Venue
Anuradhapura District, North Central Province, Sri Lanka
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Poson Poya in Mihintale and Anuradhapura guide
White-clad pilgrims on Mihintale's stairway.
In short
Poson poya falls on Friday 18 June 2027, and Mihintale outside Anuradhapura is the place to see Sri Lankans mark the arrival of Buddhism. Pilgrims dressed in white climb the granite steps from before dawn, so start early. Lit pandals and roadside food stalls appear in towns across the island during festival week.
Sri Lankan Buddhists celebrate the coming of their religion at Poson, the full moon of the Poson month, and no place draws them like the hill of Mihintale outside Anuradhapura. In 2027 the poya falls on Friday 18 June, a public holiday. White-clad pilgrims climb its granite stairway from before dawn.
The story goes back to the 3rd century BC, when the monk Mahinda, arriving from India, met King Devanampiyatissa on this hilltop. After Vesak, Poson is the most important date in the island's Buddhist year.
The festival week brings lit pandals and lanterns to towns across the country, and roadside dansal hand out free food to anyone who stops.
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Key Facts & Stats:
Where: Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka
Venue: Mihintale
Held: Every year
Type of event: Cultural Events, Religious Festivals
Currency: Sri Lankan rupee (LKR, Rs)
Time zone: Sri Lanka Standard Time, UTC+5:30
Language: Sinhala, Tamil
Map
Getting around
Hotels near the venue fill up around the event dates.
Poson 2027 dates and the length of the festivities
Poson follows the lunar calendar and usually falls in June. The government has gazetted Friday 18 June 2027 as Poson Full Moon Poya Day.
Festivities run for five to seven days, but at Mihintale the crush comes on the eve and on the poya itself. A Friday holiday means a long weekend, and roads and trains towards the North Central Province will be crammed.
Mihintale's steps, shrines and summit
The hill rises about 12.5 km east of Anuradhapura, just off the Trincomalee road. A stairway of 1,840 granite steps climbs through forest to the summit area.
- Ambasthala Dagoba
- a small stupa on the spot where, by tradition, king and monk met.
- Aradhana Gala
- the bare rock where the Mahavamsa chronicle says Mahinda first landed. Iron railings help you up, and the wind at the top can be fierce.
- Maha Seya
- the big restored stupa on the summit, raised in the 1st century AD by King Mahadathika Mahanaga.
Anuradhapura's temples during Poson
The old royal capital was one of the first places on the island to take up Buddhism. At Poson its temples, great stupas and sacred bo tree fill with worshippers, many of whom sit in meditation for hours before heading on to Mihintale.
Big illuminated pandals go up along the roads, and dansal, community stalls giving away meals, are set up by villages and workplaces. In some areas meat and alcohol sales are halted for the festival.
Dress, bare feet and climbing early
- Wear white or pale clothes that cover shoulders and knees.
- Shoes and hats come off at every shrine. By midday the rock scorches bare feet, so bring socks.
- Go up early in the morning or in late afternoon, when it is cooler and the queue on the steps is shorter.
- Take water and climb slowly; on the poya the stairway moves at the pace of the crowd.
- Rooms in Anuradhapura fill with pilgrims, so reserve well in advance.
- Keep your voice low and your camera discreet near anyone meditating.
Getting to Anuradhapura and Mihintale
Trains and buses run from Colombo to Anuradhapura, and from town it is a short drive or tuk-tuk ride out to Mihintale. Many travellers slot Poson into a Cultural Triangle circuit; our Sri Lanka travel guide suggests stops nearby. Staying on into the summer, you can catch the Esala Perahera in Kandy, the island's other great Buddhist procession.
What happens on the day
- Days before
Pandals and dansal
Lantern displays, pandals and free food stalls (dansal) appear across the island.
- Poya eve
The busiest climb
At Mihintale the numbers peak the evening before the poya and on the day itself; keep a slow pace on the steps.
- Poya day
Worship at both sites
Pilgrims climb Mihintale and fill Anuradhapura's temples and stupas, gathering at its sacred bo tree.
- Earlier in the week
Quieter paths
Come before the eve if you prefer room to move.
Etiquette and dress
Quiet around worshippers
Keep noise and photography discreet near people meditating.
Shoes and hats
Remove them at every temple and stupa terrace.
Meat and alcohol
Sales stop in some areas over the poya.
Booking accommodation early in Anuradhapura
Sort out a room first. Pilgrims fill Anuradhapura's hotels, so reserve well ahead. As the poya falls on a Friday in 2027, expect busy long-weekend traffic on the roads and trains heading for the North Central Province.
Tackle the Mihintale climb at the start or the end of the day, when it is cooler and the crowds are lighter, and carry water.
How Buddhism came to Sri Lanka
Poson celebrates the coming of Buddhism to Sri Lanka and ranks second only to Vesak among the island's Buddhist holidays. It recalls the encounter in the 3rd century BC between the monk Mahinda, who had come from India, and King Devanampiyatissa on the hill at Mihintale.
A stairway of 1,840 granite steps leads up through forest to the summit, where the small Ambasthala Dagoba marks the traditional meeting place. Nearby are the Aradhana Gala rock, where the Mahavamsa chronicle says Mahinda first landed, and the restored Maha Seya, a large stupa that King Mahadathika Mahanaga raised in the 1st century AD.
Getting there
Flying in
Bandaranaike International Airport near Colombo is the gateway, with direct flights from Dhaka and Bangkok, among others. Check entry rules on our Sri Lanka visa page.
To Anuradhapura
Trains and buses run from Colombo.
To Mihintale
About 12.5 km east of Anuradhapura, near the Trincomalee road: a short drive or tuk-tuk ride.
Cultural triangle
Many visitors combine Poson with Dambulla, Sigiriya and Polonnaruwa, with a hired car or driver to link the stops.
Where to stay during the festival
We have no hotels listed in Anuradhapura yet, so the ones below are in Dambulla, the nearest area where we list hotels. The next date is 18 June 2027. Book as soon as your dates are fixed, since rooms close to the festival are the first to go.
Dambulla
Heritance Kandalama5-star hotel
No reviews yet
from$230.00/ night
- Free WiFi
- Swimming pool
- Parking
4 Rooms available
Book Now
Weather and what to pack
June is in the dry season in the North Central Province. Anuradhapura averages about 33°C by day and 25°C at night in June, with little rain (1991-2020 normals).
The rock steps at Mihintale get hot by midday, and you climb them barefoot near the top.
Worth packing
- White or pale clothes that cover shoulders and knees
- Socks for hot stone terraces
- Water and a hat
- A torch for the evening climb
Car hire in Anuradhapura
Airport transfer to Poson Poya in Mihintale and Anuradhapura
Met at arrivals at Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) and driven door to door to Mihintale.
- Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) → Mihintale
- 193 km · 3 hr 40 min
Restaurants and food in Sri Lanka
Places to eat in Sri Lanka before or after the celebrations.
Cafe Chill
Main Street (Ella Passara Road), Ella, Badulla District, Sri Lanka
Cuisine:Sri LankanInternational
- Dine-in
- Bar
The Gallery Café
2 Alfred House Gardens, Colombo 00300, Sri Lanka
Cuisine:InternationalSri Lankan
- Dine-in
Upali's by Nawaloka
65 C W W Kannangara Mawatha, Colombo 00700, Sri Lanka
Cuisine:Sri Lankan
- Dine-in
Ministry of Crab
Old Dutch Hospital Complex, 4 Hospital Street, Colombo 00100, Sri Lanka
Cuisine:SeafoodSri Lankan
- Dine-in
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Need help?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Prices & payment
Foreign visitors normally buy a ticket to enter the Mihintale site, while worshippers enter freely. On Poson the hill is run as a pilgrimage site and arrangements can change, so carry some cash and check at the entrance. Prices are revised from time to time, so confirm the current rate locally.
Booking
The ancient stone stairway has about 1,840 steps, shaded in places by frangipani trees. Climbing at a steady pace takes 30 to 45 minutes, longer on Poson when the line moves slowly. The final section to the rock summit is steep and narrow.
The archaeological zone of the sacred city usually requires a ticket for foreign visitors, though active places of worship such as the Sri Maha Bodhi can be visited by pilgrims. Dress in white or pale colours and be ready to remove shoes at each site.
General
The Ambasthala Dagoba marks the spot where Mahinda is said to have met the king. Nearby are Aradhana Gala, a rock with railings and wide views, the Mahaseya stupa on the highest point, and Mahinda's cave. Allow at least two hours to see them without rushing.
Yes, troops of macaques live around the hill and are bold with food. Keep snacks out of sight, do not feed them and hold onto bags. They are part of the scenery but can snatch belongings.
Poson marks the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Tradition holds that on the Poson full moon the monk Mahinda, son of the Indian emperor Ashoka, met King Devanampiya Tissa on Mihintale and preached to him, and the king converted. That is why Mihintale is the focus of the day.
Photography of the sites and the crowds is generally fine. Do not pose with your back to a Buddha image or climb on stupas and statues, which Sri Lanka treats as a serious offence. Drones need a Civil Aviation Authority permit and are usually not allowed at sacred sites.
Anuradhapura has the widest choice of guesthouses and hotels, and Mihintale is a short ride away. Rooms fill quickly in Poson week, so book early. Staying a night either side lets you visit both sites in cooler hours.
Families & accessibility
Children often enjoy the lanterns and dansal, but the climb is hot and crowded on the poya. Go early in the morning or after dusk, bring sun hats and water, and avoid the busiest hours on the eve. Keep a close hand on young children near steep rock edges.
No. Access to the summit is via stone steps and bare rock, with no ramps or lifts. Visitors with limited mobility can view the lantern displays and pandals in Anuradhapura town instead.
Stay & facilities
Yes. Dansal stalls along the roads hand out rice, curries, tea, ice cream and drinks to everyone. Take only what you will eat, thank the volunteers, and do not rely on dansal for every meal, as they are busy and close when supplies run out.