Dambulla: What to do here?

Let's not beat around the bush: Dambulla as a town is not really enjoyable.

But you stop here for one reason: the Dambulla Cave Temple, also known as the Royal Rock Temple. It's part of the famous Cultural Triangle and genuinely one of the few temples in Sri Lanka where you don't walk away thinking: well, another Buddha.

The cave temple: sweating for culture

At the bottom you're greeted by the Golden Temple, a massive and fairly kitsch golden Buddha statue with a museum that looks like it was last cleaned in the eighties. Don't let that put you off, the real thing is at the top of the hill.

The climb up involves a solid number of steps. Do this early in the morning or late in the afternoon. If you tackle it in the blazing midday sun, you'll turn into an actual stinking backpacker.

Once you're up there it's worth it. Five caves literally carved into the rock, crammed with more than 150 Buddha statues and ceilings covered in murals more than 2,000 years old. It's dark, it smells of incense, and it's secretly pretty magical.

The hairy mafia

The steps up are guarded by hundreds of macaques, those monkeys with the red faces. They look cute but they're a bunch of terrorists. They steal anything that isn't bolted down.

Don't walk up with a plastic water bottle in your hand, hide your sunglasses, and definitely don't buy lotus flowers at the bottom if you don't want to get pounced on. Just ignore them and walk at a steady pace. Don't make eye contact and don't smile, as they can interpret that as a threat.

You'll also see plenty of monkeys around Dambulla outside the temple. With a bit of luck you might also spot elephants.

Practical: clothing and scorched feet

Clothing: This is one of the holiest sites in Sri Lanka. Shoulders and knees must be covered, including for men. Yes, even when it's 35 degrees. Don't be an arrogant tourist and start arguing with the guard, just wrap a sarong around yourself and show a bit of respect.

Shoes: Before you can enter the temple complex on the hill, you hand in your shoes at a desk. Costs a few cents. You can bring socks as the stones can get quite hot, but it's not strictly necessary.

Combining Dambulla with Sigiriya and Kandy

Dambulla is a stopover, not a destination. I'd recommend sleeping in Sigiriya, which is about 30 minutes away and has better hostels and more to do. You just do the cave temple on a morning trip from Sigiriya.

If you do want to stay overnight in Dambulla: Bedstation Sigiriya is the most recommended option nearby, despite the confusing name since it's actually in Dambulla. Gets consistently good reviews and looks solid. Dambulla City Hostel is a cheaper option if you just need a bed for one night before an early start.

Food and drink

Dambulla is no culinary paradise. You eat here to fill your stomach after climbing all those steps or before sitting three hours in a sweltering bus.

Mango Mango sounds like a dodgy beach bar but is actually a decent Indian/Sri Lankan restaurant along the main road. The real bonus: they have air conditioning. Perfect for cooling down your sweat with a proper curry and garlic naan.

Bentota Bake House is also on the main road. In Sri Lanka a bake house means the display case is full of short eats, fried pastry snacks with fish, chicken, or vegetables. For a euro or two you're full. Grab a teeth-achingly sweet tea alongside and you're good to go.