Tired of the same old vacation destinations? Sri Lanka holds a whole new world of exhilarating experiences from elephant trekking to surfing off the pristine beaches and scuba diving to explore the island’s incredible marine life. You can definitely leave your briefcases at home as there is far too much fun in store to be stuck indoors…
For those looking to experience a real taste of Sri Lankan culture, the Buddhist Festival in Kandy offers an exciting break from the norm and plenty of new sights, sounds and tastes. Kandy is normally a smaller, more laid back town compared to others where you can find monkeys swinging between the trees. However during the annual August Buddhist festival the town comes alive for 11 days of festivities and celebrations. The festival is used to celebrate and show off a tooth of the revered Buddha which is believed to be one of the few remnants left after his cremation and was brought to Sri Lanka 1,700 years ago. It is also a symbol of sovereignty. Whoever is in possession to the Buddha’s tooth is said to be the rightful ruler of the island. However before you think a snatch and grab could make you the new king of your own little slice of Asian paradise be aware that the one used in the parade is just a replica. Obviously the real artifact is too valuable to be carried through the streets.
The festival held in Kandy has been likened to Brazil’s Carnivale and New Orlean’s Mardi Gras, only without the alcohol and barely clothed women and flashing. No reason to be dissapointed, there are still many beautiful women in Sri Lanka and if you are kind enough to your hotel staff they will probably sneak you a few bottles to get you though. Just avoid getting too drunk and running off into the jungle in the night as there are still many landmines left over from the recent civil war.
To get the best view of the parade you are going to have to get up pretty early. Many visitors start camping out 14 hours before the parade begins to secure a seat, though reserving the right hotel room can mean your own VIP booth for watching in comfort. The parade begins with men cracking whips, followed by others carrying spinning baskets of fire and are followed by dozens of elephants. Following in the parade you will find dancers, performers and monks. It is certainly an amazing collaboration of new sensations for all of the senses that must be seen and experienced on any adventure to the mythical island of Sri Lanka.
