Do I need to buy tickets to watch the Perahera?

Sure, you can watch the Perahera from the sidewalks for free, but buying tickets for reserved seating on those elevated balconies is really recommended, for safety and also for better visibility.

Getting a free spot is a bit more demanding; you might need to get there as much as eight hours early, then sit on crowded ground-level pavements, with people nearby. If you purchase seats through registered agencies or directly via hotels, you usually end up with a more comfortable, unobstructed vantage point. This matters even more during the Randoli Perahera, because the street-level crowd can get incredibly dense.