Sri Lanka’s second-largest city and the last royal capital of the ancient Sinhalese kingdoms, Kandy sits amid lush hills at a pleasantly cool elevation. Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988, it remains the spiritual and cultural heart of the island.
Its centrepiece is the golden-roofed Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, one of Buddhism’s holiest shrines, set within a royal palace complex encircling the tranquil, artificial Kandy Lake. Just outside town, the Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens showcase over 4,000 plant species, while nearby tea estates like Giragama offer an insight into Ceylon tea production. Visit in July or August and you may catch the spectacular Esala Perahera procession, when the tooth relic is paraded through the streets accompanied by dozens of ceremonially dressed elephants.
- Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
- A peaceful stroll around Kandy Lake
- Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens
- Giragama Tea Plantation and factory tours
- The annual Esala Perahera festival (July/August)