Sri Lanka's cultural calendar is full of festivals worth planning a trip around, from Colombo to Kandy and beyond. Shaped by Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Christian communities and centuries of tradition, the island celebrates something almost every month of the year.
The Sinhala and Tamil New Year (Aluth Avurudu) in mid-April is one of the most important Sri Lankan festivals, marking the end of the harvest season with traditional games, rituals and an abundance of sweets and savoury treats – a rare chance to experience Sri Lankan hospitality at its most festive, in cities and villages alike.
Vesak Poya, the full moon day of May, commemorates the birth, enlightenment and passing of the Buddha and is one of Sri Lanka's most visually spectacular festivals. Towns from Colombo to Kandy are transformed with illuminated lanterns and enormous pandals, and communities set up roadside dansalas offering free food to anyone passing by – open to visitors of every faith.
