Meditating at the ancient Dimbulagala monastery ruins before a Polonnaruwa lake fish BBQ
3 Answers from travellers
Yes, Dimbulagala (Gunner's Quoin) is open and is one of the most historically significant forest monasteries in Sri Lanka, dating back to the 3rd century BC. It is incredibly serene for meditation. After your visit, driving to the Parakrama Samudra (the massive ancient reservoir in Polonnaruwa) for a fresh Tilapia BBQ is the perfect way to spend the afternoon. The small lakeside stalls grill the fish directly over wood fires.
Ask the lakeside stalls in Polonnaruwa to make the fish BBQ less spicy if you cannot handle local heat. They usually rub the fish in a very fiery chili paste before grilling.
Dimbulagala is a working monastery, so while the ancient caves are accessible, please remain completely silent and respectful of the resident monks who are actively meditating there.
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