Perahera is still a true local tradition...and even if they take advantage of the presence of the turists, it remains an interesting event. We paid 3500rs the day before the last. In reality they are 5 parades...and the first three are great than it starts to be a bit too long...over 3hrs and the negative aspect is that you cannot leave earlier as everything is blocked.
A must see!
A grand procession of more than 100 elephants in very colourful & lit up attire, over 5,000 dancers in very colourful attire and of more than 3 km long.......include all the up-country dances and drum beats in Sri Lanka.......
Its a blessing to more than 10,000 devotees and tourists watching the perehera daily......
Great pomp but would agree with previous comments about treatment of elephants - chained all day on very very short leashes to feet . The atmosphere is great if you can lock this out though worry about noise effect on the elephants
The 10 day festival is well worth a visit. 1000s of locals and tourists line the street routes hours before and watch the three hour procession.
Tickets from restaurants and hotels were available on the day. Numerous businesses boarding up platforms and probably charging tourist amounts for a raised platform and a battered old chair.
Thousands huddle at the beginning and middle of the tour route and on our first day we followed the parade sounds and stood 5 deep starring at peoples raised cameras.
However the next day we stubbled on a lovely restaurant by temple of the tooth called 'Oak-Ray restaurant.
This restaurant is at the very end of the procession. While crowds were forming down the streets we were sat, enjoying an isolated meal for 2 hours since the procession started and wierdly didn't see a soul.
Two hours in, we walked round to the empty road block and heard the music and procession approach us!
Only police around and we were able to choose our spot and gained a front row view!!
If you're there to take photos try this option. I can't promise by the end of the ten days other tourists won't have cottoned on and by 10pm the crowds had realised and descended on our section and I'm sure that poor restaurant we left empty had a surge of tourists but it served great food and assisted us get this great view it deserves a mention!
Ps alcohol is NOT allowed in Kandy during this festival! This is not a party destination at this time. It's quite amazing to see a procession patrolled so well by the police. No trouble, or mess, just a respectful carnival of fire, dancing and music!
Hi
I rank it 3 out of 5 with because of a mixed feeling. We booked expensive tickets through an agency for seats at Queens hotel. They were supposed to be best seats but they are actually not so good as soon as you are not on rank #1 because of big arches that completely block the view. I ended up standing up on the side to look at the festival and then it was great. Some people were even worse as they were in the back. So if you book seats, do check exactly the seat you're booking. Other than that, the festival was really great and is really worth. Be aware on the last day it lasts 4 hours, and that's very long ! :-)
