--- title: "Top 10 Things To Do in Kandy, Sri Lanka | Wimup" description: "Kandy on Wimup: the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, the Peradeniya botanic gardens, the lake loop and the Esala Perahera in August." url: https://wimup.com/city/kandy type: City guide updated: 2026-09-05 publisher: Wimup (https://wimup.com) --- # Top 10 Things To Do in Kandy Kandy, Sri Lanka · Asia · By Wimup Editorial, 13 min read Kandy was the last capital of the Sinhalese kings, held out against the Portuguese and the Dutch, and still keeps the Buddha's tooth relic in a temple beside its lake. It sits at about 500 metres, which makes it several degrees cooler than the coast. ## Quick answer Start at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and time it for one of the three daily pujas, when the doors of the relic chamber open. Walk the lake afterwards, then give the afternoon to the botanic gardens at Peradeniya. Day two belongs west of the city: the fourteenth-century temples at Gadaladeniya, Lankatilaka and Embekka, then a working tea factory on the way back. ## Quick facts - **Best months:** January to April, plus August for the Perahera - **Ideal length:** 2 to 3 days - **Budget per day:** $40-90 - **Language:** Sinhala and Tamil, English widely spoken - **Getting around:** On foot around the lake, tuk-tuks beyond it - **Tourism board:** [Official site](https://www.srilanka.travel/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ## The 10 best things to do in Kandy ### 1. Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic Temple · Sri Dalada Veediya, Kandy The Buddha's tooth relic sits in a gold casket behind the inner shrine, and the doors open for three pujas a day, at 5.30am, 9.30am and 6.30pm. Come for one of those. Between them you are looking at a closed chamber and a queue, with the drums silent. - **Time:** 1 to 2 hrs - **Cost:** Foreigner ticket at the gate - **Best at:** 9.30am puja - **Tip:** Shoulders and knees covered, shoes off Links: [Website](https://sridaladamaligawa.lk/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 2. Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya Gardens · Peradeniya, 6 km west of the city Sixty hectares inside a loop of the Mahaweli, with more than 4,000 plant species, an avenue of royal palms and a Javan fig whose canopy covers most of a lawn. Open 7.30am to 6pm daily, and the orchid house is the one indoor stop worth the detour. - **Time:** 2 to 3 hrs - **Cost:** LKR 3,540 foreign adult - **Best at:** Opening, 7.30am - **Tip:** Twenty minutes by tuk-tuk from town Links: [Website](https://botanicgardens.gov.lk/service/royal-botanic-gardens-peradeniya/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 3. Kandy Lake Landmark · Sangaraja Mawatha, around the lake Sri Wickrama Rajasinha had the lake dug in 1807, eight years before the kingdom ended, and the walk around it still frames the temple, the old royal quarter and the ridge behind. Fishing is banned, so pelicans, cormorants and water monitors have the water to themselves. - **Time:** 45 min - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Late afternoon - **Tip:** Start at the temple and go anticlockwise ### 4. Kandyan dance at the Kandyan Cultural Centre Performance · Sangaraja Mawatha, by the lake An hour of Kandyan drumming, ves dancers in their silver headdresses, and a fire-walking finale in the courtyard. The show starts at 5pm daily, tickets are sold at the door, and the hall fills well before it begins. - **Time:** 1 hr - **Cost:** LKR 2,000 - **Best at:** 5pm daily - **Tip:** Arrive by 4.30pm for a front row ### 5. Udawattakele Forest Reserve Nature · Udawattekele, on the ridge above the temple 104 hectares of forest directly behind the temple, a royal pleasure garden long before it was a reserve. Paths climb past the old Royal Pond and the Senkanda cave through macaques, giant squirrels and a great deal of birdsong. - **Time:** 1 to 2 hrs - **Cost:** LKR 660 adult - **Best at:** Early morning - **Tip:** Open 7am to 6pm; go in company ### 6. Embekka Devalaya Temple · Embekka, Udunuwara, 13 km southwest The drummers' hall here carries the finest wood carving in the country: swans, wrestlers, a double-headed eagle, and no two pillars alike. It was built under Vikramabahu III in the second half of the fourteenth century and the timber is the original. - **Time:** 45 min - **Cost:** LKR 300 - **Best at:** Morning - **Tip:** Walk on to Lankatilaka, about 3 km ### 7. Lankatilaka Vihara Temple · Rabbegamuwa, Udunuwara, 12 km west A fourteenth-century image house planted on the Panhalgala rock, reached by steps cut into it, with the Hantana range across the valley. The scale is the surprise: brick walls several storeys tall on a hilltop most visitors drive straight past. - **Time:** 45 min - **Cost:** Ticket at the gate - **Best at:** Late afternoon - **Tip:** Do it with Gadaladeniya and Embekka ### 8. Bahirawakanda Vihara Buddha statue Viewpoint · Bahirawakanda, above the city centre A white seated Buddha on the hill above town, floodlit after dark and visible from most of the city. The reason to climb is the platform at its feet, which lays out the lake, the temple and the ridge line in a single frame. - **Time:** 45 min - **Cost:** Ticket at the gate - **Best at:** Sunset - **Tip:** Tuk-tuk up, walk back down ### 9. Ceylon Tea Museum Museum · Hantana Road, 4 km south The 1925 Hantane factory, restored with its rollers and driers in place, runs the story from James Taylor's first planting to the auction floor. The top floor is a tea room looking out over the estate the building was built to serve. - **Time:** 1 to 2 hrs - **Cost:** LKR 800 adult - **Best at:** Weekday morning - **Tip:** Closed Mondays ### 10. Kandy Central Market Market · Station Road, Kandy Two floors of fruit, spice, dried fish and cut flowers behind the clock tower, busiest before nine in the morning. It is where the guesthouse kitchens buy, and the stalls upstairs sell cinnamon quills and pepper by weight. - **Time:** 45 min - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Before 9am - **Tip:** Agree the price before it is bagged ## Best temples & shrines in Kandy The precinct shrines beside the tooth temple, and the fourteenth-century stonework west of the city. 1. **Gadaladeniya Vihara** (14th century · 12.5 km west · Pilimathalawa): Stone-built in 1344, with South Indian lines the wooden temples nearby do not have. 2. **Natha Devale** (14th century · Free · Temple precinct): The oldest surviving building in the precinct, and the shrine where kings took their name. 3. **Vishnu Devale** (Shrine · Free · Temple precinct): One of the four devales whose own processions join the Esala Perahera each August. 4. **Degaldoruwa Raja Maha Viharaya** (18th century · Ticket · Amunugama): A cave temple 6 km east, painted with Kandyan-era murals straight onto the rock. 5. **Malwatte Maha Viharaya** (Monastery · Free · Lakeside): One of the two chapter houses of the Siyam Nikaya, on the south shore of the lake. 6. **Asgiriya Maha Viharaya** (Monastery · Free · Asgiriya): The other chapter house, uphill from the centre, with a large reclining Buddha. ## Best gardens & nature in Kandy Where the city runs out and the tea slopes, the ridge walks and the reservoir take over. 1. **Hantana Mountain Range** (Hiking · 5 km south · Hantana): Tea slopes and a ridge walk that starts where the museum road ends. 2. **Wace Park** (Park · Free · Rajapihilla Mawatha): A terrace garden above the lake with the clearest town view you can walk to. 3. **Kandy View Point** (Viewpoint · Free · Rajapihilla Mawatha): The pull-in on Rajapihilla Mawatha, and the postcard shot of the lake. 4. **Knuckles Conservation Forest** (Reserve · Ticket · Matale district): Cloud forest and rice terraces 30 km northeast. Permits are issued at the entrance. 5. **Victoria Reservoir** (Reservoir · 20 km east · Digana): The Mahaweli backed up behind a dam finished in 1985, with a road along the rim. ## Best restaurants in Kandy Rice and curry, kottu at speed, and the two balconies worth booking for the view. 1. **The Empire Cafe** (Sri Lankan · $$ · Temple Street): A colonial house by the temple, strongest at breakfast and on rice and curry. 2. **Slightly Chilled Lounge Bar** (Asian · $$ · Above the lake): A balcony over the lake, and the best-known place in town for a beer. 3. **Balaji Dosai** (South Indian · $ · City centre): South Indian vegetarian, dosai straight off the griddle, a queue at lunch. 4. **Kandyan Muslim Hotel** (Sri Lankan · $ · Colombo Street): Kottu and biryani at speed, cheap, and full from mid-morning. 5. **Devon Restaurant** (Bakery · $ · Dalada Veediya): Bakery downstairs, buffet upstairs. Short eats to take on the train. 6. **Natural Coffee** (Cafe · $$ · City centre): Ceylon coffee roasted in-house, and the reliable stop for a long sit. 7. **Cafe Secret Alley** (Cafe · $$ · Off Kotugodella Veediya): Down a lane off the main road, with a garden and a long breakfast list. ## Best tea estates in Kandy Kandy is where Ceylon tea started, and three working factories sit within half an hour. 1. **Geragama Tea Factory** (Factory tour · 12 km west · Pilimathalawa): A working factory on the Colombo road, walked through from leaf to grading. 2. **Embilmeegama Tea Factory** (Factory tour · 17 km west · Kadugannawa): Smaller and quieter, on the climb towards Kadugannawa. 3. **Loolecondera Estate** (Estate · 30 km southeast · Deltota): Where James Taylor planted the island's first tea in 1867. Rough road, real pilgrimage. 4. **Hantana tea estate walk** (Walk · Free · Hantana): The estate paths behind the tea museum, best walked before the afternoon cloud. ## Best culture & crafts in Kandy Kandyan brass, lacquer and reed work, and the museums that hold the kingdom's regalia. 1. **Kandy National Museum** (Museum · Ticket · Temple precinct): The old royal palace quarters, now regalia, weapons and Kandyan household work. 2. **Sri Dalada Museum** (Museum · Included · Temple precinct): Upstairs in the temple itself, and covered by the temple ticket. 3. **Kandyan Art Association** (Crafts · Free entry · Sangaraja Mawatha): Brass, lacquer and reed work sold where it is made, with an evening dance show. 4. **Kandy Garrison Cemetery** (Cemetery · Donation · Above the temple): British graves on the slope behind the temple, opened in 1817 and closed in 1873. 5. **Nattarampotha craft village** (Crafts · Free · Kundasale): A state craft village east of town: wood, brass and weaving under one roof. ## Best neighborhoods in Kandy The lake for the first visit, the river suburbs for a quieter second one. 1. **Dalada Veediya and the lake** (Central · Kandy town): The centre: temple, museums, market, and most of the guesthouse traffic. 2. **Lewella** (Residential · East): The quiet riverside end of the lake, ten minutes out and much calmer. 3. **Peradeniya** (University · West): University town around the gardens, with student cafes and the campus arboretum. 4. **Katugastota** (Riverside · North): The Mahaweli crossing north of town, and the start of the Matale road. 5. **Ampitiya** (Hillside · Southeast): A hill suburb above the lake, with the view back over the town from its lanes. ## Best day trips in Kandy The Cultural Triangle is two hours north, the tea country two and a half hours south. 1. **Dambulla Cave Temple** (UNESCO · 2 hrs each way · Matale district): Five caves of painted rock and more than 150 Buddha images, 72 km north. 2. **Sigiriya** (UNESCO · 2.5 hrs each way · Matale district): The rock citadel and its fifth-century frescoes, 90 km north. Climb before nine. 3. **Nuwara Eliya** (Hill station · 2.5 hrs · Central highlands): Tea country at about 1,900 m, two and a half hours south by road or by hill train. 4. **Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage** (Wildlife · 1 hr · Kegalle district): The state-run herd 40 km west, busiest when it walks down to the river. 5. **Ambuluwawa Tower** (Viewpoint · 1 hr · Gampola): A spiral tower on a peak above Gampola, 25 km south. Not one for vertigo. 6. **Ella by train** (Rail · Overnight · Uva): The hill line's finest stretch. Six to seven hours to Ella, so stay the night. ## Festivals & annual events in Kandy (2026) - **Thai Pongal** (Mid January): The Tamil harvest festival. Rice boiled over in the open at sunrise, and a public holiday island-wide. - **Independence Day** (4 February): Parades and school displays. Government offices and many shops close for the day. - **Sinhala and Tamil New Year** (13 to 14 April): The biggest domestic travel week of the year. Buses fill, and much of Kandy shuts for several days. - **Vesak Poya** (May): Lanterns across the city, free food at roadside dansal, and the temple busy through the night. - **Poson Poya** (June): Marks Buddhism's arrival on the island. Pilgrims head for Mihintale, and Kandy's temples stay open late. - **Kandy Esala Perahera** (August): Ten nights of caparisoned elephants, drummers and fire dancers. In 2026 it runs 18 to 28 August. - **Deepavali** (October or November): The Tamil festival of lights, marked in the temples and along the shop streets of the centre. - **Unduvap Poya** (December): Remembers Sanghamitta bringing the Bo sapling to the island. A quiet, well-attended temple day. ## Must-try dishes in Kandy, Sri Lanka - **Rice and curry**: A plate of rice ringed by five or six curries, one of them fiery. - **Kottu roti**: Chopped godamba roti, egg and vegetables, announced by the noise of the blades. - **Hoppers**: Bowl-shaped rice-flour pancakes, crisp at the rim, with an egg in the middle. - **String hoppers**: Steamed rice-noodle nests, eaten at breakfast with dhal and coconut sambol. - **Pol sambol**: Grated coconut pounded with chilli, lime and Maldive fish. On every table. - **Lamprais**: Rice, curries and a frikkadel meatball baked and served in a banana leaf. - **Curd and treacle**: Buffalo curd in a clay pot under kithul palm treacle. The standard dessert. - **Watalappan**: A steamed coconut and jaggery custard, spiced with cardamom and clove. ## Kandy transport & airports - **Bandaranaike International** (CMB): Sri Lanka's main gateway, about 115 km northwest by road. Three to four hours by car depending on the expressway traffic. [Website](https://www.airport.lk/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - **Rail** (Rail): Kandy station sits 120 km from Colombo Fort, about two and a half to three hours on the intercity. The Badulla line south of here is the scenic one. [Website](https://www.railway.gov.lk/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - **Intercity buses** (Bus): The Goods Shed terminal opposite the station runs state and private services to Colombo, Nuwara Eliya, Dambulla and the east. - **Tuk-tuks and taxis** (Tuk-tuk): Tuk-tuks cover everything inside the city and most of the temple loop. Book through an app for a metered fare rather than negotiating. [Website](https://pickme.lk/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ## Kandy at a glance - **Country:** Sri Lanka - **Region:** Kandy District, Central Province - **Population:** About 112,000 in the municipal area (2012 census), 1.46 million across Kandy District (2024) - **Founded:** Senkadagalapura in the 14th century, royal capital from 1592 until 1815 - **Nickname:** Senkadagala, and the hill capital - **Language:** Sinhala and Tamil, English widely spoken - **Currency:** Sri Lankan rupee (LKR) - **Time zone:** UTC+5:30, no daylight saving - **Calling code:** +94, area code 081 - **Airports:** Bandaranaike International (CMB), 115 km northwest by road - **Power:** 230V 50Hz, type D, G and M sockets - **Emergency:** 119 police, 110 fire, 1990 ambulance ## Interesting facts - Kandy held off the Portuguese and the Dutch for three centuries and fell to the British only in 1815. - UNESCO inscribed the Sacred City of Kandy in 1988, the fifth World Heritage site on the island. - The lake was dug in 1807 for Sri Wickrama Rajasinha, the last king the kingdom ever had. - Sri Lanka's first tea was planted in 1867 at Loolecondera, about 30 km southeast of the city. - The Peradeniya gardens were a royal pleasure ground before they were laid out for botany in 1821. ## Kandy travel FAQ ### How many days do you need in Kandy? Two full days. One for the temple, the lake and the botanic gardens at Peradeniya, and a second for the fourteenth-century temples west of the city and a tea factory on the way back. A third day buys Sigiriya and Dambulla. ### When is the Kandy Esala Perahera? It falls in the Esala full-moon period, usually late July or August, and runs for ten nights. In 2026 the Kumbal Perahera runs 18 to 22 August, the Randoli Perahera 23 to 26 August, and the water-cutting ceremony closes it on 27 August. ### What should you wear at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic? Shoulders and knees covered, and shoes and hats off before the entrance. Shorts and sleeveless tops are turned away at the gate. Shoe minding costs a few rupees, and white is the colour local pilgrims wear. ### Is the train from Colombo to Kandy worth taking? Yes, for the last hour through the Kadugannawa pass. The intercity covers the 120 km in about two and a half to three hours, which is no slower than the road, and reserved seats sell out days ahead in season. ### Do you need a visa for Sri Lanka? Most travellers need an ETA approved before departure. Apply on the government portal rather than through a reseller, since fees and exemptions have changed repeatedly in recent years. ## Nearby guides - [Anuradhapura](https://wimup.com/city/anuradhapura.md): Day trip · 10 picks - [Galle](https://wimup.com/city/galle.md): Sri Lanka · 10 picks - [Trincomalee](https://wimup.com/city/trincomalee.md): Sri Lanka · 10 picks - [All of Asia →](https://wimup.com/asia): 109 cities Part of the [Sri Lanka guide](https://wimup.com/country/sri-lanka.md) · [Asia](https://wimup.com/asia.md) ## Sources - [Kandy tourism board](https://www.srilanka.travel/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (official site)](https://sridaladamaligawa.lk/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya (official site)](https://botanicgardens.gov.lk/service/royal-botanic-gardens-peradeniya/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Bandaranaike International (official site)](https://www.airport.lk/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Rail (official site)](https://www.railway.gov.lk/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Tuk-tuks and taxis (official site)](https://pickme.lk/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - Rankings are Wimup editorial picks. Prices, durations and budgets are editorial estimates, not live quotes; check the official site before you go.