Tucked into Sri Lanka’s misty central highlands, Kandy stays the nation’s cultural and religious coronary heart. As soon as the ultimate capital of the island’s unbiased kingdom, it nonetheless attracts pilgrims to the Temple of the Tooth, the place a sacred dental relic of the Buddha himself is claimed to be stored.
Town of Kandy is an intoxicating mix of colonial echoes, historical rituals, and road life that feels unmistakably Sri Lankan. Monks chatting on cell phones jostle with hawkers promoting greens picked that morning, whereas tuk-tuks buzz round them like caffeinated bees. Kandy is chaotic, charming, and completely compelling.
Kandy additionally makes an excellent base for exploring the broader area. Hikers can escape into the misty Knuckles Mountains for rainforest trails and sweeping views, or take a day journey north to the traditional fortress of Sigiriya, rising sheer from the plains like a legendary folktale. Meals lovers can be part of cooking courses to good coconut sambol and the elusive spice steadiness that makes a curry sing whereas cultural performances reveal the area’s vibrant music and dance traditions.
Kandy may not appeal you at first look, however give it two days (and this Kandy journey information) and also you’ll be below its spell, understanding precisely why it stays the soul of Sri Lanka’s highlands.
Let’s tuck into the most effective issues to do in Kandy, we could?
When to go to Kandy, Sri Lanka
Kandy’s gentle hill-country local weather makes it nice year-round. The perfect time to go to Kandy is December to April,when days are dry and skies clear, however we visited in September and located it comparatively cool and nice. August brings the spectacular Esala Perahera pageant, assume elephants in elaborate costumes and streets alive with drums and dancers. It’s unforgettable, if extraordinarily crowded.
No matter whenever you go to, preserve a lightweight waterproof or additional layer useful; mountain climate can – and does – flip in minutes.
Credit score/debit card acceptance is rising in Sri Lanka however you’d be effectively suggested to have a provide of native foreign money (rupees – LKR) with you. ATMs are plentiful in Kandy, cash changers much less so.
Attending to Kandy, Sri Lanka
· By practice: The scenic journey from Colombo (about 4 hours) or Nuwara Eliya (additionally 4) ranks amongst Asia’s nice rail journeys. Sit on the proper aspect from Colombo or left from Nuwara Eliya for the most effective views. Tickets are launched 30 days forward by way of Sri Lanka Railways, reserving forward is wise.
· By automobile: Round 3½ hours from Colombo or 2½ from Sigiriya. Enable additional time for hairpin bends and inevitable picture stops. Hiring a non-public driver is surprisingly inexpensive – round $700 for 2 weeks – and supreme for {couples} or small teams wanting stress-free journey. You possibly can nonetheless add a practice journey with out the trouble of dragging suitcases on and off.
· Bus: By far the most cost effective method to journey, with bus journeys from Colombo beginning at LKR 200. Search out air con ‘tremendous luxurious’ buses. Minibuses additionally go direct from Colombo airport.
Getting Round Kandy, Sri Lanka
· Most of Kandy’s highlights: the Temple of the Tooth, Central Market, and lakeside inns, are inside simple strolling distance of lakeside or central inns.
· For longer hops, together with to Kandy Lake Membership, obtain PickMe, Sri Lanka’s ride-hailing app. It presents vehicles, tuk-tuks, and bikes and is dependable and speedy. Funds are often in money, so preserve small notes (LKR 100 and 200) useful; drivers not often carry change.
The place To Keep in Kandy, Sri Lanka
· Resorts dotted across the lakeside provide nice views and quick access to the town (we stayed at SWP Ecolodge (c. $65 per evening) which had glorious breakfast and cozy rooms).
· Hillside guesthouses are quieter and barely cheaper – Magnificence Hills (c. $50 per evening) will get rave reviewed for its rooms and views however would require common Pickme journeys into the town.
Get lifetime entry to my infinite hours of analysis and time spent on the bottom discovering the most effective locations to eat, drink, chill out and discover in Sri Lanka. Merely open the Google Map in your machine and have all my suggestions on the contact of your fingertips.
1. Go to the Temple of the Tooth
Kandy’s Temple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa) is likely one of the most sacred Buddhist websites on the planet and among the finest issues to do in Kandy. The temple homes a relic stated to be the Buddha’s tooth, delivered to Sri Lanka within the 4th century AD. On daily basis, pilgrims arrive bearing hanging purple lotus flowers (stalls across the temple promote them if you wish to be part of) and incense, and the rhythmic drumming of the puja ceremonies fills the air. Even for non-believers, it’s a sight (and sound) to behold.
You possibly can’t see the relic itself, it’s encased in a collection of ornate gold caskets, hidden from view. The expertise lies within the ritual: the regular movement of worshippers, the scent of incense, the murals and carvings that hint Kandy’s proud historical past as each Buddhist stronghold and unbiased kingdom till 1815.
Gown modestly (cowl legs and shoulders), take away your sneakers, and go to early morning or late afternoon to keep away from the most important crowds. Entry is 2,000 LKR, and guided excursions (which regularly embody different websites round Kandy) are effectively value it to decode the symbolism and ritual earlier than your eyes.
Even for non-Buddhists, it’s a serene and interesting glimpse into the religious coronary heart of Sri Lanka.
2. Hike within the Knuckles Mountain Vary
Simply an hour’s drive from Kandy lies a world that feels way more distant. If you happen to love mountain climbing and out of doors journey that is completely among the finest issues to do in Kandy.
The Knuckles Mountain Vary, named by the Victorians for its resemblance to a clenched fist, presents cool air, cloud forests, and mountain climbing trails winding via tea estates and tiny villages.
Climbing right here have to be carried out with a neighborhood information (we used Nipuna Climbing, who have been glorious). Your information won’t solely steer you thru the unmarked trails but in addition level out the astonishing number of crops, fruits, and spices that make this UNESCO-listed area one in all Sri Lanka’s most biodiverse. In three hours, we noticed – and sampled – mango, nutmeg, three kinds of bananas, pepper, turmeric, aubergine, cocoa, chilli, tamarind, ardour fruit, soursop, espresso, and a minimum of three sorts of beans. You’ll by no means discover a tastier hike.
Trails vary from light day walks to multi-day treks with in a single day stays in eco-lodges or homestays. Most guides present leech socks and disinfectant spray – a lower than refined trace at who else enjoys the local weather. Count on all 4 seasons in a single afternoon, and pack your waterproofs accordingly.
3. See a Cultural Dance Present at Kandy Lake Membership
Kandy’s wealthy historical past is distilled into an hour-long crash course each evening on the Kandy Lake Membership above the town. It’s unquestionably touristy but it surely’s informative, joyous and downright enjoyable in equal measure
Drummers pound out hypnotic rhythms as dancers in elaborate headdresses carry out rituals as soon as reserved for royal courts and temples. The agility and ability of the performers – to not point out the flowery costumes – is exceptional and guests are supplied with an interpretation sheet to elucidate precisely what you’re watching and its cultural significance.
Performances embody dances to drive out evil spirits, choices to native deities and stylised battles between eagles and cobras – miniature variations of the masks utilized by performers are among the most eye-catching Sri Lankan souvenirs
The hearth-walking finale – barefoot males crossing glowing embers – feels an applicable climax, fortunately with out viewers participation.
E book on-line (4,500 LKR) upfront to get an honest seat close to the stage or simply pay on the door. It’s a few 30-minute stroll uphill from the town centre, we used a Pickme tuk-tuk who was solely too blissful to return on the finish of the present to select us up. Drinks and snacks accessible via a (surprisingly environment friendly) at-seat ordering service.
4. Be part of a Sri Lankan Cooking Class
Taking a cooking class in Kandy is likely one of the greatest methods to know the colourful, complicated and deeply regional flavours of Sri Lanka and take a few of its secrets and techniques house. There are a number of excursions provided on-line – we did a night class, booked by way of Viator, and would extremely suggest. Value begins from round $35-40 per individual.
Courses often start with a visit to Kandy’s Central Market [PHOTOS 10-11], a chaotic two-storey jumble of fruit, greens, and spice stalls. Distributors stand above their produce like medieval city criers, shouting costs that appear absurdly low…till you keep in mind most of it’s grown inside an hour of the town. The higher ground, a relative pocket of calm, can also be among the finest spots in Sri Lanka for memento purchasing. Convey your greatest haggling face.
As soon as the purchasing’s carried out, you’ll head to a house within the hills above Kandy, the place the kitchen, or open-air pavilion, is thick with the scent of cardamom and curry leaves. Underneath the watchful eye of a Sri Lankan matriarch (who will go away you in little doubt who’s in cost), you’ll be taught to organize staples like dhal curry, coconut sambol, and brinjal moju (sweet-and-sour aubergine), stirring clay pots over open flames.
You’ll pattern the fruits – and vegetables- of your labour earlier than heading again to your lodge, fuller, happier, and newly fluent within the flavours of Sri Lanka. Courses sometimes final round 4 hours, together with the market go to, and run at each lunch and dinner occasions.
5. Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya
A brief tuk-tuk journey from the town centre, Kandy’s Royal Botanic Gardens provide a peaceable antidote to the city bustle and one other of the most effective issues to do in Kandy.
Unfold throughout 150 acres on a lazy curve of the Mahaweli River, the gardens have been as soon as reserved for Kandyan royalty and later polished in colonial type by the British.
At this time, it’s a riot of tropical color and a well-liked place for Sri Lankan households to spend a lazy weekend. Royal palms line the primary avenue, orchids bloom in all places you look and large (significantly, get a photograph subsequent to them for the size!) bamboo groves creak gently within the breeze. Preserve an eye fixed out for the resident bats slumbering within the higher branches and remember to try the avenue of cannonball bushes, whose blooms scent divine however whose fruit can concuss the unwary.
Plan a minimum of two hours to discover, extra for those who fancy a picnic beneath the palms. Entry is round LKR 3,000 (no have to e-book upfront), and mornings are the good time to go to. There are many shaded spots so convey a picnic to decelerate from extra energetic pursuits.
Bonus – Take A Day Journey to Sigiriya
Kandy might be the guts of Sri Lanka however Sigiriya is its showpiece outfit: a colossal rock fortress that rises 200 metres above the plains, about 2½ hrs north of the town – a comparatively simple day journey.
Constructed within the fifth century by the formidable – and greater than somewhat paranoid – King Kashyapa, it’s half palace, half stronghold, and half historical artwork gallery, with frescoes of celestial maidens nonetheless glowing on its partitions. The climb itself is average in problem – round 1,200 steps, however with a number of locations to take a seat and catch your breath and admire among the best views in Sri Lanka. Convey smart sneakers, snacks and an honest provide of water.
By far the simplest manner to do that is by way of a bunch tour (from $30 per individual) or with a non-public driver (from $60 per individual) – most itineraries additionally embody the spectacular Dambulla Caves en route, the place the Buddhist frescoes defy gravity and the resident monkeys eye up your pockets (significantly, preserve your valuables in your hand or tucked away in your bag!).
If you happen to choose to go south from Kandy, decide up your itinerary from right here for a improbable double dose of mountains and seashores.
Have you ever been to Kandy?
What are the most effective issues to do in Kandy? Something you’d add to this Kandy bucket checklist?
World Traveller Phil Thomas is a contract journey author, based mostly in UK, with over 110 nations below his belt. You possibly can comply with Phil’s adventures via his weblog, Somebody Else’s Nation and by way of his Instagram, Fb and Blueskychannels.
Get lifetime entry to my infinite hours of analysis and time spent on the bottom discovering the most effective locations to eat, drink, chill out and discover in Sri Lanka. Merely open the Google Map in your machine and have all my suggestions on the contact of your fingertips.
