara rock-cut Buddha images
- Rankoth Vehera and Kiri Vihara dagabas
- The Royal Palace of Parakramabahu I
- Parakrama Samudra lake
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Minneriya National Park | Tuk-tuk or jeep from Polonnaruwa, about 45 min | About 1 h each way |
| Dambulla Cave Temple | Bus or private car west, 67 kmBus or private car west, 42 mi | 1.5–2 h |
| Anuradhapura | Bus from the new town bus station, 100 kmBus from the new town bus station, 62 mi | About 3 h |
| Sigiriya Rock Fortress | Private car or bus via Habarana, about 55 kmPrivate car or bus via Habarana, about 34 mi | 1.5–2 h |
Sleep
- New Town (Polonnaruwa town)
- Guesthouses and budget hotels around the clock tower and Circular Road; 3–4 km from the ruins, so you need a bike or tuk-tuk each morning.Guesthouses and budget hotels around the clock tower and Circular Road; 1.9–2.5 mi from the ruins, so you need a bike or tuk-tuk each morning.
- Parakrama Samudra lakeside
- Mid-range hotels on the lake shore, 1–4 km from the ruins; quieter, with lake views and a short cycle to the ticket office.Mid-range hotels on the lake shore, 0.6–2.5 mi from the ruins; quieter, with lake views and a short cycle to the ticket office.
- Giritale
- 12 km northwest by the Giritale Tank; resort-style stays, only worth it if you have your own transport.7.5 mi northwest by the Giritale Tank; resort-style stays, only worth it if you have your own transport.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | ස්තූතියිsthoothi |
| How much is it? | කීයද?keeyada |
| Where is the ticket office? | ටිකට් කාර්යාලය කොහෙද?tikat karyalaya koheda |
| I would like a bicycle | මට බයිසිකලයක් අවශ්යයිmata baisikalayak awashyai |
| Please stop here | මෙතන නවත්තන්නmethana nawaththanna |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Ayubowan' (Sinhala) or 'Vanakkam' (Tamil) with palms together; avoid: Kissing on the cheek
- Temples: White clothes, shoes off, walk clockwise; avoid: Posing with your back to the Buddha; pointing feet at statues
- Hands: Right hand to give and eat; avoid: Left hand for food or money
- Head wobble: A side-to-side nod means yes or OK; avoid: Taking it as no
- Dress: Swimwear only on the beach; shoulders and knees covered in towns; avoid: Topless bathing
- Buses: Leave front seats for monks, the elderly and pregnant women; avoid: Sitting next to a monk (women)
Scams and watch-outs
- Some monuments are still sacred: cover knees and shoulders.
- Tickets are checked at several points inside the archaeological area — keep yours with you.
- Do not sleep or sit on the grass; snake and insect bites are a real risk.
- Avoid street touts and open-market food stalls where you cannot see inside the kitchen.
- The railway station is 5 km from town and the bus stand 4 km from the ruins: arrange your onward transfer before you arrive.
Polonnaruwa is a small, low-crime town and the ruins are safe to walk in daylight. The real risks are heat and dehydration, snakes and insects if you sit on the grass, and unlicensed guides or touts at the entrance.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Polonnaruwa yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Gal Vihara rock-cut Buddha images
- Rankoth Vehera and Kiri Vihara dagabas
- The Royal Palace of Parakramabahu I
- Parakrama Samudra lake
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Sri Lanka Tourism — Polonnaruwa: www.srilanka.travel/
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Ancient City of Polonnaruwa: whc.unesco.org/en/list/201/
- Sri Lanka Railways: www.railway.gov.lk/
- Wikivoyage: Polonnaruwa, revision 5337041 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5337041
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Polonnaruwaපොළොන්නරුව
මේ ලිපිනයට යන්න
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Polonnaruwa; most are in Colombo. The US embassy and UK high commission are both in Colombo (check addresses).
Carry cash: card acceptance is limited in the new town.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/polonnaruwa). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.