Anuradhapura Budget Self-Guided Tour - 10 Stops In The Cultural City
- Kate Colliety
- Jun 4
- 7 min read
Anuradharpura is perhaps the most famous city in Sri Lanka for historical and cultural experiences and was the first stop on our 2 month road trip in our tuk tuk. Anuradhapura is made up of two sections, the ancient city and the new city.
To enter the ancient city you must purchase a heritage pass for $25 per person, as we’re budget backpackers we decided to just visit the other sites, and there’s still a lot of them! If you’re coming specifically for the ancient city and cultural importance then we recommend getting a guided tour, the significance of each site can only be appreciated with local knowledge. For us budget backpackers however do not despair there is still lots to see and do.
The main way to move between sites is via tuk tuk, either through a tour or your own! You can also rent bicycles to cycle to each site if you wish. Below we take you through the sites accessible without the heritage pass as well as some of our favourite things to do in Anuradhapura.
Remember to dress respectfully and cover your knees and shoulders.
Contents
Map of Self-Guided Route - Canva & Google My Maps
Anuradhapura Tour Suggestion
Isurumuniya Viharaya in Anuradhapura
7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
500 LKR
The first stop on our self-guided tour is Isurumuniya Viharaya, the charming rock temple.The oldest temple in Sri Lanka, built in the 3rd century bc this temple was extremely busy on a Sunday when we arrived. Everyone visiting was wearing white and was intrigued by the two white people driving a tuk tuk (who weren’t dressed in white.) You don’t have to wear white but it is a holy colour and most people you see will be wearing it.
Inside you can see ancient carving, the most famous being the ‘lovers’ carving and you can climb the stairs up the stone stupa to admire from above.
The lake outside also has a beware of crocodiles sign, we didn’t see any but still thought that was pretty cool. Location 📌
Ranmasu Uyana – Royal Park in Anuradhapura
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Free
The second stop is a short walk from Isurumuniya Viharaya, where you can find the royal gardens. This is a lovely place to wander around. The Royal Park is also known as the Royal Pleasure Garden as centuries ago unmarried kings and queens used to gather here to find a potential partner. Location 📌
Sandahiru Seya
Daylight Hours
Free
The second largest Stupa in Sri Lanka and located next to Isurumuniya Viharaya. This is the newest Stupa built in commemoration of Sri Lanka Armed Forces who fought in the Sri Lankan Civil War and opened in 2021. Location 📌
Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi – The Bodhi Tree
6:00 AM – 12:00 PM & 2:00 PM – 9:00 PM
2000 LKR
Next head to Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, the oldest known human planted tree that sits surrounded by a gorgeous white temple. The story states a nun from India brought a branch from the original Bodhi Tree where Buddha achieved enlightenment over to Sri Lanka and planted the sacred tree. Location
Tip: To visit here you must take your shoes off, the floor can get very hot so don’t forget a pair of socks to protect your feet!
If you don't have your own transport check out this tuktuk tour around Anuradhapura
Mihintale is a 30 minute tuk-tuk ride away from Anuradhapura and offers a fantastic cultural experience with stunning views from the top of the temple. We decided to visit Mihintale on a separate day to give us more time to explore the site. The area is a pilgrimage site for Buddhists who believe it to be the meeting point between Buddhist monk Mahinda and King Devanampiyatissa.
We have also created a full travel guide on Mihintale!
Discover The Top Things To Do In Sri Lanka!
While driving around the country for 2-months, we created a Google Pinned Map with all the places we visited and were recommended in Sri Lanka. Grab your Pinned Map today and start planning your Sri Lankan adventure! Don’t miss out...click here to view for free!
Visit The Lake
We stayed at Lake Side Guest House, although it wasn’t lakeside, after dinner we took an evening walk d own to Thissa Wewa Lake. Here we saw parakeets, herds of cows and large herons enjoying the evening sun while in the background large, white Stupas watched over us.
Mango Mango
I don’t think you’ll find any blogger that has written about Anuradhapura that hasn’t mentioned Mango Mango, also known as Golden Mango on Google. This is because it is the best restaurant in Anuradhapura, it’s cheap, does amazing curries and has an onsite bakery for pudding or breakfast. I think during our 3 night stay we visited 5 times.
We can recommend the chicken tikka masala as well as the chicken curry for lunch, this is good to share between two people as they bring an array of side dishes and it only costs SR600! From the bakery we liked the beef buns and the creme caramel is to die for.
Ancient City
To enter the sites of the ancient city you need to purchase a $25 heritage pass. We think you can still see a good chunk of the history just via the sites outside of the area but if you’re particularly interested in the ancient city then hiring a guide for the day may be the best way to appreciate the age and significance of the buildings.
Although we didn’t enter the old city, from the local guides we spoke to, they were incredibly passionate about their country's history and wanted to share it in detail. Therefore we recommend hiring a tour here.
Sites that you can see in the ancient city include:
The Royal Palace Ruins
Samadhi Buddha
Ruwanwelisaya Stupa
Moonstone of Abhayagiri Vihara
Mirisawetiya Vihara or Stupa
Your next stop is a huge white Stupa which proudly protrudes above the horizon. Here you will need to walk around the Stupa in a clockwise direction. The Stupa was built by King Dutugamunu, and there are various stories as to why it was built!
Thuparamaya Stupa in Anuradhapura
The oldest Stupa in Sri Lanka and the last stop on our self-guided tour, unless you choose to visit Mihintale which is a little further out.
Thuparamaya was built in the 3rd century BC and is the classic dome shape which Stupas take to represent Buddha's enlightenment. Take the time to notice the small details such as the carvings on the stone fence and admire the cultural architecture. Location
Now it’s time to relax and grab some food at Mango Mango, or head over to Mihintale.
Best Time To Visit Anuradhapura
The best time to visit is during the dry season which runs from May to September. The temples are usually busier on weekends and during religious festivals such as Poson Poya which happens in June.
How To Get To Anuradhapura ?
Hire Car or Tuk-tuk Rental
One of the best ways to see Sri Lanka is by travelling like a local, that’s why we choose to rent a tuk-tuk for our trip. This made it super easy to access off the beaten track locations such as Yapahuwa which we visited on the way to Anuradhapura. Just type it into google maps and you’re good to go. Alternatively, you could rent a car and explore the country in more comfort.
Private Taxi or Tuk-tuk
If you don't fancy driving the crazy Sri Lankan roads and you’re coming from close by we would recommend hiring a private driver, this is a good option if there is a group of you as it will work out cheaper than a tour. If you’re solo or in a couple then a tuk-tuk will be the cheapest option however they are uncomfortable so maybe only for a short distance from a neighbouring town.
Bus
From Colombo to Anuradhapura, buses depart from Pettah Bus Stand, the main bus station in the city. You’ll need Route 15-1-1.
There are luxury buses with air conditioning that take approximately 3 hours for the journey. These offer a more comfortable experience.
Alternatively, there are non-luxury buses that run more frequently, roughly every hour, and take around 5 hours. These are a more budget-friendly option, though they offer only basic amenities and make more stops along the way.
Train
Trains to Anuradhapura depart from Colombo Fort Station from 8:45am. The early train at 8:45pm offers second class seating, we recommend booking this as we accidentally ended up in third class once and it was an experience to say the least!
Air conditioned trains depart at 10:30am and 1:45pm or you can get the overnight train at 10:00pm to utilise your time.
The journey takes 5 - 6 hours and second class tickets are around 380 Sri Lankan Rupees.
Best Places To Eat In Anuradhapura
This is the best place for breakfast, lunch and Dinner! They have an onsite bakery that sells cakes, sandwiches and pastries all day plus the restaurant serves some of the best Indian food we’ve tried. Don’t forget to add at least one Roti to your meal!
Best Places To Stay In Anuradhapura
Top Tips For Travelling Sri Lanka
If you’re visiting Sri Lanka here are our top travel tips:
Rent a Tuk Tuk as Transport - This made our trip! Not only did we have complete freedom and flexibility it allowed us to have authentic relationships with locals. Use our code "KandM" for 5% off Tuktuk Rental.
Stay in Homestays - Staying in local homestays meant we experienced authentic food and the local way of life. Everyone was extremely friendly and happy to help.
Don’t Forget the North - Many tourists stick to the south coast but if you have time explore places such as Anuradhapura, Trincomalee and Arugam bay!
Embrace The Chaos and get stuck in, the locals are friendly and love to help and share information about their home!
After visiting Anuradhapura we travelled east to visit Trincomalee although Sigiriya and Pidarangula are also popular next stops.
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Thank you for reading and enjoy your Sri Lankan adventure. Reach out to us over on Instagram @KateandMikesTravels. We always love to hear from people who read our blogs!
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