Tip
Kandy in brief: Sri Lanka's second city and the cultural capital of the island. Sits at 500 m elevation in the Central Province, 115 km from Colombo. Home to the Temple of the Tooth Relic - the most sacred Buddhist site in Sri Lanka and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Allow 2–3 nights. Starting point for the Kandy to Ella scenic train, and within day-trip range of Sigiriya and Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. Fits naturally into a 7-day itinerary or 10-day route.
Kandy is where Sri Lanka's cultural identity is most concentrated. It was the last kingdom to fall to British colonial rule - only in 1815 - and it never quite let go of that independence. The city sits in a natural bowl of forested hills surrounding a lake, with the cream-and-burgundy roofline of the Temple of the Tooth rising at the water's edge. It has a weight to it that Colombo, with its restaurants and rooftop bars, doesn't - a sense that this is a place where things genuinely matter.
Most visitors spend two nights, see the temple, walk the lake, take the train onward to Ella, and leave satisfied. Some stay longer, drawn into the day trips, the botanical gardens, the cooking classes, and the slow rhythm of a hill city where the evening cools noticeably and the nights smell of frangipani.
This guide covers how to do Kandy well.
Practical Information
Getting There
From Colombo (115 km): The most popular option is the train from Colombo Fort station. The intercity express (trains 1005/1006) takes about 2.5 hours and is comfortable and reliable. Departs Colombo Fort multiple times daily; best seats are in 2nd class reserved (book ahead). The journey climbs gradually into the hills - the last 40 minutes are scenic.
By car or taxi the journey takes 2.5–3.5 hours depending on traffic (the Colombo–Kandy road can back up significantly, especially on weekends). The expressway to Kadawatha then A1 is faster than the direct A1 through Kegalle.
From Sigiriya (90 km): About 2.5 hours by car. Many travellers do Sigiriya first, then Kandy as a half-day stop before taking the evening train to Ella. See the 10-day route for how this circuit works.
From Ella (140 km by road, 6–7 hours by train): Most travellers do this route in reverse - Kandy to Ella by train - because the train travels downhill and east, which many guides say gives better left-side views. Either direction works, but Kandy→Ella is the most common direction.
Getting Around Kandy
The city centre is small enough to walk - the lake loop, temple, market, and central bus stand are all within 15 minutes of each other on foot. For day trips you'll need a tuk-tuk (agree fare before) or a hired car with driver. The city's own bus network covers surrounding suburbs but is slow.
Uber operates in Kandy and is often more reliable than negotiating with tuk-tuk drivers for longer distances.
Best Time to Visit
Kandy is pleasant year-round due to its elevation. The hottest months are March–April. The north-east monsoon (October–January) brings some rain to the area, but rarely enough to disrupt sightseeing. The Esala Perahera festival (late July to early August) is the most important annual event - accommodation books out months ahead.
| Month | Weather | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| January–March | Warm, dry | Good time; manageable crowds |
| April | Hottest month | Fine for sightseeing |
| May–June | Some rain | Quieter, green hills |
| July–August | Esala Perahera | Book 3+ months ahead for festival |
| September–October | Mix of rain and sun | Good value, fewer tourists |
| November–December | North-east monsoon | Can be wet but short showers |
The Temple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa)
The Temple of the Tooth Relic is the centrepiece of Kandy and the most sacred Buddhist site in Sri Lanka. It houses a tooth of the Buddha, brought to Sri Lanka from India in the 4th century AD (according to tradition, concealed in a princess's hair). For 16 centuries, whoever held the relic held legitimacy to rule the island - Kandy's kings built their palace complex around it.
Visiting the Temple
Opening hours: 5:30 am – 8:00 pm daily
Entry fee: LKR 1,500 for foreign visitors (includes museum)
Dress code: Shoulders and knees must be covered; sarongs available for rent at the entrance
The tooth itself is kept inside a nested set of seven golden caskets and is rarely displayed - you won't see it directly. What you will see is the chamber containing the innermost casket, visible through glass during puja (devotional ceremonies). The smell of jasmine and incense, the sound of drums and conch shells, and the devotion of worshippers from across the Buddhist world make the puja times the best moments to visit.
Puja times (daily):
- Morning puja: 5:30 am – 7:00 am
- Mid-morning puja: 9:30 am – 11:00 am
- Evening puja: 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Arrive 15 minutes before puja starts. The evening puja is the most atmospheric, with the temple lit by oil lamps and the drums echoing across the lake.
The Museum Complex
The temple complex includes the Royal Palace Museum, the World Buddhist Museum (displaying gifts from Buddhist nations), and the Raja Tusker Museum (housing the preserved body of the late temple elephant Raja). Budget 1.5–2 hours for the full complex.
Kandy Lake
Constructed in 1807 by the last king of Kandy, Sri Vikrama Rajasinha, the lake sits at the centre of the city and provides the most pleasant walking in Kandy. The 3.4 km loop around the lake takes about 45 minutes at a gentle pace.
The south bank (Rajapihilla Mawatha) has the best views back toward the temple and the forested hills beyond. The north bank runs through the town centre, past the market and the main bus stand. The wave wall along the south bank is a good spot to watch the evening light change on the water.
A small island in the lake - originally a bathing pavilion for the king's consorts - is accessible only during the Perahera.
Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya
Six kilometres west of Kandy on the road toward Colombo, Peradeniya Botanical Gardens is one of Asia's finest collections of tropical plants. Established in 1821 on the grounds of a former Kandyan royal garden, it covers 147 acres along a bend in the Mahaweli River.
Highlights:
- The avenue of royal palms (planted 1905) - 100 metres of towering palms in a dead-straight line
- The orchid house - over 300 Sri Lankan species
- The spice garden - cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, cloves all growing together
- The Java fig tree - a single tree that has grown to cover more than 1,600 square metres of ground with aerial roots
- The giant bamboo grove from South America
Entry: LKR 1,500 for foreigners | Hours: 7:30 am – 5:30 pm daily
Allow 2 hours. Go in the morning before tour groups arrive. The gardens are genuinely worth the trip and are easily combined with the drive to or from Colombo.
Kandy City Walk: What to See on Foot
Kandy City Market (Kandy Municipal Market): The covered market near the central bus stand is one of the liveliest in Sri Lanka - fruit, vegetables, spices, dried fish, hardware, and fabric all crammed into a building that operates at full volume from 6 am. Worth 30 minutes for the atmosphere even if you buy nothing.
Bahiravokanda Vihara Buddha Statue: A 27-metre white Buddha statue on a hilltop south-east of the lake, visible from across the city. The views from the base are the reward - Kandy spread out below in every direction. 15-minute walk from the lake; no entry fee.
Kandy Garrison Cemetery: A well-maintained British colonial cemetery near the lake, dating from 1817. Quiet, shaded, and unexpectedly moving - the graves tell the story of a garrison far from home. No formal entry fee.
Arts & Crafts Association of Kandy: On Sangaraja Mawatha, this government-run workshop demonstrates traditional crafts - lacquerwork, woodcarving, batik, brasswork. Worth a visit even if you don't buy; the carvers in the back room are skilled.
Pettah neighbourhood: The older commercial district east of the market has colonial-era shophouses, spice vendors, and an energy that the lake-front tourist zone doesn't. Good for a morning wander.
Day Trips from Kandy
Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage (40 km, 1.5 hours)
The most visited day trip from Kandy. Pinnawala houses around 90 elephants - orphaned calves, injured adults, and elephants rescued from various situations - and visitors can watch the daily river bath (usually 10 am and 2 pm) from the riverbank. Entry LKR 2,500 for foreigners.
The ethics of Pinnawala are genuinely debated. It is not a true wild sanctuary - elephants are chained at night, managed closely, and tourists can ride or feed them (both practices most wildlife conservationists now advise against). Go in, watch the bath from a distance, skip the rides. The baby elephants being bottle-fed at the nursery are genuinely charming.
Sigiriya & Dambulla (90 km, 2.5 hours)
Easily combined as a full-day trip from Kandy with an early departure (leave by 6 am, back by 7 pm). See the full Sigiriya guide for what to expect. Dambulla Cave Temple is 14 km from Sigiriya and a natural addition to the same day.
Ambuluwawa Tower (18 km, 45 min)
A spiral tower built around the peak of a hill at 1,050 m elevation, with 360° views of the surrounding countryside. The tower itself is vertiginous - a 1.5m-wide spiral without handrails - but the views on a clear morning are exceptional. LKR 200 entry. Best visited before 9 am before cloud rolls in.
Knuckles Mountain Range
The Knuckles Conservation Forest (named for its finger-like ridgeline visible from Kandy) offers some of the best hiking in Sri Lanka - through cloud forest, waterfalls, and small villages - but requires planning. The entry village of Rattota is 35 km from Kandy. Day hikes are possible; multi-day treks into the interior require a guide. Entry permit required (LKR 1,100 for foreigners from the DWC office in Kandy).
Matale Spice Gardens (25 km, 45 min)
The highway north from Kandy toward Dambulla passes through Matale district, which grows much of Sri Lanka's spice output. Roadside spice gardens offer free tours (with a sales pitch at the end) demonstrating how cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and pepper are grown and processed. The Ceylon cinnamon guide covers this in depth.
Esala Perahera: Kandy's Great Festival
The Esala Perahera is one of the oldest and grandest Buddhist pageants in the world, held annually over 10 nights in late July and early August (exact dates follow the lunar calendar). The climax is the Randoli Perahera: a procession of over 100 decorated elephants, thousands of dancers, drummers, fire performers, and whip-crackers moving through the Kandy streets for several hours each night.
The lead elephant carries a replica of the Tooth Relic in a golden casket. The original tooth itself does not leave the temple - the casket carried in the procession is a sacred duplicate.
2026 dates: Approximately late July to early August (exact dates announced around April/May by the Diyawadana Nilame, the lay custodian of the temple).
Practical advice:
- Book accommodation 3–4 months in advance for the main nights (last 4–5 nights of the Perahera)
- Viewing stands are erected along the route - book through your hotel or a licensed tour operator
- The best free viewing spots fill by 5 pm; arrive by 4:30 pm for a decent standing position
- The procession runs 8 pm–midnight approximately
- Bring a long lens if you're serious about photography; the elephants are impressive but the route is long
Where to Stay in Kandy
Budget (under LKR 5,000/night)
- Kandy View Guest House - hillside guesthouse with city views, clean rooms, helpful hosts
- Sharon Inn - reliable budget option near the lake, popular with backpackers
- McLeod Inn - colonial bungalow atmosphere, central location, basic but characterful
Mid-range (LKR 5,000–20,000/night)
- Cinnamon Citadel - on the Mahaweli River, 3 km from town; pool, good food, comfortable
- Hotel Suisse - old colonial property with lake views; slightly faded but full of atmosphere
- Camelot Hotel - on a hillside overlooking the lake; reliable, popular with tour groups, pool
Upper-mid / Boutique
- Kandy House - a restored 200-year-old Kandyan manor house 8 km from the city centre; 9 rooms, lush gardens, small pool. One of the most atmospheric stays in the hill country.
- The Fortress Resort & Spa - not in Kandy itself (it's on the south coast near Galle), but sometimes confused; avoid the mix-up
Near the Train Station
If catching a very early train to Ella, staying near Kandy railway station (within 15 minutes walk) simplifies the morning. The Slightly Chilled Guesthouse on Bogambara Road is a consistent budget favourite for this.
Where to Eat
Devon Restaurant - a Kandy institution since the 1960s. Two floors, enormous menu of Sri Lankan rice and curry, short eats, Chinese dishes, and good coffee. Budget prices, no frills, excellent food. For lunch only.
The Empire Café - on Temple Street, good for breakfast and coffee. Wi-Fi, English menu, reliable.
White House Restaurant - reliable dinner spot near the lake, good Sri Lankan and Chinese menu, moderate prices.
Slightly Chilled - rooftop restaurant on Kotugodella Vihara Road, popular with travellers for the views and the rice-and-curry.
Kandy Market food stalls - the market's first floor has small stalls selling hoppers, string hoppers, roti, and short eats. Best at breakfast (6–9 am) and lunch. Authentic and cheap.
For the evening, the lakeside area has a cluster of restaurants and juice bars that operate until around 10 pm.
Kandy Frequently Asked Questions
How many days do you need in Kandy? Two nights is the standard and works well - it gives you one full day for the temple, lake, and market, and a second day for a day trip (Sigiriya or Pinnawala). Three nights allows a more relaxed pace and the Botanical Gardens. Some travellers enjoy Kandy enough to stay four or five nights.
Is Kandy safe for solo travellers? Yes. Kandy is one of the safer cities in Sri Lanka for solo travel. The main tourist area around the lake is well-lit and busy in the evenings. Standard city caution applies - be aware of your surroundings, don't leave valuables visible in vehicles.
Do I need to dress modestly in Kandy? For the Temple of the Tooth, yes - shoulders and knees covered is required. For general city exploration, modest clothing (covering shoulders and knees) is respectful and recommended, though not strictly enforced outside religious sites.
What is the best way to get from Kandy to Ella? By train. The Kandy to Ella journey via the hill country train is one of the most scenic rail journeys in Asia - through tea estates, over viaducts, and past cloud-level viewpoints. Book 2nd class reserved seats in advance. See the full Kandy to Ella train guide.
Can I see elephants in Kandy? The Temple of the Tooth has a resident elephant (Neelagiri) who participates in daily puja processions. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, 40 km west, is the most accessible place to see large numbers of elephants. For wild elephants in their natural habitat, Yala National Park or Minneriya are better options.
Is the Esala Perahera worth planning a trip around? Yes - it is genuinely one of the great festivals of the Buddhist world and an extraordinary spectacle. If you can plan your Sri Lanka trip to coincide with it (late July/early August), it's worth building your itinerary around. The last few nights of the Perahera are the grandest.
How far is Kandy from the airport? Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) is in Katunayake, about 120 km from Kandy (3–4 hours by road). Most travellers spend their first night in Colombo and travel to Kandy by train the following morning. Direct airport-to-Kandy by private car takes approximately 3 hours.
What should I not miss in Kandy? The Temple of the Tooth at evening puja time, the lake at sunrise, Peradeniya Botanical Gardens in the morning, and at least one meal at Devon Restaurant. If your timing is right, the Esala Perahera is unmissable.
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