10 things to do in Kandy, Sri Lanka

10 things to do in Kandy, Sri Lanka

We take a look at the best things to do in Kandy, Sri Lanka's second largest city and cultural capital

History and culture are omnipresent in the lively city of Kandy. Known as Sri Lanka's cultural capital, Kandy resisted the Portuguese and Dutch for three centuries and was the capital of the last Sinhalese kingdom, which ultimately fell to the British in 1815.

The city is wedged between fog-shrouded hills that often leave the sky overcast. However, the breeze usually parts the fog to reveal Sri Lanka's famous second city, known for the grand Kandy Esala Perahera festival.

One of the oldest and grandest of all Buddhist festivals in Sri Lanka, the event takes place over 10 days before the Nikini Poya (full moon) at the end of the month of Esala (equivalent to late July and early August).

During the rest of the year there is still enough to warrant a visit. Here we take a look at the 10 best things to do in Kandy, all within close proximity to the Cinnamon Citadel Hotel.

1. Temple of the Tooth Relic

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If there is one thing you do in Kandy, visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. Located north of Lake Kandy, the temple contains Sri Lanka's most important Buddhist relic: a tooth of the Buddha.

Visitors cannot see the tooth as it is kept in a gold casket shaped like a dagoba. Inside this coffin are a series of six dagoba caskets, each of decreasing size.

The complex is also home to a network of other temples and museums, including the Sri Dalada Museum with its spectacular array of gifts and donations.

Avoid visiting on Poya days or other holidays as the temple is extremely crowded, making it difficult to move around, let alone see the exhibits!

2. Ceylon Tea Museum

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The Ceylon Tea Museum is a must-visit for anyone who is a fan of a cup of coffee. The beautifully restored 1925 factory is located 4 km south of Kandy. There are exhibits about the tea pioneers James Taylor and Thomas Lipton, which stand alongside various tea processing utensils. And of course, at the end of your tour there is a nice cup of tea, included in the 800 LKR (5 USD) entrance fee.

3. Kandy National Museum

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Although the Kandy National Museum suffers from poor layout, dim lighting, and incorrect labeling, the sheer number and variety of artifacts make up for its shortcomings.

There are over 5,000 artifacts in total, consisting of weapons, jewelry, tools and other items from the Kandyan era (17th-19th centuries) and the post-British colonial period. Particularly interesting is the copy of the 1815 agreement that handed over the provinces of Kandy to British rule.

4. Udawattakele Sanctuary

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North of the lake and the Temple of the Tooth is the Udawattakele Sanctuary, a dense forest famous for its twisting trees, bird watching and hordes of swinging monkeys.

About 80 species of birds have been recorded in the sanctuary, some of which are endemic to Sri Lanka. The park also offers panoramic views of Kandy, the lake and the Temple of the Tooth.

5. Walk at Lake Kandy

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Sri Wickrama Rajasinha, the last ruler of the Kandy Kingdom, created this artificial lake in 1807. Today, almost all of Kandy's major landmarks can be seen from the shore.

It's worth taking a few hours to hike the 3.5km trail along the lakeshore. There are numerous places where you can stop, sit and watch the city go by.

6. Bahiravokanda Vihara Buddha Statue

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The giant whitewashed statue of Bahiravokanda Vihara Buddha is one of Kandy's most notable religious monuments. The 26 m high statue is located on a hill and can be seen from almost anywhere in the city.

Bahiravokanda translates to “Hill of the Devil,” so don’t be surprised by the challenging climb!

7. International Buddhist Museum

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For those who want to know a bit more about the world's fourth largest religion, the International Buddhist Museum does a good job of making sense of it all. It contains hundreds of photographs, models and displays illustrating Buddhism around the world.

Note that the museum is located in the Temple of the Sacred Tooth and is only accessible through the temple.

8. British Garrison and Kandyan War Cemeteries

The British Garrison Cemetery, just a short walk uphill behind the National Museum, was for British nationals who died during British rule in Sri Lanka. The cemetery contains 195 graves of men, women and children. Unfortunately, it is unusual to see a grave for someone over 40. The most common causes of death were tropical diseases such as malaria and cholera.

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About 5 km outside the city, on the banks of the Mahaweli Ganga River, is the Kandy War Cemetery, a British military cemetery for soldiers who died in the First and Second World Wars. There are 203 people buried, including 107 British, 35 East Africans, 26 Sri Lankans, 23 Indians, six Canadians, three Italians, one French and two unidentified people.

9. Mahaweli Ganga Boat Trip

We took a leisurely boat ride along the Mahaweli Ganga. Sri Lanka's longest river rises in the mountains and hills around Kandy and flows into the Bay of Bengal near Trincomalee in the northeast of the country.

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The river offers excellent bird watching opportunities as well as spotting water monitor lizards and other amphibians and reptiles slipping in and out of the water. Organize a trip through the Cinnamon Citadel Hotel.

10. Royal Botanical Garden in Peradeniya

This beautiful complex is by far the largest and most impressive botanical garden in Sri Lanka and was once reserved exclusively for the kings of Kandy. Today everyone is allowed in.

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The giant Javanese fig tree on the large lawn steals the show, but the gardens are also known for their beautiful orchid collection, with more than 4,000 species of plants.

The gardens are located in Peradeniya, approximately 6 km from the city center. Bus 644 (LKR 15) runs from the Kandy Clock Tower bus stop to the gardens and takes approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can organize a transfer through your hotel.

Things to do in Kandy: The essentials

What: Top 10 Things to Do in Kandy, Sri Lanka.

Where: We stayed at the Cinnamon Citadel Hotel on the banks of the Mahaweli Ganga river. High in the hills next to a quiet bend in the river, the Cinnamon Citadel offers welcome respite after a day in the bustling center of Kandy, 15 minutes away.

We spent our evenings lounging by the pool or taking in the view from our spacious balcony: a gentle river set against lush hills shrouded in varying degrees of fog. Here, amid minimalist interiors dotted with bold reds and traditional Kandyan art, you are acutely aware that you are in Sri Lanka, the land of epic stories and ancient kings.

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Atlas & Boots

The grounds themselves are very beautiful. Tranquil gardens surround the outdoor pool, which is overlooked by the hotel's two restaurants. Panorama serves an international menu (but the delicious Sri Lankan buffet is hard to resist), while Café C offers romantic à la carte dining. The rooms are spacious, stylish and comfortable. Highly recommended.

When: The weather in Sri Lanka is a bit complicated as there are two separate monsoon seasons that affect different parts of the country. Jan-April and mid-July-Sept offer the best odds for good weather nationwide.

How: Kandy is well connected and one of the easiest destinations to reach in Sri Lanka. The city is 3.5 hours drive from Colombo or 3 hours drive from the international airport. Many visitors choose to go straight from the airport to Kandy, ending up on their way to Colombo.

There are several train connections from Colombo to Kandy (see timetable here) which take between 2.5 and 4 hours depending on the connection. The prices are as follows.

1. Klasse: 340 LKR (2,5 USD) 2. Klasse: 190 LKR (1,5 USD) 3. Klasse: 105 LKR (0,75 USD)

There are train services to Anuradhapura and Jaffna in the north, Trincomalee and Batticaloa in the east, as well as connections to other hill country towns such as Ella and Badulla.

There are also several bus services from Colombo and other major destinations, but the train is a far more pleasant experience. We found bus travel in Sri Lanka quite stressful, so you may want to take a transfer instead. Your hotel can arrange this, but it's always worth negotiating a discount as these are usually excessive (e.g. if it says LKR 15,000, ask for 11,000).

Many tourists choose to hire a driver for the entire trip. This costs approximately $45 per day (including days you don't use the driver). We used Ajaa (+94 777 284 178) and Sisi (+94 777 203 083) for shorter transfers and found them friendly and reliable.

Most international flights land at Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB). Book via Skyscanner for the best prices.

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Lonely Planet Sri Lanka is a comprehensive travel guide to Sri Lanka, ideal for those who want to both explore the top attractions and take the road less traveled.

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