Why You'll Love Ritigala Ritigala pairs ancient monastery ruins with a genuinely wild setting — the remains of a monastic complex used by ascetic monks lie scattered through a strict nature reserve, reached along stone causeways through dense forest. It sees a fraction of the visitors of the Triangle's bigger sites.
Stone platforms, ponds and causeways once used by monks practising austere forest-dwelling traditions, now reclaimed by jungle.
The surrounding forest is a protected reserve with its own microclimate, home to plant species found nowhere else on the island.
Ritigala is best combined with Anuradhapura, around 45km away, since it sits well off the main Cultural Triangle circuit.
