The Temple of the Tooth, ☎ +94812234226 (, fax: +948112236201), . The temple is open from dawn to dusk. It houses a tooth relic of the Lord Buddha, and is consequently considered one of Sri Lanka's most holy shrines. Although you may not view the actual tooth itself, the casket within which it is said to be is displayed twice a day. The best time to view this ornate casket is around 6.30pm.Foreigner entrance: 1000 LKR. �
The Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage has about seventy semi-tame elephants roaming freely around this wonderful sanctuary. Feeding and bathing times are especially enjoyable. You can either hire a taxi to take you there or, if travelling on a budget, get a bus to Kegalle (about an hour away) for about R40/-, asking the driver to drop you off at the turn for Pinnewala which is 3 miles or so before you reach the town, and catch another local bus for the last 6 km or so. Definitely worth the trip especially if you have children.
The Royal Botanical Garden in Peradeniya is the best botanical garden in Sri Lanka and one of the best in the region. It dates back to the ancient kings of the country although the British changed the look of it. The British are said to have used the gardens to grow trees that could not be grown at Kew gardens. The large banyan tree, the orchid house, the suspension bridge, and the bats are some of the main attractions. Drive there through the University of Peradeniya the most scenic and the largest university in the country.
Peradeniya Botanical Gardens
Bahirawakanda temple. The ominipresent Buddha statue seen from everywhere in Kandy city. Take a tuk tuk ride to the Temple or walk, just 1 km away from the Kandy city. The way to the temple may not be easy to locate, you might have to take a three wheeler or ask a local, when in doubt just walk up and follow the colourful Buddhist flags over the road. Entrance fee 200 LKR. This Buddha statue is best viewed from far away. Once you get onto the premises it is no longer easy to see. Plus it is not a very peaceful place as temples go.
The Tea Museum, Hantane, Kandy. The ancient Tea Factory of Hantana Estate is converted into a Museum dedicated to the history of Sri Lankan Tea. Run by the Sri Lanka Tea Board.
Udawattakele Royal Forest Sanctuary, the forest located "in the Kandy city", was planned and maintained as the part of the Royal palace complex of the Sinhala Kings. A patch of tropical rain forest still survives and if you don't come across it it is still a wonderful walk. You are guaranteed to come across plenty of monkeys and some tranquil ponds. Wear long trousers after rain, and take some salt as there are lots of leeches about.
Temples situated around Kandy are some other popular tourist attractions. The most famous temples are: Gadaladeniya, Lankathilaka Viharaya, Embekke Devalaya, Dodanwala Devalaya, Degaldoruwa, Hindagala Viharaya, Madawala Viharaya and Galmaduwa Viharaya.
Visit Athur's seat for a panoramic view of the Kandy city.
Commonwealth War Cemetery is located at Deveni (2nd) Rajasinghe mawatha down by the Mahaweli riverside. Formerly known as Pitakande Military Cemetery, it is one of the most beautifully landscaped and maintained war cemeteries in the world. There is one Commonwealth burial of the World War I and a further 196 Commonwealth burials of the World War II commemorated in the cemetery. In addition there are four Foreign National and two non world war burials. The range of nationalities laid to rest comes from the records of the War cemetery, and include 107 Britons, 35 East Africans, 26 Sri Lankans, 23 Indians, six Canadians, three Italians and one Frenchman.
Kandyan Art Association, No. 72, Sangaraja Mawatha, Kandy (The Kandyan Art Association is almost at the rear end of the Maligawa – Temple of the Tooth Relic and can be reached by walking along the lake road from the “Ulpenge” situated at the Southern entrance.), ☎ 094 81 2223100, . from 9. 00 a. m. to 5. 30 p. m.. Visitors get the rare opportunity to see for themselves how these articles are turned out. This is a center for traditional arts and crafts with a government-sponsored sales room and fixed prices. Articles of finest workmanship in Silver, Copper, Brass, Wooden or Lacquer are supplied. Entrance free. �
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Kandy
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Kandy - updated Apr 2024
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Kandy Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
