Snapshot
Join your friendly hosts at their house in Ambalangoda for a refreshing King Coconut before heading off in their Mini Moke to the local temple, which is the source of inspiration for many of the artists here. Afterwards, begin your fast-paced tour of Ambalangoda’s main artistic workshops, where you will explore many traditional art forms including batik, puppetry and mask-making. Finish the experience by visiting a quiet temple perched on a hill covered in cinnamon, which houses Asia’s largest reclining Buddha, and a cup of tea at your hosts’ home.
Duration: 3 hours
Best Time: Year-round
Additional Information
The creative arts – music, art, dance and crafts – are an integral part of Sri Lanka’s cultural heritage, with many traditions dating back hundreds of years. See the astonishing murals at Dambulla Cave Temple or in the temples in Gampola; go shopping in Colombo for a range of traditional crafts, or see a Kandyan Cultural Show and witness the historic dance styles, accompanied by complex drum beats and enlivened by the use of masks. More recently, batik has become a core feature of arts and crafts in Sri Lanka. Ambalangoda, a small coastal city between Bentota and Galle, is famous for its arts and crafts and is also home to a collection of beautiful ancient temples.
Related Activities
Ariyapala Mask Museum
Ariyapala Masks & Museum, Galle Road, Ambalangoda, Sri Lanka
Traditional masks have played an important role in Sri Lankan culture and folklore for centuries, Used for both theatrical performances and traditional rituals.
Duration: 4 hours
Best time: Year-round
Play a Sri Lankan drum
Kandy, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka resonates to the sound of drumming, and with the help of Red Dot, a teacher from a long line of professional drummers can reveal the basics of how to play as well as understand the history and importance of drums in Sri Lanka.
Duration: 4 hours
Best time: Year-round
Mask-Making Workshop
Galle Fort, Galle, Sri Lanka
A hands-on workshop which introduces you to the use of masks in Sri Lankan culture and demonstrates the stages of traditional mask carving from start to finish as you attempt to make one yourself.
Duration: 4 hours
Best time: Year-round
Kandy Perahera
Kandy, Sri Lanka
A `Perehara’ is a cultural procession, an ancient historic ritual where tradition, religion, and the arts all come together. The annual Kandy Perahera is an astonishing spectacle.
Duration: 4 hours
Best time: July / August
