Kandy is an essential stop in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s second largest city, Kandy is a vibrant, historical city with tons of great things to do. The cultural capital of Sri Lanka, Kandy is one of the corners that make up the “Cultural Triangle”. Be certain to save some time for day trips in the area as well. There are plenty of exciting things to see and do close by too.
Background
Vikramabhu III, king of the Kingdom of Gampola, established Kandy in the 14th Century. In the 15th century, King Sena Sammatha Wickramabhu became the first king of the Kingdom of Kandy. In 1592, after the Portuguese conquered other Sri Lankan kingdoms, Kandy became the capital city of the last remaining independent kingdom in Sri Lanka. The Kingdom of Kandy was able to resist the Portuguese, the Dutch and for a time, the British.
In the 17th Century, Kandy received the tooth relic of the Buddha thereby establishing its prominence in religion and governance. The Singhalese believed that the protector of the tooth relic rules of the kingdom – hence the Royal Palace contains the Temple of the Tooth.
It wasn’t until 1815 that Kandy saw its first western occupiers – the British. Throughout all of its history and even today, residents of Kandy ostensibly see themselves as a little different and more independent from the rest of the island.
Lay of the Land
The first thing you notice when you arrive in Kandy is its beautiful lake. Located in the center of town, it dominates the city. Walking around the entire perimeter of the lake is a great way to spend a couple of hours. This is a great place for a walk or to go jogging.
Created in 1807, the man-made lake is a popular place to hang out and to experience a lot of Kandy’s daily life. The side of the lake where the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic sits is especially picturesque. Lush greenery and mountains surround the lake. You will also notice a lot of wildlife along its border. This includes Toque macaques, egrets, water fowl and water monitors (the second largest lizard in the world).
Because Kandy is in the mountains, it is hilly. While this makes for a very beautiful landscape, be prepared for some relatively steep walks. Likewise, its weather is a bit cooler and wetter than most of the island.
Our Stay in Kandy
Without doubt, plan on staying in the center of Kandy close to the lake. Traffic in and around Kandy is terrible. You could spend hours trying to get into, out of and around town. The more you can walk and the closer you are to the major sites and restaurants, the better.
We stayed at the Ozo Kandy Hotel, which has now been branded as the Radisson Kandy Hotel. The location is superb, and the hotel is clean and efficient. Situated just above the lake, we were a 15-minute walk around the lake to the Temple of the Tooth Relic, other Kandy sites, and a variety of restaurants. Our room had a stunning view of the lake and its surroundings.
The hotel’s breakfast buffet was plentiful and delicious. For dinner, the hotel offered a large, tasty western-style dinner buffet that had a few Sri Lankan dishes. Our best meal, however, was the one that the executive chef arranged for us. Prepared as a traditional “Rice and Curry” dinner, we found it to be one of the most memorable meals we had in Sri Lanka.
If you travel with a private driver, which was our case, the hotel will provide accommodations free of charge. They only charge for the driver’s meals which cost on average Rs200-300 ($1.00-1.50 USD).
Things to Do in Kandy
The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and the Royal Palace
No visit to Kandy is complete without a visit to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, which houses Sri Lanka’s most important Buddha relic. It enshrines the left canine tooth of Gautama Buddha. But visitors don’t actually get to see the tooth. It is contained in the main shrine and enclosed in several gold boxes.
The building that stands today was built in the late 18th century. Its architecture is a unique Kandyan style. The interior is beautiful with elaborate frescos, intricate carvings, and magnificent sculptures in gold, silver, ivory and wood. UNESCO lists the temple as a world heritage site.
The Temple has morning, mid-day and evening services where the caretakers open the silver and gold doors housing the Tooth relict. Worshippers offer flowers, meals and other items to Buddha. Visit the Temple website for more information on the times and activities of these events.
The tour includes the Alut Maligawa, the great hall behind the Temple.. This impressive room holds a variety of sitting Buddhas and gifts that devotees donated. Be certain not to miss it.
Bear in mind that the King built the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic within the Royal Palace. As a result, you get to visit several of the Royal Palace buildings that remain on the grounds. These too are noteworthy.
Tip
We encourage you to hire a guide to visit the Temple complex. Ours was excellent. He was knowledgeable and spoke excellent English. Guides are easy to find. You can find them stationed around the entrance and gate of the Temple complex. The cost of a guide is around Rs600 ($3.00 USD). The cost to enter the temple complex is Rs1,500 ($7.50 USD). Dress appropriately and cover your legs and shoulders. Visitors must also remove their shoes prior to entering the temple.
Peradenliya Royal Botanic Gardens
Another “must attraction” are these magnificent botanical gardens just outside of the city. Dating back to the 13th century and once reserved exclusively for royals, the gardens are the largest and most impressive in Sri Lanka.
In the gardens’ 147 acres, you’ll get to see over 4000 species of plants ranging from orchids to palms to grasses to medicinal spices and much more. The cannonball tree, the old giant Javan fig tree, the huge Giant Bamboo of Burma and several streets lined with rows of palm trees are just a few of the gardens’ highlights.
Entry tickets cost Rs2000 ($10 USD). We spent some time walking around the gardens and realized that it would take a long time to cover it on foot. We then decided to hop on a tourist cart that drives guests around the entire area. Not only does it save a lot of time, but the driver provides a lot of information on many aspects of the gardens. And he makes a lot of stops for photo ops. The carts leave from the information kiosk near the entrance gate.
The cart fee is Rs2000; however, if you share the cart with another visitor, you simply split the cost. In our case, we did it with another couple who was visiting from the Netherlands. As a result, we each paid only Rs1000 ($5 USD). It was a lot of fun and well worth the cost.
Temples Around Kandy
Kandy has a variety of stunning temples. We saw many of them including the “3-temple route”, which is on the outskirts of Kandy. Remember that you must remove your shoes and dress appropriately in order to enter most temples.
Lankhatilaka Viharaya
Sitting on a rocky bluff, this 14th century temple and religious site is for both Buddhists and Hindus. Especially impressive is the Buddha statue in an interior shrine encased in intricately painted walls . Once inside, it almost feels like a small building was constructed inside the outer building, with windows housing various devales. The complex also has a stupa and a Bodhi tree.
If the doors to the shrine are locked, a caretaker will open them to let you in. Please make sure you have some bills on hand to donate. Expect to donate a minimum of Rs300 ($1.50 USD) per person.
Embekka Devalaya
This 14th century Hindu temple is known for its splendid wood carvings. King Vikramabahu III built it during the Gampola period. With its wooden pillars and pitched roof, the temple contains 3 rooms, the most impressive of which is Drummer’s Hall. It was built as a shelter for people making a pilgrimage. The entire building is made of wood, including nails that hold the structure together. The carvings on the wood pillars are the most notable elements of the architecture. The entrance fee is Rs 500 ($2.50 USD).
Gadaladeniya Rajamaha Viharaya
Built in the 14th Century, this Buddhist temple and Hindu annex contains a building entirely made of sculpted granite and two brick Shikharas that sit on a massive stone slab. Designed in the Dravidian architectural style, the main building incorporates Polonnaruwa era architectural elements and Indo-Chinese patterns. Inside, the gilded seated Buddha statue is very beautiful.
There is also a secondary shrine known as Vijayothpaya or Vijayantha Prasana. Built in the form of a cross, each section is topped by a Sikhara (dome) and has a small individual chamber housing a Buddha. Their walls exhibit faded remnants of what were once spectacular bright-colored murals. The complex entrance fee is Rs500 ($2.5 USD).
Other Temples
There are a lot of other temples around Kandy, many of which are very memorable. On our ride to Kandy, we stopped at the 2 temples in Matale, about 50 minutes outside of Kandy.
Nalanda Gedige
The Nalanda Gedige is an ancient stone complex near Matale, reminiscent of old Ceylon. It was originally located in what some considered the center of Sri Lanka. Built over 1000 years ago, some historians believe the structure’s design may have been an attempt to fuse Tamil and Sinhalese cultures. Its unique architecture style is an extraordinary blend of Buddhism and Hinduism influences. In addition to this temple, a Buddhist stupa sits next to it. There is no entrance fee to visit this site.
Sri Muthumariamman Temple
Muthumariamman Temple is close to Nalanda Gedige in Matale. Built in 1874, Buddhists and Hindus use this magnificent, ornate temple. Hindu elements however dominate the building. Its striking 108 ft. high Gopuram (decorated tower) at the main entrance is one of the largest in Sri Lanka. It contains 1008 statues of Hindu deities. Over 100 designers, painters and architects helped to create it. We walked around the temple but were not able to go inside.
Kandyan Dance Show
Kandy is Sri Lanka’s cultural center. As a result, you can see shows of “traditional” Kandy dance in 3 different venues. These aren’t just dance shows. They feature acrobats, fire eaters, musicians, and a lot more.
We chose the show at the Kandyan Art Association & Cultural Centre because it was close to our hotel and we were able to conveniently purchase tickets for it. A lot of tourists (of course) filled its large auditorium, but the show was very entertaining and a lot of fun. The dances and costumes were elaborate and colorful. In fact, a couple of the acts, such as the Devil Dance and those using fire, were especially thrilling.
Tickets cost Rs1000 ($5 USD) and shows usually are daily at 5 PM. The venue is next door to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. Because the theater is not air conditioned, be certain to wear light clothes. Arrive a bit early to get a good seat as tour operators tend to block several sections for their own guests.
Ambuluwawa Temple and Tower
A visit to this unique and very cool complex is thrilling and fun. Don’t miss it if you are up for a challenge and a very memorable experience.
Built in 2006, the Ambuluwawa Temple and Tower complex contains a temple, church and mosque on the top of a beautiful mountain in Gampola, Sri Lanka. The site was developed as a Religions Center and Bio-Diversity Complex. Its chief attraction is the 2000-foot, white tower in the main building. The crooked tower looks like it is straight out of a fairytale, perhaps where the wicked witch held Rapunzel captive.
A very narrow staircase winds around the tower to its top. As you climb the staircase, the steps become steeper and narrower. The railings are waist high which is a bit scary. Close to the top, you’ll need to turn sideways to continue your climb because it becomes too narrow to climb straight on. The climb may be an issue for those who are afraid of heights.
The views are breathtaking – – enhanced by the effort and risk to get there. Be warned: it can get crowded with other thrill seekers maneuvering up and down the stairs. Don’t worry. There are larger viewing platforms to catch your breath, take in the view and let people pass.
Next to the main tower is a smaller one that looks like a miniature of the main tower. Because it is less crowded, you can climb to the top to take great photographs of the larger tower. This experience is unforgettable.
Kandy is Worth the Time
Kandy is a must visit in the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka. It is one of the most sacred places for Buddhists. Although at times it can feel crowded and congested, it offers some spectacular and important sites. This is a city of great character with its colonial architecture, unique temples, beautiful gardens and a lovely lake. Make sure you put it on your list.
