Arts and crafts provide invaluable cottage industries, especially around Kandy. Different villages in Kandy specialize in specific artistic skills that have passed between generations. Drum making is done in Kurugala, mat weaving in Dumbara and brass and silver wear and wood carving in Gadaladeniya. Cane and reed wear is produced in the hamlet of Wewaldeniya enroute to Kandy. The roadside is lined with small shops selling baskets, furniture and other household items. Purchasing at source from these villages brings vital income and preserves these ancient crafts.

Introduced by the Portuguese in the 17th century, handwoven Beeralu lace (pillow lace) is a recognised national craft and a vital source of income for rural women of the south coast. This intricate, handmade pillow lace is woven into exquisite tablecloths, doilies, and clothing accessories. Beeralu lace can be purchased from the Dickwella Women’s Craft Centre located near the Dickwella Resort & Spa or the Sewa Lanka Lace Showroom in Dickwella. Another traditional craft is mask making, seen at Ambalangoda on the West Coast. These traditional masks are very much a part of Sri Lanka’s culture and folklore. The masks are used for theatrical as well as ritual performances with each mask used for a specific purpose. The masks are divided into two categories: Kolam masks, used for dramatic purposes to enact traditional folktales and history; and Thovil masks, used for exorcism rituals especially to eradicate disease.

Sri Lanka is known for precious and semi-precious gem stones which are found in the Ratnapura area. Kandyan jewellery varies in design from the southern jewellery settings. The art of mining, cutting and polishing gem stones as well as jewellery making can be observed in jewellery shops and lapidaries in Ratnapura.