Kelaniya is a site that tradition holds was visited by the Buddha himself during his third and final journey to the island. Set on the banks of the Kelani River just outside Colombo, the vihara’s gilded dagoba, vivid murals, and resident elephants draw devoted pilgrims and quiet first-time visitors alike. The annual Duruthu Perahera, held each January, transforms the temple grounds into one of the island’s most spectacular pageants of torch-lit devotion.