A guide to Mahaseya Dagoba at Mihintale: the mountain's largest stupa, said to enshrine a single hair relic of Mahinda, visiting tips and map.

A guide to Naga Pokuna at Mihintale: an ancient pond carved with a multi-headed cobra, once the water source for the monastery's refectory, visiting tips...

A guide to Et Vihara at Mihintale: a small brick dagoba on the mountain's highest conical peak, its uncertain name origin, visiting tips and map.

A guide to the Dambulla Cave Temple (Golden Temple): King Valagamba's exile, the five caves, 153 Buddha statues, visiting tips and map.

A guide to Dambulla town: home to South Asia's largest wholesale produce market, its dawn trading rush, everyday local life, visiting tips and map.

A guide to the Buddhist Museum at Dambulla's Golden Temple: a Japanese-funded modern complex with a giant golden Buddha, visiting tips and map.

A guide to the Museum of Wall Painting near Dambulla: a modest gallery documenting the region's mural traditions, visiting tips and map.

A guide to Popham's Arboretum near Dambulla: Sam Popham's 1963 dry-zone forest restoration project, its unique clearing technique, visiting tips and map.

A guide to Jathika Namal Uyana near Dambulla: Asia's largest ironwood forest and pink quartz mountain, its sanctuary-and-prison history, visiting tips and map.

A guide to Minneriya National Park: how a 3rd-century irrigation reservoir became the site of the world's largest Asian elephant gathering, visiting tips and map.