Kandy was a mouthful. At first.
After spending several days in serene Sigiriya, it seemed like we had arrived somewhere complete opposite. Life in Kandy was fast-paced, so I was quickly brought out of my tranquil state of mind.
However, what can you expect from the second largest city in Sri Lanka?
The minute we began to really explore Kandy is when I truly saw the city for what it was – a cultural mecca full of great things to do – even inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
So in this travel guide, we aim to show you the very best of Kandy. We’re going to share all the great things to do in Kandy, where to stay, how to get there, and much more! So let’s begin this full travel guide to Sri Lanka’s cultural capital – Kandy.
AFFILIATE LINKS DISCLOSURE: Dear Reader, this blog post contains affiliate links. If you click on them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more here.
Things to know before visiting Kandy
Why visit Kandy
There are many reasons why you should visit Kandy.
The Sacred City of Kandy has been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988. It was the last stronghold in Sri Lanka until occupied by the British in 1815, and it’s where one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in the world is located.
It may sound very strange to say this, but we found that Kandy is the perfect combination of chaos and tranquility. It’s a thriving big city full of colourful markets and busy streets, however, you’ll also find spirituality in the temples, and calmness in the hillsides surrounding the valley.
So visit Kandy to experience this contrast. It’s why we loved it here.
How to get to Kandy
Kandy is located in the middle of Sri Lanka, so there are many roads leading to the city.
We personally arrived by public bus from Sigiriya, which left the village at 6:30 in the morning and arrived in the city a couple of hours later. The bus ride cost 1000 rupees per person.
However, the most common ways into Kandy are from either Colombo or from Ella, so we’ll just explain the best way to get here from these cities.
- Colombo to Kandy: Take the train from Colombo Fort to Kandy. The train leaves several times a day and takes 2,5-3,5 hours. Ticket prices vary between $4-$8 for reserved seats in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd class. Buy your ticket directly at the train station or book ahead on 12go.asia.
- Ella to Kandy: Take the train from Ella to Kandy. The train leaves several times a day and takes anything between 7-10 hours. Ticket prices vary a lot on this train line due to the fact that it’s popular and known as one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world. You can either buy your ticket directly at the station or book ahead on 12go.asia if you want to secure a reserved seat.
Where to stay in Kandy
We spent 3 nights in Kandy during our trip to Sri Lanka, and it was just enough to see most of the attractions, yet we (personally) did wish for an extra day to see some of the last attractions we missed.
However, we’d say that 2-3 nights in Kandy is enough to see the most important things in the city.
During our trip, we stayed in a hotel named Sevana City Hotel. It was a great and affordable hotel located in walking distance to most of the big attractions, it had a pool at the rooftop, it offered a great breakfast, and it had super friendly staff and owners. We really enjoyed our time here and would definitely stay again.
If you’re not sure where to stay in Kandy, then have a look around on the map below.
Best attractions & things to do in Kandy
1. Temple of the Tooth
Undoubtedly, the most popular thing to do in Kandy is to visit Sri Dalada Maligawa – also known as the Temple of the Tooth.
This is one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in the world because the temple is containing the Tooth of Buddha. This Tooth Relic has a long history, and whoever used to be in possession of Buddha’s Tooth had the right to rule Sri Lanka.
Today, the Tooth Relic is resting inside the temple, which is part of the Royal Palace Complex – where the kings of Kandy used to live.
So make sure to stop by this temple to pay tribute to Buddha’s Tooth and to explore the beautiful buildings of the Royal Palace Complex – inside which you’ll also find several museums.
The best time to visit the Temple of the Tooth is during one of the daily pujas, which is when the doors to the Tooth Relic are open, and you can make an offering of flowers, and say your prayer.
This experience is very unique as you’re being pushed in a line towards the Tooth Relic while deafening drums are beating so loud that you can feel it inside of your chest. We really recommend you to visit the Temple of the Tooth during one of the daily pujas, which are at 5:30 AM, 9:30 AM, and 6:30 PM.
Ticket price and opening hours in 2024: As foreign tourists, we paid 1000 LKR per person to enter the Temple of the Tooth. The temple is open daily from 5:30 AM – 8 PM.
What to wear: Remember to wear something respectful that covers your knees and shoulders, and try to wear something white if you have it.
2. Walk around the lake
Once you’re done visiting the Temple of the Tooth, you can continue your exploration of Kandy by having a walk around the lake.
One of the most interesting places at the lake is the Royal Bathhouse, which was used by King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe’s concubines and wives. King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe is also known as the last Sinhalese King of Kandy who ruled until the city was occupied by the British colonials.
You can walk inside and explore the empty bathhouse on the lake for free.
Apart from this, the lake area is a funny mix of locals and street dogs relaxing under a tree, street vendors selling snacks, and even a snake handler, who is waiting to show his cobra to tourists (please don’t support this animal abuse).
It’s safe to say that the lake is definitely an interesting place to have a walk.
3. Visit the Central Market
One of the most interesting things you can do in Kandy is to visit the Central Market.
In the Central Market you can find anything Sri Lankan – whether it be colourful fruits and vegetables, massive bags full of different varieties of rice, oh so many spices, something new to wear, and much more!
It’s really fun and interesting to visit the market, but brace yourself – it’s also hectic and dirty – especially at the meat department.
Also, beware of some people. We met an overly friendly man, who we thought worked in one of the stalls. However, he was determined to show us around – but actually he was just pushing us towards his uncle shop. The reason it was strange was because he waited around the corner and constantly pretended to just “bump into us” again.
It was super weird. And we just tried to shake him off so we could explore the market. But apart from that, the people in the markets are really nice and often up for posing for a picture.
A visit to Kandy’s Central Market is simply a must when you’re in the city. It’s open every day from morning to evening, so you really can’t miss it.
4. See Kandy from Arthur’s Seat Viewpoint
Another great thing to do is to walk up to Arthur’s Seat Viewpoint for a nice view of Kandy.
From here, you can see Kandy’s City Center, the lake, the Royal Bathhouse, and the Temple of the Tooth along with several other temples.
We always love to see a city from another perspective, and we can only recommend you to visit this viewpoint while you’re in Kandy.
It only takes around 10 minutes to walk up to Arthur’s Seat from the bottom of the lake, or you can easily grab a tuk tuk to the viewpoint if you prefer.
5. Visit Sri Maha Bodhi Maha Viharaya
From Arthur’s Seat Viewpoint, you can easily spot this next attraction in Kandy.
One of the most unique things to do in Kandy is to visit Sri Maha Bodhi Maha Viharaya, which is a Buddhist temple located on a small hill in Kandy.
What’s so unique about this temple is that atop it sits a massive Buddha statue, which offers the best view of the city!
Behind the statue, you can walk up the stairs and look over the shoulders of Buddha. It’s a really unique experience.
The entry fee was just 250 LKR per person for foreign tourists in 2023. We can’t find the official ticket prices for 2024, but expect it to be similar to the year before.
6. Food & Game Hall in the Shopping Mall
Want a little break from exploring Kandy? Then one of the best things to do is to visit the top floor in Kandy’s Shopping Mall.
On the top floor, you’ll find a game hall, a food hall and even a rollercoaster on the roof! How cool is that?
Anyways, we only visited the food hall. Here you can find lots of international food like Indian, Thai, Italian, and such. So if you want a little break from Sri Lankan food, then this is the place to go in Kandy!
We had the pasta and it was actually quite good.
7. Visit the Royal Botanical Gardens
One of the top things to do in Kandy is to explore the Royal Botanical Gardens, also known as Peradeniya Botanical Gardens.
It’s Sri Lanka’s biggest and finest botanical garden, so it’s not to be missed during your stay in Kandy.
Some of the highlights of the garden is the Orchid House, the Rose Garden, the big Java Fig Tree on the lawn, the Memorial Trees, and the Palm Avenue.
Inside the garden, you’re also likely to see many macaques and squirrels.
The Royal Botanical Gardens are located around 6 kilometers out of Kandy City Center, so you’ll need a tuk tuk to take you there.
The 2024 ticket prices is 3000 LKR for foreign adults and 1500 LKR for foreign children up to 12 years old. On top of that, expect to pay between 500-600 LKR each way for a tuk tuk ride.
So the Royal Botanical Gardens are a bit more expensive to visit than other attractions in Kandy, but we thought it was worth it.
Don’t go too late in the day as you want to be able to see the whole park (it’s really big) and get the most out of your money. The opening hours to Kandy’s Botanical Gardens are 7:30 AM to 6 PM, but beware that the ticket office closes one hour before the gardens itself.
8. Explore Kandy on a tour
Apart from all the great things to do, which we’ve mentioned here, there is still a lot more to Kandy.
Kandy is full of history, it has several temples, churches, colonial buildings, delicious food, and much more that you can explore in the city center. So if you want to know more of the city, then why not go on a tour?
We found two Kandy tours on Viator, which sound good:
9. Ascent the Ambuluwawa Tower
One of the coolest things to do in Kandy, which we unfortunately never got to do, is to walk up the Ambuluwawa Tower.
The Ambuluwawa Tower is a 48 meter tall white tower with a spiral staircase that surrounds the top of the spire. This means you can walk up to the top of the spire and have some magnificent views over the hilltops.
Visiting this beautiful tower is definitely on our itinerary for our next visit to Kandy!
You’ll find that the tower is located a little way out of Kandy in a city named Gampola. You can take the public bus, the train, or a tuk tuk to the tower.
10. Day trips from Kandy
One of Kandy’s biggest benefits is its location.
Given that it’s located in the middle of Sri Lanka, you can easily find tours from Kandy to other nature places, historical places, and cities.
So if you feel like you’ve explored most of Kandy already, then why not go on a day trip? Below, we’ve gathered a list of some great places you can visit from Kandy:
- Sigiriya: The ancient rock fortress is an incredible UNESCO site that is not to be missed on your trip to Sri Lanka. Luckily, you can easily get there from Kandy by public bus, private taxi, or by joining a Sigiriya Day Tour from Kandy. Or read our travel guide if you want to know more: Sigiriya Rock.
- Nuwara Eliya: Discover the incredible tea plantation landscapes of Nuwara Eliya. You can either get here by train, private taxi, or by joining a Nuwara Eliya Day Tour from Kandy.
- Waterfalls: If you’re into chasing waterfalls, then Kandy is a great place to be. Check out this Waterfall Hunters Tour from Kandy, which takes you to 3 different waterfalls. Spend the day out of the city and swim in the refreshing falls.
We hope you enjoyed this blog post about all the best things to do in Kandy. While I personally had to get used to the fast pace of the city after some quiet days in Sigiriya, I eventually began to love Kandy’s chaos – and I hope you will too!
Don’t hesitate to ask any questions in the comment section below, and we’ll get back to you.
Thanks for reading and happy travels!
Check out some other blog posts from Sri Lanka:
he tips and personal experiences you’ve shared add a special touch to the post, making it even more engaging. Thanks for shedding light on the hidden gems and must-visit places. Your enthusiasm for Kandy is contagious, and I can’t wait to experience it for myself. Keep up the great work and happy travels! 🌟
Hi Sandra, thank you for your kind words! We hope you enjoy Kandy as much as we did. Happy travels! 🙂 Cecilie