Kandy, 129 Km away from Colombo and 465 meters above sea level, is Kandy (Sinhala: මහ නුවර  ; Tamil: கண்டி) , the charming hill

capital of Sri Lanka. Kandy is the cultural center of the island and a World Heritage City. Nestling amidst low hills, and looped by the

Mahaweli river, Sri Lanka’s largest, Kandy is still the home of the arts and crafts, music and dance and song which flourished under the

patronage of the Kandyan Kings.

Why go ?

Temple of the tooth & other temples.

Royal botanical garden

Hiking & trekking through jungle and mountain

Visit spice garden, gem museum, tea factories & tea plantation

White water rafting & other adventures sports

Art, craft & cultural dance in Kandy

Elephant orphanage & elephant riding

Ayurvedic medicine & spas  

Getting around

• Bus
• Buses to outlying parts of Kandy and nearby towns such as Peradeniya, Ampitiya, Matale and Kegalle leave from near the clock tower.
• Three-Wheeler( tuk tuk)

The standard cost for a three-wheeler from the train station to the southeast end of the lake is Rs 100 to Rs 150. Drivers will ask foreign tourists for much more, but if you stick to your guns you’ll get something approximating the local price.

• Taxi

With metered air-con taxis, Radio Cabs is a comfortable alternative to three-wheelers. You may have to wait some time for your cab, especially if it’s raining and demand is heavy. With taxis (vans) that are not metered, settle on a price before you start your journey.

Orientation

The city was born in the 14th century and became the capital of the Kandyan kingdom in the 16th century. It was the seat of much of Sri Lanka’s culture. The Royal City fell to the British in 1815, when the last Kandyan King, Sri Wickrema Rajasinghe was captured.

For Buddhists, Kandy is the sacred city. The focal point is the Dalada Maligawa also known as the temple of the tooth, where the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha is enshrined. There are many shrines and temples in and around Kandy, where you will see rare paintings, frescoes, wood and stone carvings.

The highlight of the year is the Kandy Esala Perahera, when a replica of the relic casket is taken in procession accompanied by exotically costumed drummers, dancers and about 80 – 100 caparisoned elephants during ten glittering nights in July/ August.

The beautiful city, surrounded by hills and valleys, rivers, lakes and cascading waterfalls, boasts of the Royal Botanical gardens at Peradeniya .

Kandy is an exciting place for shopping with souvenirs of wood, copper, silver, brass and bronze. Ceramics, lacquer work, handlooms, batiks, jewellery, rush and reed-ware too could be purchased. While in Kandy, an outing to a tea factory as well as a tea plantation should also be made to witness first hand, the process that leads to the creation of the famous ‘Ceylon Tea’.

When to go

Kandy is renowned for the great Kandy Esala Perahera, held over 10 days leading up to the Nikini poya (full moon) at the end of the month of Esala (July/August), but it has enough attractions to justify a visit at any time of year. Some of the Hill Country’s nicest boutique hotels nestle in the hills surrounding Kandy, and the city is a good base for exploring the underrated terrain of the nearby Knuckles Range.

How to go there

From the airport always hire a taxi, or can also take the bus to Kandy. Some of the tourist Like to go to Colombo and take a train to Kandy. From airport to Kandy only take 3 hours only. Since Kandy is major tourist attraction also cultural capital of the country getting to Kandy is far more easy.