Events
Sri Lanka has an enormous range of Buddhist,
Hindu, Christian and
Muslim festivals. The Kandy Esala Perahera (July/August)
is the
country's most important and spectacular pageant, with 10
days of
torch-bearers, whip-crackers, dancers, drummers and elephants
lit
up like giant birthday cakes. It climaxes in great procession
honouring the Sacred Tooth Relic of Kandy. Second in importance
is
the Duruthu Perahera (January), held in Colombo, which celebrates
a
visit by Buddha to Sri Lanka.
Other celebrations include National Day (February),
which is
celebrated with parades, dances and national games; New
Year
(March/April), celebrated with elephant races, coconut games
and
pillow fights; Vesak (May), a sacred full moon festival
commemorating
the birth, death and enlightenment of Buddha; the Hindu
Vel festival
(July/August) in Colombo, where the ceremonial chariot of
Skanda, the
God of War, is hauled between two temples; and the predominantly
Hindu
Kataragama festival (July/August) in Kataragama, where devotees
put
themselves through the whole gamut of ritual masochism.
There's good swimming at any number of beaches
along the
south-western coast. Excellent scuba diving, snorkelling
and surfing are found at Hikkaduwa, there's pleasant
snorkelling at Unawatuna, and sailing, windsurfing and
water skiing on the Bentota River. For trekking, try
climbing Adam's Peak or walking across the strange silent
plateau of Horton Plains near Nuwara Eliya to see the 700m
(2296ft) drop at World's End.
