LK
Kandy
The Hill Capital
The Hill Capital
The Sri Dalada Maligawa — Temple of the Tooth Relic (the best Buddhist heritage site in South Asia; from 1,500 LKR; the finest 3 daily puja ceremonies (5:30am, 9:30am, 6:30pm); the finest Kandyan drumming at the 5:30am puja gate; the finest golden casket view from the inner sanctum) is the best Buddhist heritage experience in the world.
Sri Dalada Maligawa — Temple of the Tooth (from 1,500 LKR; the finest Buddhist heritage site in South Asia; the finest 3 daily puja ceremonies (5:30am, 9:30am, 6:30pm); the finest Kandyan drumming at the puja gate; the finest golden casket view from the inner sanctum).
Kandy Lake (the finest artificial lake in any Sri Lankan highland city; built 1807; free; the finest 2km circuit (the Kandyan Cloud Wall; the royal bathing pavilion); the finest Temple of the Tooth spire reflection in the lake at sunset (5:30–6:30pm)) is the best free experience in Kandy.
Kandy Lake (free; the finest artificial lake in any Sri Lankan highland city; the finest 2km circuit walk (the Kandyan Cloud Wall; the royal bathing pavilion); the finest Temple of the Tooth spire sunset reflection at 5:30–6:30pm).
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain
The Kandy Esala Perahera (the finest Buddhist festival procession in the world; annually in July–August; 100+ adorned elephants, drummers, dancers, and fire-breathers; the Rand Oli final night procession; book accommodation 3 months ahead) is the best cultural event in South Asia.
Kandy Esala Perahera (annually in July–August; the finest Buddhist festival procession in the world; 100+ adorned elephants, drummers, dancers, fire-breathers; the Rand Oli final night procession; book accommodation 3 months ahead).
The Royal Botanical Garden Peradeniya (the finest botanical garden in South Asia; 6km west; from 2,000 LKR; the finest 300-species orchid house; the finest 60m-crown Javan fig; the finest Royal Palm double avenue) and the Kandy-to-Ella highland scenic train (the best scenic railway in the world; from 1,200 LKR; journeyLanka.lk; 2 weeks ahead) are the finest Kandy region experiences.
Royal Botanical Garden Peradeniya (from 2,000 LKR; daily 7:30am–5pm; the finest botanical garden in South Asia; the finest 300-species orchid house; the finest 60m-crown Javan fig; the finest Royal Palm double avenue).
Peradeniya Botanical Garden →
Kandy dining spans from the market rice and curry to the colonial-era hotel restaurants: the Kandy market rice and curry (the most affordable and the most specifically Central Province Sri Lankan single meal: the large rice plate with 5–8 curries (the Kandy-style curries are the most specifically spice-forward of any Sri Lankan regional cuisine; the goraka (the dried gamboge fruit; the most specifically Kandyan single souring agent; used in the Kandy-style fish curry instead of the coastal tamarind) is the most specifically Central Province single curry ingredient)), the Devon Restaurant (the most celebrated single Kandy restaurant for the most specifically Sri Lankan short eats (the mutton rolls, the fish cutlets, and the pol sambol sandwiches; LKR 50–150 each; the most affordable single Kandy street-food-quality restaurant meal)), the Empire Cafe (the most specifically colonial-atmosphere Kandy dining address: the 1940s building on the lakefront; the most specifically Kandyan-era single Kandy cafe experience), and the Kandy hill hotel restaurants (the Amaya Hills restaurant (LKR 3,000–6,000 pp; the most panoramically positioned single Kandy restaurant: the Central Province hills visible in all directions from the outdoor terrace) and the Earl’s Regency (the most formally dressed single Kandy hotel restaurant; LKR 3,500–7,000 pp)).
The Temple of the Tooth (LKR 1,500; evening puja at 6:30pm) has live traditional drumming and lamp-lighting around the golden casket. Arrive 30 minutes early for a good position inside.
The Kandy–Ella train (3.5 hours; observation carriage; book at exprail.lk; LKR 3,800) through the Hill Country tea estates is the most celebrated rail journey in Asia. Books weeks ahead.
The Royal Botanic Gardens (Peradeniya; LKR 1,800; 147 acres; 10 min from Kandy) is finest on a weekday morning before school excursions and weekend picnickers arrive from 10am.
Esala Perahera bleacher seats (from LKR 3,000; August full moon; 10 nights) book 3+ months ahead. The final full moon night is the most spectacular of the entire 10-night procession.
Temple of the Tooth (from 1,500 LKR; the finest 6:30pm evening puja with Kandyan drumming; the finest golden casket view). Kandy Lake circuit walk (free; the finest 2km promenade; the Temple of the Tooth spire reflection at sunset). Kandyan Dance performance (from 1,000 LKR; YMBA Hall or the Kandyan Cultural Centre; 5pm or 7pm daily).
The Sri Dalada Maligawa puja ceremony (the finest Buddhist ceremony in any South Asian heritage temple): the best puja is the 6:30pm evening ceremony (the finest Kandyan drumming at the puja gate at 6:15pm; the finest golden casket view from the inner sanctum during the evening puja; arrive at the 6pm puja queue by 6pm for the finest inner sanctum viewing position).
Royal Botanical Garden Peradeniya (from 2,000 LKR; daily 7:30am–5pm; the finest botanical garden in South Asia; the finest 300-species orchid house; the finest Javan fig; the Royal Palm Avenue). Kandy Spice Garden visit (free guided tour; the finest Ceylon cinnamon, cardamom, and clove tree in any Sri Lankan highland spice garden). Kandy–Ella train departure (the finest scenic highland railway in the world; from 1,200 LKR; book at journeyLanka.lk).
The Kandy–Ella highland train (the finest scenic rail journey in the world; book a 2nd class reserved seat at journeyLanka.lk at least 2 weeks ahead; the finest seat is on the left side facing the direction of travel (for the finest tea estate and Nine Arches Bridge views); departs Kandy Station at 9:45am; arrives Ella at 6:10pm (6h15m — the finest 6h highland scenic journey in the world)).
The Temple of the Tooth (LKR 1,500) is the single most important Sri Lankan heritage site entry and represents exceptional value as the most sacred Buddhist temple in the world outside India.
The Kandy–Ella Observation Car train ticket (LKR 290; second class; the most celebrated Asian train journey) is the best-value single transport purchase in all of Sri Lanka: 6–7 hours through the tea estate hill country.
The Mahaweli Reach Hotel (the most comprehensively facilitated 5-star Kandy hotel on the Mahaweli River)
🛂 Entry rules: Sri Lanka ETA
All visitors need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before arriving in Sri Lanka. Since 25 May 2026 it has been free for citizens of 40 countries, including the UK, US, most of the EU, Canada, Australia, Japan, India and China, and gives 30 days with a double entry.
Other nationalities pay a fee, and extending beyond 30 days is charged. Apply only on the official eta.gov.lk site.
Official information: Sri Lanka Department of Immigration: ETA · Reviewed September 2026
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Quick answers to the questions travellers most often ask before visiting Kandy.
January to April is the driest and most pleasant, while the Esala Perahera festival in July or August is a spectacular time to visit. Set in the hills, Kandy stays cooler than the coast year-round.
One to two days for the Temple of the Sacred Tooth, the lake, the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens and a cultural dance show — and as the start of the scenic hill-country train.
The centre is walkable, with tuk-tuks for the hills; the famously scenic train climbs from here into the tea country towards Ella, and buses serve the region.
Sri Lanka’s cultural and spiritual capital in the hill country — the sacred Temple of the Tooth, which houses a relic of the Buddha, the lake, the Peradeniya gardens, the grand Esala Perahera festival, and as the gateway to the tea highlands.
Explore more of Sri Lanka’s extraordinary landscapes, culture and coast.
Planning a wider trip? Our Sri Lanka travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.