Hi Reader,

One of the biggest assumptions people make when planning a day trip to Polonnaruwa is that it’s small enough to just wander around and see everything.

While it might look small on a map, Polonnaruwa is more spread out than it appears.

Many of the temples and ancient ruins are spread out, which means you’ll probably not see everything in just one day.

This is also true for many destinations in Sri Lanka, such as Anuradhapura, Ella, and Nuwara Eliya.

They all appear compact on a map, but in reality, they require a bit more planning, especially if you want to fully enjoy the destination.

You then question, do you have time to squeeze this ruin in, or do you skip it altogether? Do you walk, hire a bike or a tuk-tuk?

And without a clear plan, those small decisions will start to add up.

So the question now becomes, what should I see in Polonnaruwa?

From our experience, it isn’t about trying to fit everything into one day; it’s prioritising what is important to see and what to skip.

It’s also important to consider your transport options to get around each ancient ruin or temple.

You’ve got 3 choices:

• Bike (slow, flexible, very immersive)
• Tuk-tuk (faster, more comfortable, less effort)
• Walking (only realistic for small sections)

There’s no “best” option.

It’s about what matches you and how you want to experience Polonnaruwa.

We hired a tuk-tuk, mainly for convenience and to avoid the hot sun, although hiring a bike is a popular choice with tourists.

And finally, don’t underestimate the heat and distances.

Even if the distance between each sight doesn’t look huge, the combination of heat, open terrain and lack of shade makes everything feel longer and a lot harder.

When you combine these three elements, realistic expectations, the right transport choice and a slower pace, Polonnaruwa becomes completely possible in just one day.

We’ve put together a full guide that breaks down:

• Whether a bike or tuk-tuk actually works best
• Which ruins are worth prioritising (and which aren’t essential)
• How to structure your time so you don’t end up rushing

You can read it here the full guide on one day in Polonnaruwa​

If you take one thing from this, let it be this:

You don’t need to see everything in Polonnaruwa to have a great day there.

You just need to structure it in a way that stops you from trying to do too much at once.

That’s usually what makes the difference.

Over to you

Are you planning to fit Polonnaruwa into a packed itinerary, or are you giving yourself time to explore it slowly?

Reply and let us know. We would love to hear from you.

Happy travelling

Bev & Shams

Email: bev@bevandshams.com

Website: www.bevandshams.com​

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