Habarana Hotels

Habarana Haven

Although most people visit Habarana in Sri Lanka for the elephants and high-class tourist resorts (and precious few for the ubiquitous potholes), if you take some time to take in the city’s unique location, you’ll realise there is more to it than meets the eye. Which is a good thing. ... Read more »

Surrounded by national parks and reserves and close to five of Sri Lanka’s seven world heritage sites, Habarana is the ideal starting point for exploring the lush Minneriya Sanctuary and Kaudulla National Park– whether on foot, by jeep or by elephant. Habarana is close to the ancient cities of Dambulla and Sigiriya, but if taking bumpy jeep rides around the country isn’t your idea of fun, there’s always wildlife to watch around Lake Habaranaitself.

Habarana's Top 10

10. Habarana River Trek After six hours of hiking through lush jungle and native vegetation, a swim in the waterfall is fully deserved.	5. Polonnaruwa Visit ruins of royal buildings, stupas, monasteries and temples.
9. Dream Cottage We’d normally advise against spending most of your precious holiday asleep, but if you’re doing it in a hammock at one of these jungle cottages, it’s perfectly acceptable.	4. Anuradhapura Not everything worth seeing in Sri Lanka is in a complete state of ruin. In fact some of the stupas in this ancient city look virtually indestructible.
8. Pidurangala This still-functioning monastery dates back to the first century BCE. If it’s not shrouded in an opaque fog, the view of Sigiriya is breathtaking.	3. Lion’s Rock Not just any old gigantic rock, this was a fifth-century royal court. Much of the grounds and many of the frescoes remain intact.
7. Elephant Back Safari If you’ve already done the Habarana jungle, do it again. It’s a whole different experience on the back of an elephant.	2. Ritigala Forest Monastery If you’re happy picking your way through narrow paths and up steep staircases, you should definitely make the effort to visit.
6. Dambulla Rock Temple Even the most severely claustrophobic should venture to this immaculately preserved cave temple complex. Its five sanctuaries, 2,100sqm of paintings and 157 statues have lasted 22 centuries without collapse.	1. Minneriya National Park A lurching jeep ride through a dense jungle brings you to grasslands filled with elephants, water buffalo, foxes and green bee-eaters. Hopefully you didn’t drop your camera.

Habarana History

Ritigala Forest Monastery – Located on the side of a mountain, this site has been in existence since 200 BC in Habarana.
Dambulla Cave Temple – A UNESCO World Heritage site since 1991, this temple has five caves that contain statues of Buddha and historical artwork.
Sigriya Rock Fortress – An archaeological site in nearby Sigriya containing the ancient palace ruins built from 477 to 495 AD.
Sacred City of Anuradhapura – This city was developed in the 3rd century and established around Buddha’s fig tree.
Ancient City of Polonnaruwa – Used to be the capital of Sri Lanka and contains the ruins of the garden city Parakramabahu.

Habarana Art & Culture

Dutch Period Museum – Lovers of Dutch history can see how their arrival impacted the local area of Habarana.
Chabad House – A Jewish centre in Colombo that serves the local Jewish community.
Gal Vihara – A monument located in nearby Polonnaruwa. It is a rock carving of four images, the subject of which is thought to be Ananda, who was Buddha’s disciple.
Mihintale Museum – Located on the road to the famous stairs, this museum contains exhibits on particular items such as bronze figurines, stone tubs and frescoes.
Colombo National Museum – The oldest museum in Sri Lanka with exhibits about Sri Lankan shared culture and history.

Habarana Shopping

Chaaya Village – Pick up a few souvenirs from the gift shop of this popular resort in Habarana.
Vijai Bookshop – A small bookstore at the ancient city that carries an interesting selection of titles.
City of Kandy – This city contains a vast array of shops geared towards tourists.
Pettah – Located in Colombo, this is an outdoor market where street merchants sell lots of unique items.
Sathosa – A supermarket located in Polonnaruwa that sells a variety of local foods and drinks.

Habarana Gay & Lesbian

Cinnamon Lodge – A five-star, gay-friendly hotel in Habarana.
Equal Ground – An organization that fights for the rights of the LGBT community in Sri Lanka.
Kandy Lake – Many people in the gay community congregate here to socialize.
Mount Lavinia Beach – Several hot spots on the beach that serve as a social spot for gays and lesbians.
Lush – A popular mixed club in Colombo.

Habarana Events

Enjoy the colourful Independence Day parades and celebrations on 4 February.

Sri Lanka celebrates the New Year in April with celebrations and traditional rituals.

The tea-country mountain resort of Nuwara Eliya plays host to the Flower Show and Garden Competition in April. It’s a climb, but worth it.

May’s Vesak Full Moon is a Buddhist celebration, but for Western travellers the stalls are fantastic.

August and September sees the Elephant Gathering, when up to 300 of the mighty beasts migrate to Minneriya National Park in search of food and water. Extraordinary.

When To Go

Habarana has a tropical climate, with distinct wet and dry seasons and two annual monsoons.
The dry season (April to September) is the most pleasant time to visit.
December to March is peak tourist season. Hotel prices rise significantly.

Getting Around

Habarana is a small city and easily explored on foot.
You’ll need your own transport to get out to the surrounding cultural sites. Make sure it’s suitable – if there’s one thing Habarana is known for besides elephants and tourist resorts, it’s potholes!
Buses link to the surrounding towns, with most leaving from the crossroads outside the Habarana Rest House.

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