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What you can buy – gems, finished garments, batiks, tea and handicrafts are popular shopping itineraries among the tourists. Handlooms fabric
materials, leather products, furniture, reproduction of antiques, jewellery and ceramic are also popular with visitors of fine taste. Also notable is the
lacquer work where you can get items like ash trays, teapoys, ornamental pots, jewellery boxes paterned in a unique style.
Where you can buy – modern shopping complexes, malls, traditional and night markets and Gem Exchange in Colombo houses many Gem dealers,
also check out the Pettah bazaar district.
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The traditional dances of Sri Lanka have their origin in rites and rituals associated with folk beliefs. There are three distinct dance forms and the sense
of drama will delight the viewer. It would be interesting to watch such events in the drama houses. Don’t miss out on the local cuisine; which is as
colour ful as it is pungent.
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The Kandy Esala Perahera (July/August) is the country’s most important and spectacular pageant, with 10 days of torch-bearers, whip-crackers,
dancers and drummers, not to mention elephants lit up like giant birthday cakes. It climaxes in a 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 a whole gamut of ritual masochism.
Deepawali or Diwali is a festival of lights symbolising the victory of righteousness and the lifting of spiritual darkness. The word `Deepawali’ literally
means rows of clay lamps.
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Uda Walawe National Park best rivals the savanna reserves of Africa, with its elephants, buffalo, sambar deer and leopards. The 12m standing
Aukana Buddh dates to the 12th or 13th centuary. Aukana means ‘sun-eating’, and dawn, when the first rays light up the huge statue’s finely-carved
features, is the best time to see it. Kandy, the historical bastion of Buddhist power, is built around a peaceful lake and set in a picturesque bowl of
hills. It has a distinctive architectural character and the town centre is a delightful compendium of old shops, buses, markets and hotels. Culture buffs
shouldn’t miss the National Museum, which has a good collection of historical works, the Art Gallery, which focuses on portraiture and temporary
exhibits by local artists, and the city’s many mosques and Buddhist and Hindu temples. The Cultural Triangle, synonymous with archeological and
religious heritage of the country.
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Popular things to do in Sri Lanka would include canoeing and kayaking, white water rafting, hiking and trekking and rock climbing. For those with a less
adventurous spirit, consider taking a hot air ballon ride or following the National Cycle Trail. Ever since Sri Lanka became World Champion in 1996,
cricket has been an obsession for Sri Lankans. If you’re willing to try, new facilities are being developed in the vicinity of the nation’s international
sports stadiums in Colombo, Kandy, Galle and most recently in Dambulla. For the golfers, there are various clubs with holes ranging up to 18.
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Most Sri Lankan towns, except the larger cities like Colombo and Kandy, are rather low on entertainment. In large hotels, there will often be
nightclubs; some hotels, clubs and other venues also offer cultural per formances by traditional artistes.
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