Top places to visit in Kandy

• Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic

  buddhist-temple · 4.6 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  Sri Lanka's holiest Buddhist shrine, housing a tooth relic of the Buddha within the former royal palace complex; daily pujas draw pilgrims from across the island.

• Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya

  botanical-garden · 4.5 rating · about 2.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  147-acre botanical garden on a loop of the Mahaweli River — vast lawns, an orchid house, giant Javan fig and an avenue of royal palms.

• Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

  elephant-sanctuary · 4.0 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate

  Government-run sanctuary for orphaned and injured elephants, famous for the herd's twice-daily river bathing in the Maha Oya.

• Kandy Lake

  lake · 4.4 rating · about 0.7 h · check the fee at the gate

  Tranquil man-made lake built by the last king of Kandy in 1807, ringed by a walking path with views of the Temple of the Tooth.

• Bahirawakanda Vihara Buddha Statue

  buddhist-statue · 4.4 rating · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate

  A 26.8 m white seated Buddha on a hill above Kandy, offering one of the best panoramic views over the city and lake.

• Kandyan Cultural Dance Show

  dance-show · 4.4 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate

  Nightly performance of traditional Kandyan dance, drumming and a finale of barefoot fire-walking at the Kandy Lake Club / YMBA halls.

• Udawatta Kele Forest Reserve

  forest-reserve · 4.3 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  Historic forest sanctuary on the ridge behind the Temple of the Tooth — shaded trails, birdlife, giant lianas and a quiet pond.

• Ceylon Tea Museum

  tea-museum · 4.1 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate

  Restored 1925 tea factory at Hantana documenting Sri Lanka's tea heritage, with vintage machinery and a top-floor tea room with valley views.

• Embekka Devalaya

  wood-carving-shrine · 4.5 rating · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate

  14th-century shrine renowned for the finest wood carvings in Sri Lanka — intricately sculpted pillars of dancers, swans and wrestlers.

• Gadaladeniya Temple

  buddhist-temple · 4.5 rating · about 0.7 h · check the fee at the gate

  Elevated 14th-century rock-platform temple of South Indian Vijayanagara style, with a stone Buddha image house and panoramic countryside views.

Things to do

• Kandyan Cultural Dance Performance Cultural · 1 h · from LKR 5,300 per person
• Kitulgala White Water Rafting Adventure · 3 h · from LKR 28,100 per person
• Matale Spice Garden Tour Cultural · 1 h · from LKR 7,000 per person

Day trips and tours

• Kandy, Pinnawala & Spice Garden Day Tour 9 h · from LKR 42,200
• Temple of the Tooth & Cultural Show Evening 4 h · from LKR 17,600

Where to stay in Kandy

• City Centre & Lake about LKR 18,000 per night

  Heart of Kandy beside the lake and Temple of the Tooth — central, walkable, full of restaurants.

• Hilltop (Bahirawakanda) about LKR 22,000 per night

  Hillside stays above the city with panoramic views over Kandy and the lake.

Hotels

• Theva Residency 4-star · LKR 26,000 to LKR 50,000 per night
• Earl's Regency Hotel 5-star · LKR 28,000 to LKR 55,000 per night
• Kandy City Hostel 2-star · LKR 3,500 to LKR 8,000 per night
• Mahaweli Reach Hotel 4-star · LKR 22,000 to LKR 42,000 per night
• OZO Kandy 4-star · LKR 20,000 to LKR 38,000 per night
• Hotel Suisse 4-star · LKR 18,000 to LKR 36,000 per night

Where to eat

• Balaji Dosai South Indian, Vegetarian · about LKR 900 per person
• Slightly Chilled Lounge Sri Lankan, Chinese, International · about LKR 2,500 per person
• Kandy Muslim Hotel Sri Lankan · about LKR 700 per person
• Cafe Secret Alley Cafe, International · about LKR 1,800 per person
• The Empire Cafe Cafe, Sri Lankan, International · about LKR 2,000 per person

Getting to Kandy

Nearest airport: Colombo (CMB), about 84 km away in a straight line. The road or rail journey is longer.

How visitors arrive in Kandy

• Sri Lanka Railways from Colombo Fort By train from Colombo · common · unconfirmed

  Trains run from Colombo Fort to Kandy station (some end at Peradeniya) and reserved seats are advisable; the guide flagged service as disrupted after cyclone damage, so check current status. Source: geckoroutes.com

• Bus from Bastian Mawatha, Colombo By road from Colombo · common

  Buses leave Colombo's Bastian Mawatha station for Kandy; air-conditioned coaches exist and tickets are not sold online. Source: geckoroutes.com

• Taxi or private transfer from Colombo By road from Colombo · possible

  Door-to-door car transfers from Colombo or the airport, including ride-hail apps such as PickMe. Source: geckoroutes.com

From the railway station to the centre

• Tuk-tuk from Kandy station unconfirmed

  Agree the fare before riding. Source: geckoroutes.com

From the bus terminal to the centre

• Kandy Bus Stand and Clock Tower stations

  The two bus stops are close together in the centre. Source: geckoroutes.com

Getting around

• Car With Driver
• Tuktuk
• Walking

Safety and scams to avoid

• Gem shop commission run

  Kandy city & en route

  Tuk-tuk and tour drivers earn commission for bringing tourists to gem and batik shops, eating into your time with hard-sell stops.

  How to avoid it: Tell your driver up front you don't want shopping stops. Insist on going straight to the sights.

• Cultural show ticket touts

  Near Kandy Lake

  Touts sell marked-up or fake tickets to the evening Kandyan dance show.

  How to avoid it: Buy tickets at the official hall box office (Kandy Lake Club / YMBA) shortly before the show.

Best time to visit Kandy

• Jan 27°C
• Feb 28°C
• Mar 30°C
• Apr 30°C
• May 29°C
• Jun 28°C
• Jul 27°C
• Aug 28°C
• Sep 28°C
• Oct 28°C
• Nov 27°C
• Dec 27°C

More in Sri Lanka

• Sigiriya
• Ella
• Galle
• Colombo
• Nuwara Eliya
• Polonnaruwa

Frequently asked questions about Kandy

How many days do you need in Kandy?

A typical trip to Kandy is 2-3 days.

What are the top-rated places to visit in Kandy?

The highest-rated places in our Kandy guide are Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya, Embekka Devalaya, Gadaladeniya Temple, Kandy Lake.

Where should I stay in Kandy?

Our guide covers these areas to stay in Kandy: City Centre & Lake, Hilltop (Bahirawakanda).

How do I get around Kandy?

Ways to get around Kandy covered in our guide: Car with driver, Tuk-tuk, Walking.

What scams should I watch out for in Kandy?

Scams reported to us for Kandy include Gem shop commission run; Cultural show ticket touts. Each is explained in the guide, with how to avoid it.

What is the weather like in Kandy?

Average daytime highs in Kandy run from 27°C in Jan to 30°C in Mar.