About this experience
Batik is one of Sri Lanka's most recognisable crafts, and in Sigiriya you learn it hands-on rather than watching from behind a rope. This is a private workshop with an experienced local batik artist, who shows you how melted wax and dye turn a plain piece of fabric into a pattern of layered colour. Along the way you hear where the craft comes from and why it still matters here.
You arrive to a welcome drink and an introduction to the tools and materials laid out on the bench. You draw your own design on the fabric, then apply hot wax to the areas you want to keep back from the colour, and dye the cloth to build up vivid tones and fine detail. Once the dyeing is done, the fabric is boiled and washed to lift the wax away and reveal the finished piece. You keep it as a souvenir you made yourself.
The workshop runs for two hours and is bookable for one to six guests, with instant confirmation on booking. The price covers the artist's private guidance, all materials and equipment, and the finished batik you take home. Transport to and from the workshop is not included, though private transport can be arranged for a separate fee. Cancel free of charge more than 24 hours ahead; inside that window the booking is non-refundable.
