Yapahuwa, or Yapawwa, is an ancient complex that tends to be overlooked by visitors to Sri Lanka.

It was one of the first places I visited, after a long journey from Canada. I was still tired and jet-lagged but figured a day in the sun, exploring an exciting new country would be a good thing.

Greeted by monkeys and only seeing a couple of other tourists here was a great start, my kind of place as I hate crowds. But soon it became apparent that my recent arrival into the country was still weighing on me as the hike up to the top of the hill temple was tougher than expected. It’s not the first time I’ve arrived somewhere full of excitement and adrenaline only to have my energy quickly zapped by altitude or tiredness.

But really, the first thing you want to do when you arrive somewhere new is explore! Who wants to rest and “waste” their first day in a new country…as smart a practice as that may be.

So, I hadn’t yet adjusted to the crazy heat of Sri Lanka, having flown in from cold wintery Canada! But slowly, slowly I made my way up the staircases and paths to the top and was rewarded with a perfect panorama view of the surrounding countryside. Green fields all around, it became pretty obvious why Yapahuwa was a strategic and important place for kings, as you could see enemies approaching from far away at this viewpoint.

It was probably the shortest hike I did in Sri Lanka, as parks like Horton’s Plains and the Sinharaja Forest Reserve offered up multi-hour, more intense hikes. But those hikes didn’t have the jet-lag factor and seemed easy compared to this one. Still, despite being so tired, I was happy that I got high at Yapahuwa and had time to enjoy the view!