Travel

The Rock Temple

January 9, 2015

We were determined not to be totally suckered in by the beach this trip and take the time to do little explorations when we could, and Amanwella is the perfect place from which to do just this. You can go for a day trip to Yala National Park, something we would have loved to do if we were there for a day or two longer, visit turtle sanctuaries, fishing towns and temples…. We opted for the latter option and made the pilgrimage to the Mulkirigala Rock Temple near Tangalle to stretch our legs and get a culture fix one afternoon.

With just a mere 533 steps (don’t quote me on that but I think that’s what we were told!), it’s a steep climb up to the top of a 200 metre high rock, passing by individual temples and shrines at intervals on the way up. Rewarded with incredible, far-reaching views and a sunset (albeit through some fairly thick clouds) once we got to the top, it was 100% worth the climb. Although I will say my intense vertigo was seriously put to the test…. The temples and shrines on the way up are kind of mesmerising; brightly-coloured buddhas, opulent Hindu wall paintings and rocky ceilings covered in murals. A lovely guide from Amanwella came with us which was actually really useful because he gave the various Buddhist and Hindu paintings and stories meaning and context. I also had a Buddhist blessing half way up so if you see a little white bracelet on my wrist in the upcoming posts that’s what that is…. The pink face and fizzy hair is all down to my body’s love/hate relationship with the heat!

We felt really renewed and peaceful once we got back down… and deserving of spending our final day sunning ourselves on the sand like seals.