Giritale
North Central Province
About Giritale
Giritale is Polonnaruwa's calm annexe: a village wrapped around an ancient reservoir built in the 7th century by King Aggabodhi, fifteen minutes from the ruined capital but a world away from its tour-bus rhythm. The tank is the show - a sheet of silver beneath forested hills where the sunsets are among the finest in the Cultural Triangle, fishermen working the shallows as flights of egrets cross the afterglow. The surrounding forests star in natural history: the toque macaque troops filmed for decades around Polonnaruwa's ruins (and made famous by Disney's 'Monkey Kingdom') range through here, and elephants move along the tank margins in the dry months. A handful of long-established hotels tier down the hillside for the view. Base here for Polonnaruwa, Minneriya, and Medirigiriya, and let the tank's evenings do the rest.
Top Activities
- ✓Sunset watching over the ancient tank
- ✓Toque macaque and birdlife spotting
- ✓Base for Polonnaruwa's ruins
- ✓Minneriya and Kaudulla safaris
- ✓Medirigiriya Vatadage day trip
Nearby Attractions
Travel Tips
Book a tank-view room - sunset is the point of staying here.
Keep balcony doors shut; the macaques are accomplished burglars.
Polonnaruwa at opening time, Giritale sunset to finish - the ideal day.
Quick Info
Best Time
May to September; sunsets year-round
Weather
Hot and dry; evenings by the tank are the reward.
Estimated Daily Budget
7.9460°N, 80.9120°E
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