Kandy

Introduction

Kandy sits among hills on the Kandy plateau in Sri Lanka's Central Province, and it served as the last capital of the Sinhalese monarchy under the Kingdom of Kandy. The city is the administrative capital of the province and is widely regarded as the cultural capital of Sri Lanka, a reputation built on its architectural heritage. Historically, the local Buddhist rulers resisted Portuguese, Dutch and British colonial expansion and occupation.

At the heart of the city is the Temple of the Tooth Relic, one of the most important places of the Buddhist world. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988, and it anchors any visit to Kandy.

Before you go

Kandy was the last kingdom of the country before British conquest around 1815, and living traditions remain visible today. Kandyans are usually proud of their heritage, and because Western elements have played a comparatively small role in the city, most uphold Buddhist values; its place in the cultural triangle means the authorities try to retain these values as much as possible.

Do not expect to find the honest Kandyans described in colonial literature. Be careful with your belongings and with the people you associate with. That said, this is a peaceful city compared to most other parts of the country, with a lower crime rate.

Getting there

Kandy sits on Sri Lanka's Main Line, and the train is the most comfortable way in from Colombo: intercity expresses make the run in about 2½–3 hours, with an observation saloon in first class that tends to book out well ahead. Ordinary services are cheaper but often crowded and prone to late departures. The same line continues beyond Kandy to Badulla, passing Nanu Oya (the station for Nuwara Eliya, a short bus or tuk-tuk ride from the town itself), Haputale and Ella; the stretch from Ella is a spectacular ride through hills and tea plantations. If you're coming from Negombo, you'll need a bus, taxi or tuk-tuk to reach a Main Line station such as Ragama, Gampaha or Veyangoda. On arrival, be wary of the tuk-tuk touts at the railway station: walk some distance from the stand before hailing one, or better, use a ride-hailing app, again away from the station rank, since drivers who pull up there may be threatened and chased off. The station itself is about a kilometre southwest of the centre.

Buses from Colombo are frequent, with the red public bus being crowded, hot and slow but very cheap; the intercity air-conditioned bus is the next best option after the train. Women travelling alone may prefer to sit beside another woman or near the conductor at the front. From the airport, a short walk or tuk-tuk ride takes you to the bus terminal, where locals will point you to the Kandy bus. Dambulla has direct buses too, including air-conditioned ones that don't stop at Dambulla's bus station. Long-distance buses, including those to Dambulla, leave from the long-distance bus station near Kandy railway station. A taxi from the arrivals hall at Colombo airport saves the trip into Colombo and takes around three hours. Hired mini-vans with a driver can be arranged through travel agencies and hotel concierges, but the road is chaotic and the driving can be hair-raising. Cinnamon Air runs scheduled flights from Colombo's airport to Polgolla Reservoir, and from Waters Edge in Colombo city.

Getting around

Central Kandy is compact and best explored on foot, with the main temples, shops and lakeside sights within reasonable distance of each other. The city sits on a hillside, so expect some elevation change as you move about. You can reach the Temple of the Tooth on foot too, though you may need to ask locals for directions.

For longer hops, three-wheelers (tuk-tuks) are the most convenient motorised option: they are inexpensive, widely available and run virtually all day and night. Fares are negotiable, so agree a price before you set off. Be wary of the tuk-tuk operators at Kandy railway station, who are known to overcharge arriving passengers and to threaten Uber and PickMe drivers collecting nearby; catch a tuk-tuk some distance from the station stand or use a ride-hailing app instead. Suburban buses also pass through the city centre, but they run on local routes used mainly by residents and can be crowded.

Where to stay

Kandy has plenty of places to sleep, from cheap guest houses to five-star hotels. South and east of the lake you'll find lots of cheapish guest houses, generally clean and friendly and only a short walk from the town centre. The cheapest option in the city is the Burmese Rest, a quiet retreat from Kandy's noisy streets run by friendly Buddhist monks; you'll find it a kilometre along the road that begins at the Tooth Temple and leads away from the lake. Near the train station, a family-run guest house with just three rooms offers a small-scale alternative, while a cottage on Lady Gordon Drive styles itself as an eco-friendly retreat for writers and artists and sits in a little hollow adjoining the Udawatta Kele Royal Forest Sanctuary, only ten minutes' walk from the centre.

Mid-range choices cluster on the hills and ridges around town. Several guest houses and inns on Rajapihilla Mawatha and Saranankara Road have rooms with lake and city views, hot water and air-con or non-air-con options; one word of caution from the source: at the Golden View Rest, beware of the owner's "free" tuk-tuk scam, where your driver demands an extortionate sum once you arrive. The Queen's Hotel, one of the oldest in Kandy, sits in the middle of the city beside the Temple of the Tooth Relic and the lake, and is an ideal spot to watch the Maligawa Perahera procession. For a splurge, the big hotels include the Amaya Hills in Heerassagala, with private balconies overlooking the valley or mountainside and Ayurvedic spa treatments, the Cinnamon Citadel with an outdoor pool, and Earl's Regency, a five-star with international restaurants, a sauna and evening entertainment. If you'd rather be out of the city, there are bungalows and wellness resorts on the surrounding hills and further afield, including a Victorian-era bungalow on a Spring Hill estate and a misty mountaintop wellness retreat offering Ayurveda and yoga.

Food & drink

Kandy eats well and cheaply, and much of it is clustered within a block or two of the main street. Green Leaf Hotel and Bakers, on De Soyza Lane near the corner of Yatinuwara Lane, is a solid local canteen one block back from the road, with a full range of rottis, rice and curry, and hoppers in the evening. The Bakehouse covers snacks and traditional Sri Lankan meals, and its first-floor balcony gives you a view over the city; the Sri Lankan buffet there tends to run out by around 7:30PM, so plan accordingly. Devon Food Court is known for its snacks, with Captain's Table upstairs serving Sri Lankan and South Indian food. Avanhala, in front of the Kandy lake, pairs good food with the best scenery, while Dinemore, opposite the Anniewatta tunnel on top of Nihal's Super, does good Mid-Eastern and South Indian food at affordable prices. For something different, Flower Song Chinese Restaurant on Kotugodelle Vidaya, just north of the town centre, serves excellent Chinese food in huge portions of rice or noodles in a clean, air-conditioned room with beers and wines. Lyons, in front of the Hindu Kovil, and The Empire cafe near the Temple of the Tooth both serve Western and Eastern food, the latter with good wraps in a pleasant setting.

For a drink with a view, Slightly Chilled Lounge Bar (Bamboo Garden Restaurant) on Anagarika is the best-known spot in town, an Asian fusion menu of Chinese dishes and Western pub grub with a lake-and-city outlook, a free pool table, live sports, and music and DJs at night; it's a short tuk-tuk ride or a walk from the centre. On Dalada Vidaya you'll find two popular bars, The Pub and The Pub Royale; the former serves quite good meals and has a large screen for sports inside plus a first-floor outside verandah. Cheaper bars are scattered through the sidestreets near the town centre, but they can be seedy, and unaccompanied women may feel uncomfortable. Victory Hotel on Colombo Road is a different experience altogether: downstairs is full of locals drinking Arrack, the atmosphere is less than salubrious but the people are friendly, and upstairs is slightly less dingy and serves food.

What to see and do

Kandy's essential sight is the Temple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa), which houses a tooth relic of the Lord Buddha and is considered one of Sri Lanka's most holy shrines. You won't see the actual tooth, but the ornate casket said to contain it is displayed twice a day — early in the morning and again in the evening, which is often the better time to view it. The temple complex also holds the Sri Dalada Maligawa museum on its upper floors, and your temple ticket covers entry to several neighbouring sites: the Royal Palace of Kandy, which now houses an archeological museum; the World Buddhist Museum; and the Raja Museum on Temple Square. Just behind the temple, the National Museum of Kandy holds an interesting collection of Sri Lankan relics and is usually quiet, with staff often happy to give you a free tour. Nearby you'll also find St. Paul Church and the Queen's Bath.

Below the National Museum lies the British Garrison Cemetery, resting place of mostly British soldiers who died during the colonial era; it is extremely well maintained by its caretaker, who will gladly add back-story to the more fascinating tombstones. Above the city, the Bahirawakanda temple's Buddha statue is visible from everywhere in Kandy — best viewed from a distance, since it is harder to take in once you are on the premises. For a walk, head to the Udawattakele Royal Forest Sanctuary, once part of the royal palace complex, where a patch of tropical rain forest survives alongside tranquil ponds and plenty of monkeys; wear long trousers after rain and bring salt, as there are lots of leeches about. South of the lake, Arthur's Seat Viewpoint offers a panoramic view of Kandy and its artificial lake, while the small Royal Palace Park has a pond and dozens of kissing couples trying to hide under their umbrellas. In Peradeniya, a short bus ride away, the Royal Botanical Garden is the best in Sri Lanka and one of the best in the region, with a large banyan tree, an orchid house, a suspension bridge and bats among its attractions. The University of Peradeniya campus is worth seeing for its setting, with the Hanthana mountains to hike off campus and the Mahaweli river flowing on the opposite side. Further out, the Ceylon Tea Museum occupies the old Hantana Estate tea factory, and the Ambuluwawa Tower is a unique spiral tower you can climb for views of the surrounding hills — though its stairs narrow so much that people cannot easily pass each other, causing congestion near the top.

When to go

Kandy sits at around 500 metres, which tempers its tropical rainforest climate, but you should still plan around two monsoon periods that bring rough, unstable weather and frequent rain. Wet, unsettled days during these monsoons can disrupt plans for exploring the forested hills and the lake area, so build some flexibility into your itinerary.

• The drier stretch early in the year is the steadiest time to visit, though the intermonsoonal spell from March into mid-May still brings light rain and strong humidity — expect warm, humid conditions rather than crisp dry days.
• Both monsoon periods bring rough, unstable weather, so if you travel then, plan for wet days and keep sightseeing around the hills and lake adaptable.

Three days in Kandy

Day one: Start in Kandy itself, the Central Province city whose character was shaped under the Sinhalese kingdom and later the Portuguese, Dutch and British. Make the Temple of the Tooth Relic your first stop; it is a Buddhist site and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it anchors the city for Kandyans and visitors alike. Spend the rest of the day on foot, letting the old kingdom capital set your pace.

Day two: Take the Main Line, the railway that runs from Colombo through Kandy and on toward Badulla. Ordinary trains serve the hill country stations at Nanu Oya, Nuwara Eliya, Haputale and Ella, so you can ride out for the day and return. If you prefer the road, buses also connect the region, including from Dambulla.

Day three: Head west toward Colombo and the coast, passing Ragama, Gampaha and Veyangoda on the way, with Negombo as an option if you want to end near the sea. Keep the day unhurried and use it to look back on the temple, the trains and the hill country you have seen.