Detour

ROYAL RETREAT Two hours' drive south from Trincomalee is Polonnaruwa, one of the three corners of Sri Lanka's "Cultural Triangle" of ancient capitals. The ruins there can be explored by car or cycle, but every visitor would be well advised to stop at the new archaeological museum located near the entrance to the Royal Palace group before starting a tour. The museum's scale models offer a fair idea of how the site once looked. Armed with a mental picture of the medieval capital complete with wooden roofs and waterways, it's much easier to reimagine the city from the ruined structures that...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!