With the discovery of remains of the Pahiyangala Man which are the oldest prehistoric human remains found in Sri Lanka as per today, Fa Hien Caves became popular among the local and foreign travelers who love a bit of adventure mixed with an exploration of history.
The location
The cave is located in Kalutara, just a couple of hours from Colombo and there are also several good hotels in Kalutara if any traveler is thinking about staying there for longer. There are also the other attractions in this region such as the Richmond Castle, which carry good architectural and historical values.
The history
The cave has got its name Fa Hien as there was a Chinese Monk named Faxian living in this cave in the early 5th century AD. The excavations begun then- discovering the skeletal remains dating back to over 37,000 years ago.
Taking the climb to the cliff
If you visit the premises from a property, the likes of Turyaa Kalutara, the Fa Hien caves is not too far, because it’s located in the nearby village of Yatagampitiya. As the caves are located high up on the cliff face of a rocky hill, there is a climb that you have to take either along the wide one or the older route, according to your preference.
Exploring the caves
As soon as you reach the cliff, the first thing that you’ll see is an open cave with an overhanging roof. Towards the left of this cave is a narrow set of stone stairs- which direct you towards the upper caves.
