Kandy

The last Sinhalese royal capital, home to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and Kandy Lake, world-famous for the Esala Perahera elephant parade, with botanical gardens and an ancient temple circuit nearby.

Kandy lies in Sri Lanka's central highlands at about 500 m above sea level. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Kandy, the last Sinhalese kingdom (1592–1815), and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988 as the Sacred City of Kandy. The city is centered on Kandy Lake. On the north shore are the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, the royal palace, the National Museum and the British Garrison Cemetery, with Udawattakele Forest behind them. Arthur's Seat to the south and the Bahirawakanda Buddha statue on the hilltop to the west overlook the whole city, and Kandyan dance performances are held by the lake in the evening. On the outskirts are the Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya and the Ceylon Tea Museum; to the southwest, Lankatilaka, Gadaladeniya and Embekke Devale make up the Three Temples Loop. Farther afield you can visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, or hike Ambuluwawa and the Knuckles Range. The climate is mild and the city can be visited year-round: Jan–Apr is relatively dry, with showers during the southwest monsoon (May–Sep) and the northeast monsoon (Oct–Dec). The Esala Perahera in Jul–Aug features ten consecutive nights of elephant processions, so book accommodation early. Getting there: the train from Colombo takes about 2.5–3 hours (and is scenic), and driving takes about 3 hours. Kandy is also the hub for the trains to Nuwara Eliya and Ella and for the Cultural Triangle around Sigiriya. We suggest staying 2–3 days. Cover your shoulders and knees and remove your shoes at temples, and beware of tuk-tuk drivers taking detours and of gem-shop touts.

Top sights

• Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic – Sri Lanka's most important Buddhist temple, which houses the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha. Visitors can get close to the relic shrine d…
• Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya – Sri Lanka's largest botanical garden, with highlights including an orchid house, spice gardens, the Royal Palm Avenue, a giant Java fig tre…
• Kandy Lake – A man-made lake created in 1807 by the last king of Kandy, about 3.4 km around, with the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and the royal bat…
• Kandyan Cultural Dance Show – A nightly one-hour performance of traditional Kandyan dance, with drumming, masked dances and the closing fire-walking act the most popular.
• Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage – An elephant sanctuary founded in 1975, where visitors can watch baby elephants being fed and the herd cross the road to bathe in the river…
• Lankatilaka Vihara – A 14th-century Buddhist temple built on a giant boulder, blending Sinhalese and South Indian styles, with fine murals and a seated Buddha i…
• Gadaladeniya Vihara – A 14th-century stone temple influenced by South Indian Dravidian architecture, built on a single flat expanse of rock.
• Embekke Devalaya – A 14th-century wooden shrine whose many wooden pillars are carved with dancers, wrestlers, double-headed birds and other fine reliefs.
• Bahirawakanda Vihara Buddha Statue – A giant white seated Buddha about 26 meters tall on a hilltop, offering the best viewpoint over Kandy city and Kandy Lake.
• Udawatta Kele Sanctuary – The former royal forest reserve behind the Temple of the Tooth, where you can hike, spot birds, and see monkeys and ancient trees right in…
• Ceylon Tea Museum – A tea museum in a former 1925 tea factory, showing vintage processing machinery and the history of Ceylon tea, with a rooftop tea room for…
• Kandy National Museum & Royal Palace – The royal palace complex beside the Temple of the Tooth, where the museum occupies the queen's palace and displays Kandyan Kingdom artifact…
• British Garrison Cemetery – A colonial-era cemetery in use from 1817, where British soldiers and their families are buried, and the caretakers share fascinating storie…
• Arthur's Seat Viewpoint – A classic viewpoint on the hillside south of Kandy Lake, where you can take in the lake, the Temple of the Tooth, and the White Buddha acro…
• Kandy Municipal Central Market – A two-story arcaded market in the city center, packed with tropical fruit, spices, tea, and souvenirs, ideal for experiencing local life.
• Degaldoruwa Raja Maha Vihara – An 18th-century cave temple from the Kandyan Kingdom, home to the finest Jataka tale murals of the Kandyan school of painting.
• Ambuluwawa Tower – A white spiral tower on a mountaintop, where a narrow staircase leads to 360-degree views over the mountains around Kandy.
• Aluvihare Rock Temple – An ancient cave temple among massive boulders, where tradition holds that the Pali Canon was first written down in the 1st century BCE.
• Knuckles Mountain Range – A misty mountain range whose peaks resemble the knuckles of a clenched fist, part of the UNESCO-listed Central Highlands of Sri Lanka and w…
• Matale Spice Gardens – Spice and herb gardens along the A9 road between Kandy and Dambulla, where guided tours introduce Ceylon's cinnamon, cardamom, and pepper…

Where to eat

• Balaji Dosai – A South Indian vegetarian eatery near the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, offering cheap and fast dosas, making it a…
• The Empire Cafe – A cafe housed in a colonial-era building opposite the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, featuring terrace views, with r…
• Sharon Inn Restaurant – A rooftop restaurant in a long-standing Kandy guesthouse, famous for its home-style rice and curry dinner buffet, requi…
• Kandyan Muslim Hotel – A historic Muslim eatery near the clock tower; despite 'Hotel' in its name, it is a restaurant famous for its cheese ko…

Itineraries

• Sri Lanka Classic Loop – From ancient cities, the Temple of the Tooth, and tea country to Yala and the southern coast, cover the island's top hi…
• Sri Lanka Highlights – Connect Sigiriya, Kandy, the scenic tea country train, Ella, and Galle in one week.
• Island-Wide National Park Wildlife Safari – A wildlife-focused route linking Wilpattu, Minneriya, Sinharaja, Yala, and Mirissa.
• Tea Country Trekking & Adam's Peak Pilgrimage – Hike the highlights of the Pekoe Trail, climb Adam's Peak by night, and traverse Horton Plains and Ella.
• Sri Lanka & Maldives Twin-Destination Tour – Spend the first 8 days exploring the Cultural Triangle and tea country, followed by 6 days of relaxation in the Male At…