Buddhism was introduced to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century B.C. when Emperor Asoka of India sent his son, Mahinda to the island and introduced Buddhism to the reigning Sinhalese king Devanampiya Tissa. The king eventually became a powerful patron of Buddhism and established temples and the monastery of Mahavihara, which became the historic center of Theravada Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Buddhism became an integral part of Sinhalese culture and civilization and to date is followed by a majority of the population. There are several ancient temples located in Anuradhapura, Dambulla, Kandy, Colombo and the south east which are of great significance and are linked to the advent of Buddhism in the country. Some of these include Mihintale where Buddhism was introduced to Sri Lanka; Dambulla cave temple dating back to over 2,000 years; Aluvihara Cave temple where the oral teachings of the Buddha, the Tripitaka, were committed to writing for the first time; the Temple of the Tooth where a sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha is enshrined; Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya where according to the Mahawamsa Lord Buddha had conducted a sermon in 523 BC during one of his visits to Sri Lanka. Buddhist temples can be visited at any time of day. Details on dress code and other relevant information are provided under Customs & Laws.

Hinduism has a deep rooted history in Sri Lanka with several ancient Hindu Kovils scattered across the country. One of the main Hindu shrines is the Maha Devalaya in Kataragama dedicated to God Skanda. Each day, at specific times the shrine come alive when poojas (devotions) are presented to the Gods; baskets filled with fruit and flowers, burning incense and oil lamps, dashing of coconuts, clanging of bells, and the continuous chanting provides a mesmerizing experience. Other kovils include the Kathiresan Kovil and Sri Kailawasanthan Swami Devasthanam in Colombo, Munneswaram Kovil in the North West town of Chilaw, Konesvaram Kovil overlooking the Trincomalee’s harbour, and the Sita Amman Kovil in Nuwara Eliya.

There are several old churches dating back to the Colonial period situated in Colombo, North West coast and in the Galle Fort. The churches in Colombo include St. Peter’s Church Colombo Fort that dates back to 1804; St. Andrew’s Scots Kirk built in 1842 located nearby the Cinnamon Grand Hotel and Wolvendaal Church which is Colombo’s oldest Dutch Church. St Anne’s church feast in Talawilla on the North west coast dates back to the 17th century and is a popular pilgrimage site. There are also several Portuguese and Dutch period churches in Negombo. The Dutch Reformed Church and the All Saints Church inside Galle Fort are also interesting churches to visit.

As a visitor to Sri Lanka it is important that you know the range of Guide services available to you and most importantly know the limitations of each level of Guides. It is illegal for a person to accompany and explain about attractions to a tourist without a valid Guide License and such people could get arrested and taken away by the Tourist Police, keeping the guests stranded. If your transport is arranged by Red Dot, we will provide you with one of our English speaking drivers who are able to explain historical attractions to you in detail, making the experience more meaningful. Our selected group of drivers mainly consists of professional Chauffeur Guide license holders who are legally permitted to explain and educate visitors about these attractions. However, bear in mind that a licensed Chauffeur Guide is only permitted to offer his services to a group of a maximum of six visitors. [More]

It is important for all visitors to Sri Lanka to have a sound knowledge of local customs and law especially when visiting cultural, religious and historical sites. Given below are relevant customs and regulations:

• According to the law of the country, it is illegal to smoke or drink in public. Smoking and consuming alcohol is strictly prohibited at all cultural and religious attractions.

• No visitors are allowed to enter religious places under the influence of alcohol.

• Selling and serving of alcohol is prohibited on Poya full moon days as these days have a religious significance, according to Buddhism.

• Visitors of both genders have to wear decent clothing to cover the body appropriately when visiting religious places and shorts and sleeveless tops are not acceptable. This rule is strictly adhered to at all religious sites especially the Sacred Bo Tree and Stupas in Anuradhapura and the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy.

• Visitors should remover hats, caps, shoes and slippers when entering buildings and sites with religious monuments. Most of these places have a secure facility at the entrance for visitors to leave behind shoes and slippers for a very small fee.

• At some attractions such as Dambulla and Kandy, visitors have to purchase a camera permit for their still photo and video cameras.

• No one is allowed to take photographs with Buddha Statues facing the back to the statue. This should be followed by all visitors as a sense of respect to religious monuments.

• At historical places of archeological and cultural value such as Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya, where many ruins of ancient buildings are found, visitors should refrain from walking on the brick walls, touching wall murals and frescoes. This can cause damage to these ancient ruins.

The golden rule for all visitors to cultural religious and historical attractions is to 'take back only good memories and photographs leaving behind only foot steps'.