Two of Sri Lanka’s greatest ancient monuments sit within 30 kilometres of each other in the dry zone plains of the Cultural Triangle, and together they form one of the island’s most rewarding single-day experiences. Sigiriya, the 5th-century rock fortress and UNESCO World Heritage Site, dominates the landscape from a distance and delivers a physical and historical ascent unlike anything else in South Asia. Dambulla’s cave temples, gilded and painted over two millennia, provide a more contemplative counterpoint. A full day here is time genuinely well spent.