20 x Things to Do in Kandy, Sri Lanka
Last Updated On June 18, 2023
Discover Kandy as it pulsates to the rhythm of drum beats in a spectacular celebration of history, religion, and culture. Kandy, the last stronghold of Sri Lanka's last Sinhala monarchy, stands sheltered in a natural forest and meandering rivers amidst hills and steep mountains of a plateau, radiating an old-world beauty steeped in rich history and legacy. It is Sri Lanka's second-largest city and the gateway to the gorgeous hill country. The town is set across 27 square kilometers of a verdant valley, 465 meters above sea level, within a wide loop of the Mahaweli River, and 115 kilometers from Colombo.
Photo by Promodhya Abeysekara on Unsplash
Kandy, a city of harmony and culture, comes alive in July or August when the Temple of the Tooth holds its annual street parade known as the Kandy Perahera, a time of rejoicing with color, dancing, and drums, and bedecked majestic elephants. The heart of the Perahera is the sacred relic encased within a golden casket and tenderly carried on a gorgeously decorated tusker. This magnificent, age-old parade is one of Asia's most celebrated festivals.
1. The Temple of the Tooth
The Sri Dalada Maligawa ( or the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic) is a Buddhist temple that houses Lord Buddha's tooth relic. It is located within the royal palace complex of the ancient Kingdom of Kandy. Kandy was the last main capital of Sri Lanka's ancient monarchs, and the presence of the temple is one of the primary reasons why the city was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The relic housed within the temple has played an essential part in Sri Lanka's political history, as there is a belief that the keeper of the relic had the authority to rule the country.
2. Royal Palace of Kandy
3. Kandy Lake
4. Lankatilaka Temple
5. Gadaladeniya Temple
6. Royal Botanical Gardens
The 60 hectares of land that now form the Royal Botanical Garden were once designated for the exclusive use of Sri Lanka's ancient Kandyan royalty. It is now the largest botanical garden in the country and is open to the public. The Royal Botanical Garden, located in the western Kandyan suburb of Peradeniya, attracts around two million tourists yearly and is particularly well-known for its orchid collection. It contains about 4000 plant types, including spices, medicinal herbs, and palm palms.
7. Bahirawakanda Vihara Buddha Statue
8. National Museum of Kandy
9. Hanthana Mountain Range
10. Udawattakele Forest Reserve
The Udawattekele Forest Reserve is located on a hill near Kandy that spans more than 100 hectares. In 1856, it was designated as a forest reserve, and in 1938 was declared an official sanctuary. The entrance is on the western side of the forest reserve. The trek up from the Temple of the Tooth Relic takes 15 to 20 minutes.
The forest reserve contains about 50 indigenous tree species, 60 shrub species, and 30 plant species. It also has roughly 80 bird species and a variety of mammals such as boars, squirrels, porcupines, pangolins, and bats. Monkey battalions can also be spotted swinging through the branches.