Polonnaruwa

Another of the country's World Heritage Sites is this famous ancient city ruin site. Polonnaruwa, the second oldest of Sri Lanka's kingdoms, was founded as a military station by the Sinhalese kingdom. After the Chola dynasty successfully invaded the country's then-capital, Anuradhapura, in the 10th century, it was called Jananathamangalam.

Although most of the structures are in ruins, the garden-city has been totally preserved. Gardens, palaces, and temples abound, and while the area is small, it's best visited by bicycle. A plus is that the ruins are home to a huge troop of macaque monkeys, who have lived in the area since antiquity. Fans of Duran Duran will remember the location because it was used to film their Save a Prayer video in the 1980s.

A few miles from the ruins lies a tiny, modern village with guesthouses, bike rentals, cafés, and other tourist amenities. The town is near Minneriya National Park, which is a fantastic site to see elephants.

Address: Polonnaruwa, North Central Province, Sri Lanka
Entrance fee:

• Adults: $ 25.00
• Kids: $ 12.50

Best time to visit: November to March
Hours: Mondays -Sundays: 7 am – 6.30 pm