Kandy is considered as one of the most mesmerizing cultural and historical cities in Sri Lanka. Surrounded by lush green mountains, it is the capital of hill country. It was the last ancient capital and still remains as the country’s most significant religious center, which gives home to the sacred Temple of Tooth Relic. The city offers numerous wonderful attractions, from UNESCO World Heritage sites, ancient temples, botanical gardens, forest reserves, and many more beautiful places to discover.
After traveling to several countries, we felt Kandy was the most beautiful city we encountered. We decided to call it home and took the decision to build our home in Kandy. We are enjoying life in Kandy very much and already visited many attractions in the city. The best places and top things we enjoyed in Kandy city are listed here. We hope everybody will take pleasure in these lovely places in Kandy city and have a wonderful time.
Access to Kandy
Kandy locates around 100 km from the Capital Colombo and it is reachable by the A1 Colombo-Kandy highway. As well, you can use an express or a normal train from Colombo Fort Station. Here you can find all the best methods to reach Kandy from Colombo.
1. Visit Sacred Temple of Tooth
The Temple of Sacred Tooth Relic or Sri Dalada Maligawa is an important pilgrimage destination and the holiest cultural landmark of Buddhists. It is the home to the sacred relic, the tooth of Lord Buddha. It is one of the 8 UNESCO world heritage sites in Sri Lanka.
The gold casket containing the tooth relic of Lord Buddha is well guarded inside the golden-roofed temple. During the pujas or the time of offering and prayers, devotees, as well as tourists are able to worship and respect the majestic golden casket. The inside of the temple is exceptionally beautiful with ancient paintings and wood carvings.
The temple grounds spread out to many hectares and have several important spots under one head. The temple itself is located inside the ancient royal palace complex, which encompasses several temples, devales, and museums. International Buddhist Museum, Audience hall, meditation grounds, the Rajah Tusker Hall, and many more sights are the reasons for its ingenuity and grandeur.
Certainly, the spiritual power and awesome scenic beauty that surrounds this sacred temple will enchant you. As we mentioned in the Travel tips, remember to wear an appropriate dress that covers your knees and shoulders to visit this sacred place.
2. Stroll around Kandy Lake
Kandy Lake was artificially constructed in 1807 by the last king of Sri Lanka, King Sri Wikrama Rajasinghe. Also called the Milky Ocean or Kiri Muhuda, this gives additional aesthetic value to the beautifully laid out Temple of Tooth complex. This is a protected lake with fishing and swimming banned. Many schools of fish are swimming freely here. The wall around the lake calls the Clouds Wall or Walakulu Bamma, which increases its beauty.
Above all, the lake makes a place for a wonderful stroll, despite its location in the center of a bustling city. The tree-lined pathway around the lake is about 2 km long and ideal for a quiet stroll while enjoying the sceneries along the lake. The best time for a stroll in the evening when the heat isn’t too hot, and this is one of the best things to do in Kandy at night. There is a little island in the middle of the lake with palm trees, but it is not accessible to the public. You can also get boats at the jetty and enjoy a boat ride too.
3. Go to Bahirawakanda Temple
Bahirawakanda Temple perches on top of a hill, 1 km away from Kandy Town. The main attraction of the temple is the gigantic Buddha statue in a meditative position. The impressive 88 feet giant Buddha statue is one of the city’s most notable religious monuments. The statue overlooks the bustling town below and it is particularly enchanting at night when it bathes in illuminated lights.
A tuk-tuk ride will get you to the Bahirawakanda temple from Kandy within a few minutes. If you are walking, it is possible to climb to the top of the hill within an hour but should be aware of rising temperatures at noon. Once you reach the peak, you can get panoramic views of the surrounding area to capture some of the most breathtaking views of Kandy town.
4. Observe the city at Kandy View Point
Kandy Observation Point is the best place to enjoy spectacular panoramic views of the city. Earlier, this place was called Arthur’s Seat and now there is a newly built viewing deck. When it comes to an overall view of Kandy, you will hardly find anywhere better than this viewpoint. It’s a short distance from Kandy Lake and Tuk-tuk ride will take you there within a few minutes.
Sunset and sunrise will provide better colorful images and you will be lucky to capture magnificent shots of the scenic beauty of Kandy town. This is a highly famous tourist destination, and the whole of Kandy city looks amazingly great during the day, as well as during the night with illuminated lights.
5. Visit Peradeniya Botanical Garden
Peradeniya Botanical Garden has located at Peradeniya around 5 km from Kandy city. Take a stroll through the country’s largest garden which is home to 4,000 different species of plants and over 10,000 trees. This beautifully landscaped garden has a total area of 147 acres which is margined on three sides by the Mahaweli River. This is a lovely garden with colorful flower beds, elegant archways, and centuries-old giant trees.
It is famous for its vivid collection of orchids, roses, and the collection of different kinds of Palms and Bamboo. Furthermore, the magnificent Royal palm Avenue is one of the most photogenic spots in Sri Lanka. As well, you can see the Double Coconut Palm known for producing the world’s largest seed.
If you’re feeling tired to walk in this vast area, buggies can be rented to explore the garden for the cost of 15 USD. There is a cafe inside the garden to buy snacks and travelers are able to enjoy a truly memorable leisurely experience here.
6. Watch Elephants at Pinnawala
If you are reaching Kandy from Colombo, Pinnawala elephant sanctuary can be easily accessed on your way by turning from Rambukkana. This is the ideal place to visit for those who love Elephants. This is a place where baby elephants and abandoned elephants are raised. These elephants are given proper care and shelter at the orphanage.
The elephants keep quite well with feeding and bathing, you can see their daily routine at this place. Feeding the baby elephants with a milk bottle can be a fun experience during this trip. In addition, every day at 10.00 am, the herds of elephants walk to the river for their daily bath. You can enjoy watching them having a bath, playing around, and roaming freely in the river.
During your Pinnawala trip, you can enjoy the Pinnawala zoo, which is located only a few hundred meters far from the elephant orphanage. For example, there are several indigenous fauna species living in the Pinnawala zoo. It is home to a couple of majestic leopards, which increase the beauty of the zoo. If you love to see leopards, don’t forget to visit them during your Pinnawala trip.
7. Go to Kitulgala
Kitulgala is a beautiful place in the hill country, which can be reached by approximately 2 hours drive from Kandy. This is the best place for adventure lovers and thrill-seekers. Certainly, white water rafting is the most popular off-the-beaten-track activity in Kitulgala. Furthermore, you can discover hidden waterfalls, swim in the pristine water, and feel the thrills of the water currents of the mighty Kelani River.
Usually, this water rafting trip combines with a few other interesting adrenaline-pumping activities such as jungle trekking, kayaking, and waterfall abseiling. Moreover, this tour offers you an amazing experience by beating the swift currents and also admiring the beauty of the rainforest.
8. Climb Ambuluwawa Tower
Most importantly. the Ambuluwawa tower has become a popular tourist attraction in Kandy. The video posted by Lonely planet showed the nerve-wracking trip of climbing Ambuluwawa tower. It went viral on the internet making Ambuluwawa the most sought-after adventure in Sri Lanka. It is located at Gampola around 15 km from Kandy town. Ambuluwawa Mountain is located 1000 m above sea level and the tower is clearly visible as you travel on the Kandy-Nuwara Eliya road.
The Ambuluwawa tower is rising up to 48 meters from its base. It gives a breathtaking view of the surrounding lower elevated areas. The tower has the form of a Buddhist stupa and becomes narrower with height. This is an ideal place for adventure seekers who are fearless for height.
The main reward for the visitors of Ambuluwawa tower is the amazing view over the paddy fields, tea plantations, vegetable patches, forests, mountain peaks, rivers as well as villages around the Gampola area.
9. Hike Knuckles Mountain Range
Knuckles Mountain range features 34 peaks, ranging between 900 m to 2000 m. Five of these mountain peaks make the formation of a clenched fist which led it to call as Knuckles mountain range. The range is a World Heritage Conservation Area and still relatively kept untouched highly vibrant biodiversity zone.
The range is comprised of grasslands, dry evergreen forests, montane forests, and dry and wet savanna of 34% of Sri Lanka’s endemic vegetation. This is a charming place famous as a camping sight with rugged peaks, meandering roads, cascading streams, and lovely waterfalls for nature-loving hikers.
10. Enjoy Kandyan Dancing
To sum up, watching the traditional Kandyan dance show is one of the crucial experiences to get during your stay in Kandy. Kandyan Dance is world-famous as traditional performance, unique to Sri Lankan culture. This dance was initiated in Kandy and spread beyond the city and Sri Lanka. This is the national dance of Sri Lanka; a lively, elegant, and energetic dance performance. Dancers wear colorful elaborate costumes adorned with rattling anklets, jingling bangles, and funky headgear.
Among the attractions in the show are the dances depicting the majestic walk of the elephant, the colorful performance of the peacock, and the mystical movements of the cobra. There are three main venues to enjoy these nightly cultural shows; Kandy Lake Club, Kandyan Art Association & Cultural Centre, and Kandy YMBA. These dancing shows are pretty crowded with visitors and be sure to arrive at the place quite well ahead the time to secure seats.
Accommodation in Kandy
If you are looking for accommodation in Kandy, there are some best hotels in the city with epic scenic beauty. You can easily find a great place from this list.
Here you can see the top hotels to stay in Kandy city.
In short, Kandy city is the beautiful hill capital in Sri Lanka with amazing natural and manmade attractions. It possesses unique historical splendor, as well as the most spectacular, breathtaking scenic beauty. Therefore, Kandy city is certainly worthy to include in your Sri Lanka travel plan. Happy traveling to Kandy city for you all!
Text by Magnificent Sri Lanka, Images from Wikimedia Commons, Pixabay, and Dreamstime. Copyrights reserved by original authors.
