Kandy

Destination Guide

The last royal capital of the Sinhalese kings, ringed by hills and built around a lake, Kandy is the cultural heart of the island — home to the sacred Temple of the Tooth and the greatest of all Sri Lanka’s processions.

The sacred city

Kandy held out against colonial powers until 1815, and that independence shaped its character. The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa) enshrines a tooth of the Buddha and remains the spiritual centre of Sinhalese Buddhism; attend the evening puja, when drummers fill the temple and pilgrims file past with lotus flowers.

Things to do

Walk the lake at dawn, explore the superb Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, watch a Kandyan dance and fire-walking performance, and browse the brass, silver and gem workshops of the surrounding villages. The hills around the city hide temples like Lankatilaka and the carved-timber Embekka Devale.

The Esala Perahera

For ten nights in July or August, Kandy stages one of Asia’s most spectacular processions — caparisoned elephants, torch-bearers, whip-crackers, dancers and the relic casket itself, parading by night. If your trip can be timed to it, we arrange proper roadside seating away from the crush.

Around Kandy

The hills around the city repay a day of their own. The three temples of Gadaladeniya, Lankatilaka and the carved-timber Embekka Devale form a classic loop through paddy and village; the Udawattakele forest reserve offers a cool morning walk behind the temple; and the craft centres of the region — brass, silver, drums and wood — let you watch traditions still very much alive. Kandy also makes the natural staging post between the Cultural Triangle and the tea country, so two nights here are rarely wasted.

Practical information

Getting there

About 2.5–3 hours from Colombo or the airport by car, or a scenic train. Kandy is the natural gateway between the Cultural Triangle and the hill country.

Where to stay

Boutique hotels in the hills above the lake give the best views and the cool evening air; a few heritage properties sit closer to the temple for the puja.

What to eat

Hill-country rice and curry with more vegetables and milder spice, plus excellent Muslim-run bakeries. Try a proper Ceylon tea served the local way, strong and sweet.

Best time to visit

Year-round; the climate is mild. Time a visit to the Esala Perahera (July/August) for the spectacle, but book far ahead.

Ajit’s tip

“Go to the temple for the evening puja, not the midday rush. The drumming at dusk, with the pilgrims and the oil lamps, is when Kandy is truly itself.”