Polonnaruwa was the capital of Sri Lanka from the late tenth to the early thirteenth century, after the older capital at Anuradhapura was sacked, and its ruins are spread across a wide area of parkland beside a vast artificial lake. That lake, the Parakrama Samudra, was built by King Parakramabahu I in the twelfth century, and it is a testament to the ambition of the man who famously declared that not a single drop of rain should flow to the sea without serving people first. It still irrigates the paddy fields around the town today.
The ancient city is a mix of palaces, monasteries, audience halls and stupas, built in brick and stone. Highlights include the Vatadage, a circular relic house with beautifully carved guardstones and moonstones, the remains of Parakramabahu's royal palace, which once rose seven storeys, and above all the Gal Vihara, where four huge images of the Buddha were carved from a single granite outcrop, including a reclining figure fourteen metres long whose calm expression has moved visitors for centuries. Polonnaruwa was listed by UNESCO in 1982.
The area is warm, green and full of wildlife. Monkeys, both toque macaques and grey langurs, live among the ruins in large troops, and the national parks of Minneriya and Kaudulla to the west host huge gatherings of wild elephants in the dry season, especially from July to September. Elephants also cross roads in the area, particularly at night, and they are not to be trifled with; give them a wide berth and never ride towards one.
The roads here are a mix of decent main roads and narrow rural ones, shared with buses driven with heroic aggression, tuk-tuks, cyclists, cattle and dogs. Ride defensively, use your horn and do not ride at night if you can help it. The A11 links Polonnaruwa with Habarana, from where you can reach Sigiriya's rock fortress and the cave temples of Dambulla. The modern town has fuel stations, shops and simple restaurants, and rice and curry is everywhere and delicious. The heat is intense, so start early, rest at midday, and drink plenty of king coconut, sold at roadside stalls.