'''Polonnaruwa''' is a city in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. The second most ancient of Sri Lanka's kingdoms, Polonnaruwa was first declared the capital city by King Vijayabahu I in the 11th century AD and maintained its status until the 13th century. In 1982 the ancient city of Polonnaruwa was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The history of Polonnaruwa is available at this link [http://www.info.lk/srilanka/srilankahistory/polonnaruwa.htm]
What's nice about Polonnaruwa is that the ruins are in one compact area so you can visit them quite easily. Just one three wheeler ride from where you're staying to the entrance and you can walk about them all day long.
Get in
Polonnaruwa is 216 km or 134 miles from Colombo.
To travel there, you've got several options. They are, in order of preference, car, train and bus.
Car is the easiest. Any taxi service (+94 11 2556 556 or +94 11 2818 818 are two numbers of cab companies you can call) will charge you around LKR 30 per km (approx LKR 13,000 roundtrip) (as of mid 2007). Make sure you ask for a Nissan Sunny or Toyota Corolla or you might be sent a crappy Indian car. Advantage is that you will sit in air conditioned luxury all the way to Polonnaruwa and the road is quite nice with plenty of greenery along the way. The old, massive trees tend to shade into the road once you leave the urban areas, creating a canopy effect. Trip is five to six hours inclusive of breaks for food, fruit and shopping (although shopping along the way is just overpriced and not recommended).
Train is next, though frankly, bus is kind of tied with it. It's quite cheap: you'll that find the three wheeler ride to the train station costs about as much. You get on the train to Trincomalee at Colombo Fort station (http://www.srilankatourism.org/lang/en/traveller/trainschedule.php), connect in Gal Oya and you're in Polonnaruwa. The trip'll take you a good part of a day and the train leaves the station at 6.15am so plan accordingly. It is not however an air conditioned experience but it is a train with all the scenery and Theroux-like (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Railway_Bazaar) hijinks that implies.
Bus is always my third option. Buses also leave from Colombo Fort but from a slightly different location. Take the intercity to Polonnaruwa. With luck and blessings from whatever deity you subscribe to (god help us atheists!) you should arrive in Polonnaruwa in six to eight hours.
Get around
Bicycles are the best way to get around. Most guest houses will rent out bikes, but be sure of the condition when you pick it up. Check if the tyres are properly inflated etc.
See
Just north of present-day Polonnaruwa town, 140km (90 miles) north of Kandy, are the ruins of ancient Polonnaruwa, which date from the late 10th century, when the Chola kings of southern India invaded Sri Lanka and conquered Anuradhapura.
The Royal Palace
King Nissanka Malla's Palace
King Parakramabahu I Statue
Siva Devale
Alahana Pirivena Complex - Buddhist temples
Lankatilaka Gedige (Temple)
Gal Vihara (Temple)
Topa Wewa Lake and the Parakrama Samudra (the Sea of Parakrama)
Demala Maha Seya (Temple)
Do
In this area, you can find plenty of wild life reserves. Try to find a reliable person and visit the places like "Minneriya", "Kawudulla"
Buy
Eat
Avoid eating from places where they sell the food in open markets. Do not go to places where you see nice hoarding out and stingy inside.
Food hygiene is very important. If it is too hot, there is a greater chance that the food is not safe.
Drink
Sleep
The Village Polonnaruwa. 27 459 9299. Don't do it. I checked in one night 'cause I was too tired to drive anymore. I checked out less than half an hour later.
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Hotel Seruwa. 27 2222 2411. Also run by CHC but cheaper and the location is pretty nice as well. Rooms are relatively new but check the room before you check into it.
Polonnaruwa Resthouse. 27 222 2299. - Run by the Ceylon Hotels Corporation. It's a really nice location right on the Parakrama Samudra. Queen Victoria (or Elizabeth II?) stayed here. Rooms are relatively new but check the room before you check into it.
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Don't even think of sleeping on the grass land in this area. There is a high risk that you will get a bite from a venomous snake or insect.
Get out