Kandy
Sri Lanka's last royal capital, a sacred lakeside city in the hills that holds the country's most revered Buddhist relic and its living Kandyan traditions.
Sri Lanka's Cultural Heart.
Kandy remained an independent kingdom until 1815, longer than anywhere else on the island, and its identity as the country's spiritual and cultural capital endures today. At its centre is the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, said to house a tooth of the Buddha, drawing pilgrims and visitors to its evening rituals within the temple complex beside Kandy Lake.
Beyond the temple, Kandy is a gateway to the Central Highlands — the start of the scenic hill-country railway, a convenient base for the Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya, and usually a natural stop between the Cultural Triangle and the tea country further south.
Plan Your Visit
What to Experience
Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
An evening visit to witness the ritual offerings at Sri Lanka's most important Buddhist shrine.
Kandyan Cultural Dance
A traditional performance of drumming, fire-walking and classical Kandyan dance forms.
Royal Botanical Gardens
60 hectares of orchid houses, giant bamboo and avenues of palms at nearby Peradeniya.
Kandy in Pictures
Build a Journey Around Kandy.
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