The Dambulla Cave Temple is older than its more famous neighbours and, in some ways, more powerful. Five natural granite caves have been used as places of Buddhist worship and meditation for over 2,000 years – their ceilings and walls painted continuously across that entire span, creating a living historical record of Sri Lankan Buddhist art in a single, extraordinarily dense interior. Over 150 statues fill the caves, including reclining Buddhas carved from the rock itself. Most visitors spend less time here than they should. Give it a proper morning.