Things to Do in Kandy

Kandy is home to the Temple of the Tooth Relic, one of Buddhism's most sacred sites, which houses a tooth said to belong to Buddha and draws over a million pilgrims annually.

The city sits at 500m elevation in the central highlands, making it significantly cooler than Colombo and the lowlands, with temperatures typically 5-10°C lower year-round.

Kandy's famous Esala Perahera festival, held in July or August, features a ten-day procession with decorated elephants, fire dancers, and thousands of performers—the largest Buddhist festival in the world.

The city was Sri Lanka's last independent kingdom, resisting colonial rule until 1815; the Kingdom of Kandy maintained autonomy for 350 years as the island's only unconquered region.

Kandy's botanical garden, Peradeniya, spans 147 acres and contains over 4,000 plant species, including orchids, spices, and giant bamboo native to the region.

The city's central lake, Kandy Lake, was artificially created in 1807 by Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe, the last king of Kandy, and is still a focal point for locals and tourists.