Dambulla cave temple Tampuḷḷai Poṟkōvil
Dambulla, Sri Lanka UNESCO World Heritage Site
Dambulla cave temple is a Buddhist temple and a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Matale District, Sri Lanka. It is one of the most looked-up sights in the country, ranking 4th among the country's sights on Wikipedia.
Planning a visit
The site is open from 07:00 to 19:00, and admission costs Rs 3000 for foreigners, payable in cash only. The address is Kandy - Jaffna Hwy. Daily temperatures range from a low of 20 °C in February to a high of 33 °C in April. Rainfall varies throughout the year, with drier conditions in June, July, and August, while November is the wettest month, recording 270 mm of rain over about 25 days.
The nearest airport is China Bay Airport in Trincomalee, located 96 km away, while Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport is 113 km away. The temple is 134 km from the capital, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. Nearby sights include Sigiriya at 16.5 km and Polonnaruwa at 39.6 km.
Weather by month
The warmest month is April, with an average high of 33 °C. The wettest is November, with about 270 mm of rain.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high, °C | 27 | 30 | 32 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 29 | 28 |
| Average low, °C | 21 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 21 |
| Rainfall, mm | 124 | 66 | 79 | 157 | 88 | 40 | 45 | 38 | 70 | 217 | 270 | 188 |
| Rainy days | 12 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 20 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 15 | 24 | 25 | 21 |
Temperatures and rainfall: 1981–2010 averages for this spot (4 km grid), from CHELSA. Rainy days: 2015–2024, NASA POWER.
