Before you leave the villa make sure you are dressed respectfully to enter the Temple as it is a place of worship. Both men and women should cover shoulders and the length of clothing must be below the knee. You have to remove your footwear at a certain point (rarely but sometimes footwear goes missing on a busy day) and walk barefoot (if you go mid day- you will be walking on hot stones). Socks are allowed. Remove hats before entering the temple.
The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a world-renowned place of worship, where the left Canine tooth of Gautama Buddha is enshrined. It was named as a world heritage by UNESCO in 1988. The temple is turned into a decorative fairy light palace during the month of August, so a night visit around the lake is also due. Buy a flower posey to leave inside the temple, make a donation and see the wonder of a place of worship.
The Esala Perahera is the annual parade in the month of August where the city is busier than usual. The streets are adorned with fire breathers, elephants and dancers. Spectators flood to the streets to catch a glimpse of the parade. We at Sati usually get an email from the organisers selling tickets to seats where you could watch the parade from a comfortable distance. Do let us know if you are interested.