Tag Archives: Sri Lanka

Explore Why Kandy Is Becoming a Top Destination for Bleisure Travel in Sri Lanka: Where Work Trips Turn Into Hill Country Breaks

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Kandy is no longer just a cultural stop, as more work travellers now extend their trips with short, experience-led breaks. Discover ways that the city layout makes it easy to switch from meetings to real local highlights on the same day.

Short Distances Make Split Days Easier

Key business venues, Kandy Lake, and Dalada Veediya sit in the same central grid, so moving between appointments and short outings takes less time than expected. Even a one-hour gap can cover a lake loop or an Upper Lake Drive stop.

Culture Stops Fit Between Work Blocks

Several major sites run on fixed visiting hours, which helps with workday planning. The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Royal Palace grounds, and nearby museums are practical midday stops. Many planners now arrange meetings in Kandy with these access windows in mind.

Cooler Hill Air Changes the After-Work Mood
At about 500 metres elevation, Kandy stays cooler than Colombo in the evening. Wales Park and the lakeside stretch become active with walkers and snack stalls after sunset.

Work Retreat Spots Spread Into the Hills

Many work teams choose venues outside the town grid where sessions run in quieter surroundings. Places such as Hunas Falls Hotel Kandy appear in these plans because they sit above the city rather than along main roads.

Evening Activities Are Easy to Slot In

After office hours, visitors can still catch a Kandyan dance show at the Kandy Cultural Centre or browse craft shops along Dalada Veediya before closing. These timed activities fit neatly at the end of a workday.

Festivals of Kandy: Experiencing the Vibrant Esala Perahera

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Held in Kandy, Sri Lanka, the Esala Perahara is one of Asia’s most spectacular religious festivals, celebrating the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha. Every year, as July comes to an end, this grand procession transforms the city into a dazzling display of devotion, colour, and culture.

History
Originating in the 3rd century BCE, the festival was formalised under King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe in the 18th century. It merges Buddhist and Hindu traditions, honouring the Tooth Relic and seeking blessings for rain and prosperity.

What to Expect
The festival spans 10 nights of processions featuring dancers, drummers, fire performers, and more around the Sri Dalada Maligawa – one of the best places to visit in Kandy. Located in the heart of the city, it’s just a short distance from most hotels, including Kandy Myst by Cinnamon.

During the festival, the sacred relic is symbolically carried in a golden casket atop a majestic tusker.

Kumbal Perahera
This marks the start of the festival. Held over five nights, it features smaller processions meant to gradually purify the city and prepare it for the grander parades to follow.

Randoli Perahera
These final five nights are more lavish and ceremonial, named after the royal palanquins. They represent the pinnacle of the festivities and draw in huge crowds.

Diya Kapeema (Water Cutting Ceremony)
Held at the Mahaweli River, this ritual concludes the Perahera, symbolising spiritual cleansing and blessings.

Dahawal Perahera (Day Procession)
The Dahawal Perahara concludes the final days of the festival.  A daytime parade held after the main events, it offers a more subdued yet meaningful display for devotees.

 

Festive Delights

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While Sri Lanka may not experience a wintry Christmas, the festive spirit is alive and well across the island. Embrace the unique blend of tropical traditions and holiday cheer as you explore the enchanting activities available during the Christmas season in Sri Lanka:

Colombo’s Christmas Street Decorations

Begin your festive journey in Colombo, where the streets come alive with vibrant Christmas decorations. Explore the city’s commercial hubs, such as Colombo 7 and Pettah, to witness sparkling lights, themed displays, and a joyful atmosphere.

Attend Midnight Mass

Experience the essence of Christmas by attending Midnight Mass at one of Sri Lanka’s beautiful churches. Immerse yourself in soul-stirring carols, candlelit ambience, and the spirit of togetherness.

Galle Face Green Celebrations

Head to Galle Face Green in style with a sweet ride from places that offer vintage cars for rent such as Malkey Rent A Car for a lively Christmas celebration. The open seaside promenade transforms into a festive hub with food stalls, entertainment, and a cheerful atmosphere perfect for family gatherings.

Christmas Markets and Bazaars

Explore Christmas markets and bazaars that pop up across major cities. These markets offer a delightful array of seasonal treats, handmade crafts, and festive decorations. Look out for events like the Good Market Christmas Market for sustainable and ethical shopping.

Christmas Eve Dinner at Top Hotels

Christmas Eve Dinner

Christmas Eve Dinner – Image via Pxhere

Indulge in a special Christmas Eve dinner at one of Sri Lanka’s luxury hotels and holiday villas in Sri Lanka. Many hotels host extravagant festive buffets and dinners featuring a mix of traditional Sri Lankan and international cuisine.

Celebrate Avurudu in Sri Lanka – A new you this new year!

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During the month of April, Sri Lanka celebrates a festival known as the ‘Sinhalese and Tamil New Year’, which is a major anniversary celebrated by most Sri Lankans. It is a time in which not only Sinhalese, but all Sri Lankans come together as one to celebrate.

Astrology

Astrology plays a rather important role in Avurudu, as the dawn of the new year doesn’t take place at a specific time every year. The auspicious or ‘nakath’ time is specified according to astrological calculations. The duration of time between the old year and new year can take as long as 12 hours and 48 minutes, this is because of the sun crossing he astrological border of the House of Pisces to House of Aries. Every part of this festival is carried out according to the astrologically determined times.

Avurudu rituals

The rituals start with the cleaning of the house and the lighting of an oil lamp. Presenting elders with betel leaves and paying homage is also a custom that is practiced during all important occasions in Sri Lanka. The new year is a time when everyone returns to their homes and celebrate together with family.

Celebrations and games

During the time of Avurudu, several hotels and resorts also join in on the celebrations. However, if you’re looking for a bit of a different way to celebrate Avurudu, you can visit a holistic medical centre, the likes of Kaya Sri Lanka before engaging in the festivities. Firecrackers, games and delicious food are all a big part of Avurudu.

Auburn Silver is a travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world. Google+

Kandy Esala Perahera -A brightly lit religious affair

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Kandy is one of the highly visited holiday destinations in Sri Lanka and you can see tourists out and about on most days of the year, but during the perahera season, literally, every Buddhist from all over Sri Lanka and the world come to Kandy, especially to the Dalada Maligawa.

Perahera

Perahera | Img. Courtesy: [Ashan96, Perahera1, CC BY-SA 4.0]

When does it happen?

The Esala full moon falls during the first week of July and the Perahera will begin on the last weekend of July and end ten days after. Getting in touch with a few local travel firms, for example, the Connaissance de Ceylan will help you plan your trip in perfection.

Beginning

The sole motive of this full moon festival is to get the blessings from the deities, for a good harvest in the year ahead. Carrying the tooth relic of Buddha, 10 days of ancient rituals, royally decorated elephants, drummers, and dancers create a breathtaking procession that begins on the streets of Kandy.

Destinations

The Esala Perahera includes five Peraheras; five processions from Kandy leave to the Dalada Maligawa, Natha, Lord Vishnu and Katharagama respectively. Lord Vishnu, the Hindu god, is considered to be the Guardian of Sri Lanka and the Hindu goddess of chastity, Pathini, gets the fourth and fifth Perahera, for being the goddess who blesses wars and victories.

 

Catalina Forbes is a travel writer who bases her content on many thrilling escapades experienced across the world.

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Sri Lankan Perahera and Culture – The Spectacular Esala Procession of Kandy

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Kandy is an ancient and renowned city, with more than one UNESCO Heritage site featured within the city. The greatest celebration of Kandy’s immense historical heritage is the Esala procession, referred to as the Esala Perahera. The parade is so popular and widely celebrated that people from all over the island will flock to Kandy in order to witness the procession, and almost any luxury hotel, Sri Lanka has to offer such as the Anantara Kalutara Resort is sure to have packages to allow their visitors to experience this incredible experience.

The procession features the full spectrum of traditional Sri Lankan dances, encompassing fire-dances, whip dancers, colourful Kandyan dancers among much more. One of the hallmarks of the procession are the extravagantly decorated elephants that march along with the dancers.

The parade is held in tribute to the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha, which is kept in the sacred Sri Dalada Maligawa, alternatively known as the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. The tooth is believed to be the left canine of Lord Buddha himself, which was recovered from his funeral pyre by one of his disciples.

The entire event consists of five different processions each bearing a particular significance. On the sixth night, the relic casket, which acts as a replacement to the sacred tooth relic, is placed on an elephant referred to as the ceremonial tusker. The procession concludes with a ceremony known as the Diya Kepeema. This is a water-cutting ceremony which held at the Mahaweli River located a short distance away from the city of Kandy. Important points in the parade are signalled by the firing of canons.

The Esala Perahera is widely regarded as an unforgettable experience and one of the most significant cultural celebrations taking place in Sri Lanka, so be sure to experience it should you get a chance.

Caleb Falcon is a travel writer who specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers.

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Planning the perfect event in Sri Lanka – A place for any type of Event

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Located just below the southernmost tip of India is the panoramic island of Sri Lanka. A tropical paradise like no other, Sri Lanka has been mesmerizing countless generations of people with her lush rainforests, unspoiled beaches, picturesque mountains and rich cultural heritage. With a whole variety of vastly different locales to choose from in such a small landmass, Sri Lanka is a place that can be used to accommodate a wide variety of events.

To hold any event, one would first require a venue and some sort of accommodation, which Sri Lanka has a lot for you to choose from. The most popular category of choice are Sri Lanka resorts since they are generally always located at a picturesque beach-front, while there are plenty of metropolitan options available as well. Citrus Leisure boasts a variety of hospitality options available in Sri Lanka, ranging from beach-side resorts to elegant institutions of luxury at the heart of the city.

Due to the romantic nature of the island’s scenery, Sri Lanka is an ideal place to hold a wedding or a honey-moon excursion. Sri Lanka has many experienced wedding planners available to ensure you get the magical experience that you deserve. The island would also be an ideal location to hold annual corporate vacations and important business meetings. The great outdoor environments of the island are sure to ease and calm people to ensure they can focus on the meeting itself, by ensuring they don’t get too preoccupied. There are also various adventure-organizations that provide to strengthen morale or simply have a good time away from the corporate place by participating in games such as football and tap rugby.
If you have an international event to organize and are looking for a destination, then the Island of Sri Lanka may just be the place for you.

Thanuja Silva is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Auburn Silver. She has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.

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Sri Lanka Exhibition and Convention Centre

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The Sri Lanka exhibition and convention center (SLCC) sits on the bank of the Beira lake in the heart of Colombo. Among the Exhibition and Convention Centers Sri Lanka the SLCC and the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall are the predominantly used ones in the capital. Many trade fairs , concerts , exhibitions and conferences take place at SLCC. Many event management companies provide tota solutions to conducting these conferences. One such company that has managed to leave a mark is Nkar MICE. They have taken pride in managing conferences and exhibitions in the past and have organized many large scale events.

The SLECC has been strategically located in close proximity to most of the leading hotels in Colombo as well as Colombo’s financial districts. Regarded as the only custom built exhibition center in the country it can accommodate large number of people under one roof. A foreign investment project by Singapore it has mainly been designed to accommodate stall space for exhibitions. There are some trade shows and fairs that take place at the venue annually.

One of the other such venues in Colombo as mentioned above would be the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall. Located in Colombo seven the premises is well equipped to carry out conferences and exhibitions. There is also a convention and exhibition center in Hambantota named after the former president , Mahinda Rajapakse.

The SLCC’s location however is an advantage to it as mentioned above. The large number of hotels in the vicinity to allow visitors to find accommodation easily, especially when it hosts international trade fairs.

There are also other places of interest around the area such as the old parliament building , the Galle Face Green and the Colombo Light House. Also the Fort Railway station which is the primary station in Colombo is located just outside SLCC making getting to and out of it easy.

Chandrishan Williams is a travel writer who writes under the pen name, Caleb Falcon. He specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers.

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Annual Golf Classic Tournament- October

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Sri Lankan Airlines Golf Classic Tournament is a keenly anticipated major world golf tournament held each year that attracts amateur golfers from around the world. It is considered as one of the key sports events & festivals in Sri Lanka and is an excellent opportunity for golf lovers around the world to plan their Sri Lanka holiday travel itinerary to coincide with the annual event. The tournament gives opening to all the finest amateur golfers island-wide besides players from around the world to display their talents and be greatly rewarded. The event popularly known as the Sri Lankan Golf Classic has been held each October for the past 14 years.

The beautiful world renowned Victoria Golf and Country Resort situated off Kandy is the annual venue for this golf carnival. The awe inspiring beautifully landscaped Victoria golf course spread out over 520 acres is nestled in the midst of scenic hills of Digana bordering the ancient royal kingdom Kandy and known for its natural beauty with the panoramic view of the Knuckles mountain range and the picturesque Victoria Reservoir. It is also idyllic for golfing with the climatic conditions and the natural placement of the seamless course.

Chandrishan Williams is a travel writer who writes under the pen name, Caleb Falcon. He specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers. Google+

Dream Beach Wedding in Sri Lanka; Romance under the sun

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If you are looking for the perfect venue and the perfect way to start your life together, Sri Lanka has some of the most romantic places to make your dream a reality. Say “I do” in a paradise island surrounded by the swirling waves of the Indian Ocean and the feeling of the tropical warmth with all your loved ones is the best way to celebrate your precious day. If you are dreaming of a wedding on a beautiful secluded beach, Maalu Maalu Resort & Spa would be a perfect option among many other Sri Lanka Wedding Venues.

Whether you plan an intimate gathering or a large lavish banquet by the beach, every detail of your requirement will be fulfilled. All other related services to your wedding including beach location, accommodation, food & beverages, costumes, designs, photographers and honeymoon tours can be arranged according to your request. The best time to host a beach wedding in Sri Lanka would between October and March, when the weather is cooler. Depending on your choice a unique traditional Buddhist religious poruwa ceremony, a traditional Hindu wedding or even a fusion wedding which portrays a fine blend of ethnicity culture can be planned and prepared. Backdropped by the turquoise blue waters of the Indian ocean and the radiant golden sands of the coast, partying into the early hours, dancing underneath the stars is what a dream beach wedding in Sri Lanka is all about. It is sure to gift you precious memories of your precious day and also offer you the romantic setting for your honeymoon.

A dream is a wish come true in this paradise island. Experience the true flavours of Srilankan traditions and customs on your special day and make it a moment to cherish a lifetime.

Nigel Walters is a travel writer, who writes under the pen name, Fritzjames Stephen. His content is based on the myriad of experiences and indulgences that the world has to offer travellers across all walks of life.

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