Kandy Travel Guide: 9 Best Things to Do and Travel Tips

9 Best things to do in Kandy

1) Visit the Temple of the Tooth

You can’t visit Kandy without seeing the magnificent Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa).

Easily one of the best places to visit in Kandy, it houses what’s believed to be the Buddha’s left canine tooth. Historically, whoever possessed the relic was said to have the right to rule Sri Lanka.

You don’t actually see the tooth. It’s kept inside a series of nested golden caskets in the inner shrine.

But for us, the real fascination was everything happening around it.

White-clad worshippers streamed through the temple carrying lotus flowers. Some meditated quietly in corners, while others found a spot on the marble floor to sit amid the fragrance of incense and flowers.

And then there are the enormous elephant tusks flanking the shrine room, the drumming during the daily puja ceremonies, and the richly decorated New Palace with its Buddha statues and paintings.

Built in 1992, the gleaming white Buddha stands more than 88 feet high beside the Sri Maha Bodhi Viharaya Buddhist monastery. It’s one of Kandy’s most recognizable landmarks.

Located in the neighboring town of Peradeniya, the gardens are just a short drive from central Kandy – and they feel a world away from the traffic and tuk-tuks.

Dating back centuries, the gardens at one time could only be visited by Kandyan royalty.

Palms, orchids and 4,000 plant species

There’s a lot to see!

The gardens are home to some 4,000 plant species and more than 10,000 trees.

We wandered along grand avenues framed by towering palms, poked our noses into the orchid house and stopped to admire the weird cannonball tree, with its huge round fruits dangling from the trunk.

Monkeys and flying foxes

Some of our favorite garden residents weren’t plants at all.

Cute macaque monkeys entertained us with their antics, somersaulting across the lawns and swinging from tree branches.

We were engrossed watching how they worked together to get food. One mother, with her baby clinging to her chest, sat beneath a tree while another monkey high in the branches picked fruit and tossed it down to her.

4) Pay your respects at the Kandy War Cemetery

Immaculately maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the Kandy War Cemetery is the final resting place of almost 200 servicemen and women, most of whom died during WWII.

Kandy played an important role during the war. From 1944, it was headquarters of the Allies’ South East Asia Command, led by Lord Mountbatten.

There are 198 identified war graves in the cemetery, including one from WWI.

Wandering around the peaceful flower-filled grounds, we found it quite moving to read the headstones of so many who died young – many only in their early 20s.

Most are British. But there are also East African, Sri Lankan, Italian, Indian and French tombstones. We spotted several Canadian gravestones too.

5) Tour the Geragama Tea Factory

Tea and Sri Lanka go hand-in-hand – the country is one of the world’s biggest tea producers.

Interestingly, though, it was coffee, not tea, that first flourished here.

In the early- to mid-1800s, Ceylon coffee was hailed as the best in the world. But the coffee industry came to a grinding halt when a leaf disease known as “coffee rust” wiped out the coffee plantations.

And so tea plants were introduced – and the rest, as they say, is history!

Located just outside Kandy, the Geragama Tea Factory (also known as the New Giragama Tea Factory) is one of Sri Lanka’s oldest tea factories.

On our tour, we learned how tea leaves are hand-plucked, watched them being cleaned and processed and, of course, tasted several different teas.

We were particularly intrigued by white tea. Made from the youngest buds and minimally processed, it’s considered the crème de la crème of teas and is prized for its delicate flavor and high levels of antioxidants.

Our Geragama tea tour felt a little rushed, however. Perhaps that was because we squeezed it in at the end of our first day in Kandy.

We also enjoyed a much longer and more in-depth tea plantation tour later in Ella, higher in the hills and smack-dab in the heart of Sri Lanka’s tea country.

So if you’re heading to Ella or Nuwara Eliya, we’d probably save your tea touring for there. But if Kandy is your only chance to peek inside a working tea factory, Geragama is well worth a visit.

6) Stroll around Kandy Lake

Built in 1807 by Sri Lanka’s last king, Kandy Lake (also known as Bogambara Lake) is a surprisingly peaceful spot in the heart of busy Kandy.

A shady path loops around the water, with quacking ducks, waterbirds and the occasional monkey for company. Sunset is an especially lovely time for a stroll.

The little island in the middle has a more intriguing past. It’s said to have been used by the king’s harem for bathing and to have been connected to the royal palace by a secret tunnel.

Allow about an hour to walk the full loop – or simply wander partway around and enjoy the views.

7) Watch a Kandyan dance performance

For a colorful dose of Sri Lankan culture, catch a traditional Kandyan dance show.

These lively performances are a feast for the senses – pounding drums, swirling costumes, gravity-defying leaps and plenty of twirling. Dancers mimic peacocks, cobras and elephants, while acrobats spin plates and pull off some impressive stunts.

There’s real history behind all that twirling and drumming. Some Kandyan dances date back centuries to ancient healing rituals performed by shamans.

And, yes, today’s shows are geared to visitors. But they still offer a fascinating taste of an authentic centuries-old art form.

A few venues around Kandy stage shows in the late afternoon and early evening. One of the best known is the Kandy Lake Club – where the hour-long cultural performance packs in a dozen or so traditional dances, along with drumming and fire.

8) Take a hike in the Udawattakele Forest Reserve

Spreading out on a hill behind the Temple of the Tooth, the 250-acre Udawattakele Forest Reserve is another welcome escape from Kandy’s traffic and bustle.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to explore it. But we understand that several walking trails wind through this lush tangle of tropical forest.

Once the private pleasure garden for the Kandyan kings, it’s a wildlife sanctuary today, so keep an eye out for monkeys, barking deer, turtles and plenty of birds. You might even spot a snake!

Budget about two hours to the main trails.

One little warning: If it’s been raining, watch out for leeches. They apparently love the forest as much as hikers do.

9) Browse the Kandy Central Market

For a taste of everyday Kandy life, duck into the bustling Kandy Central Market in the heart of town.

The two-story market is stuffed with stalls piled high with tropical fruit and vegetables, spices, rice, dried fish and other local staples. You’ll also find tea, clothing and a smattering of souvenirs.

It’s not a Kandy must-see. But if you’re nearby, it’s a fun place to wander for 30 minutes or so, snap some colorful photos and see where Kandyan locals actually shop.

How many days do you need in Kandy?

You can see Kandy’s main sights in one full busy day. But if your trip allows, we recommend spending two full days in Kandy.

That gives you enough time to visit the temples, gardens and other highlights without racing from one attraction to the next.

How to get around Kandy

Tuk-tuks are hands-down the best way of getting around Kandy.

For longer trips outside the city – like the Royal Botanic Gardens – you can also use a taxi or private driver.

Where to stay in Kandy?

We were a little disappointed with our Kandy B&B. Here are a couple of top-rated places we would have preferred:

Best time to visit Kandy

The peak season in Kandy runs from December to March, when the weather is generally drier and cooler, with temperatures hovering around 72 F to 86 F (22 C to 30 C). This is considered the best time to visit.

August is another popular month, thanks to the spectacular Festival of the Tooth (Kandy Esala Perahera).

If you can, avoid October and November. This is when the Maha monsoon brings some of Kandy’s heaviest rainfall, making it the wettest – and generally least appealing – time to go.

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Photo credits: Hotel photos courtesy of the respective hotels

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