Weligama Taxi & Shuttles Number 01
Kandy is Sri Lanka's spiritual and cultural heartland — a UNESCO World Heritage city cradled among mist-wrapped hills, home to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, the magnificent Esala Perahera festival, and some of the island's most breathtaking highland scenery.
Elevation
465 m above sea
Avg. Temperature
20 – 28 °C
UNESCO Site
Sacred City
From Colombo
BIA · 3.5 hrs
The Temple of the Tooth Relic is the holiest site in Sri Lanka, housing a tooth of the Buddha. Pilgrims and visitors from across the world come to pay homage, especially during the Esala Perahera festival when the relic is paraded through the streets.
“Kandy is not merely a city — it is a living temple, where every street corner carries the weight of two thousand years of civilisation, and the air itself seems thick with incense and history.”
Sri Dalada Maligawa — the Temple of the Tooth Relic — is the most sacred Buddhist site in Sri Lanka and one of the most revered shrines in all of Asia. Legend holds that the left canine tooth of the Buddha was brought to the island in the 4th century CE, hidden within the hair of a princess. Today the gilded octagonal tower of the temple dominates the Kandy lakefront, drawing thousands of pilgrims each day who come to attend the thrice-daily puja ceremonies. The soft glow of oil lamps, the fragrance of jasmine offerings and the resonant sound of temple drums create an atmosphere of profound spiritual intensity that visitors carry with them long after leaving.
Every July and August, Kandy hosts the Esala Perahera — one of the oldest and most spectacular festivals on earth. For ten nights, a procession of magnificently caparisoned elephants, fire dancers, whip crackers, traditional musicians and thousands of costumed performers winds through the city streets. The Maligawa Tusker, adorned in electric lights and golden cloth, carries a golden casket representing the Sacred Tooth Relic. Drummers beat out hypnotic rhythms, flames light the night sky, and the entire city vibrates with centuries of unbroken tradition. It is an experience that defies description — one that must be witnessed at least once in a lifetime.
Kandy sits at the gateway to Sri Lanka's magnificent hill country, and the surrounding region rewards exploration. The Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya are a short tuk-tuk ride from the city centre, their 60-acre grounds sheltering avenues of royal palms, a spectacular collection of orchids, and giant bamboo groves. Further into the hills, Hantana Mountain looms over the city, offering trekking trails through cloud-wreathed tea estates. The drive toward Nuwara Eliya passes waterfalls, emerald-green tea fields worked by pickers in bright saris, and misty viewpoints that open up over valleys dropping away into blue haze. For wildlife, Udawatta Kele Sanctuary — a jungle reserve in the heart of the city — shelters hornbills, purple-faced langur monkeys, and giant squirrels.
Traveller's Notes
Visit the Temple
Arrive for the 6:30 AM puja to experience the ritual without heavy crowds. Dress modestly — shoulders and knees must be covered. Remove shoes at the entrance.
See the Perahera
The Esala Perahera runs July–August. Book accommodation 3–4 months ahead — the entire city fills up. Grandstand tickets offer the best views of the elephant procession.
Botanical Gardens
Peradeniya Botanical Gardens open at 7:30 AM. Allow at least 2–3 hours. The orchid house and the giant Javan fig tree are unmissable. Entry is around LKR 2,000.
Getting Around
The city centre is compact and walkable. Tuk-tuks are plentiful for short hops — negotiate a price before boarding. Day-trip taxis to Peradeniya, Hantana or Nuwara Eliya are easy to arrange.
What to Eat
Try kottu roti at a local street stall, milk rice at a Kandyan bakery, or wood-apple juice at the market. The Devon Restaurant and White House are long-standing local favourites.
Where to Stay
Lakeside hotels offer views of the temple and lake. Boutique guesthouses in the hills above the city give access to cooler air and spectacular sunrise views over the valley.
Kandy City
Central Province, Sri Lanka · UNESCO World Heritage
From Colombo
115 km · 3.5 hrs
Elevation
465 m above sea
GPS Coordinates
7.2906° N, 80.6337° E
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