Walked all the way up Dambulla Rock, but they wouldn't let me in!
I am so frustrated. We climbed the hundreds of stairs to the Dambulla Cave Temple. When we got to the entrance gate at the top, the guard said "No Ticket" and made us walk all the way back down to buy one.
Why isn't there a ticket counter at the top? I’m too tired to climb it again. Is there a secret counter up there?
4 Answers
This is the single most common mistake tourists make in the Cultural Triangle. I feel your pain.
The Layout: The Ticket Counter is at the bottom of the hill (in the car park of the Golden Temple). The Entrance is at the top (15-20 min climb).
The Rule: They strictly do not sell tickets at the top. The guards are just checking them.
The Fix: If you haven't bought a ticket yet, you sadly must go back down.
Pro Tip for others: If your driver drops you at the "Golden Temple" (the giant gold Buddha), buy your ticket immediately before you start walking up the ramp. Do not be distracted by the monkeys!
Ouch. That’s a painful one, and it happens a lot.
There isn’t a “secret” ticket counter at the top. Tickets are sold at the main ticket office at the base area, and the gate at the top usually only checks tickets. The system is not very visitor-friendly, but that’s how it’s set up.
If you still want to go today, your best move is to take a tuk-tuk from the bottom back up (don’t re-climb). Ask the driver to take you to the ticket office first, then drop you at the upper entrance point.
Same thing happened to us last year. We were fuming. No counter at the top. We ended up paying a tuk-tuk to take us back up because there was no way we were doing those stairs twice.
It’s basically because the temple area is protected and crowded, and they want ticketing controlled at one point. Also, the top area has limited space and traffic, so they keep the ticket office down where buses and cars can stop.
Not ideal for visitors, but it’s not a scam.
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