Kandy

Nestled amidst verdant hills, interspersed by the Mahaweli River and the beautiful Kandy Lake as a centre piece, Kandy is certainly the most picturesque city in the island and most visited. The last seat of Sinhalese kings who ceded power to the British in 1815 after many battle with the western colonial forces. Kandy is also known to most Sri Lankans as Maha Nuwara, “The Great City.” And great it is. The sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha is housed here in its own temple, and is paraded around the city in one of Asia’s most celebrated festivals, the Kandy Perahera, held during July-August.

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The monasteries of Sri Lanka’s two leading Buddhist sects have long been established in the city. Kandy still retains much of its old world charm and Traditions of Sinhalese music & dance, such as Kandyan dancing..many arts & crafts and the typical Sri Lankan way of life are kept alive in Kandy. Little wonder, then, that Kandy was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988.

Don't Miss

A pooja at the Temple of the Tooth
Kandyan dancing and drumbeats
A stroll around Kandy Lake
The Kandy Perehara, one of the finest cultural festivals in Asia
Roses and orchids in Peradeniya’s Botanical Gardens
Golf or other outdoor activities at Victoria’s scenic Golf & Country Club
Elephants bathing in the river in the Pinnewala elephant orphanage
Trekking in the magnificent Knuckles mountain range