Sigiriya is one of Asia’s most extraordinary ancient sites – a fifth-century royal citadel built atop a volcanic rock that rises 200 metres sheer from the surrounding jungle. The ascent passes ancient frescoes painted onto the rock face, a pair of massive lion paws carved in granite, and the ruins of elaborate water gardens laid out at the base a millennium and a half ago. From the summit, the view across the flat Cultural Triangle Forest is genuinely breathtaking. A UNESCO World Heritage Site of rare drama and archaeological richness.
