Visiting Kandy: Practical Information

In one month in Sri Lanka, we will have passed through Kandy twice. A must-visit city on the island, both for its crossroads position and for its historical and religious significance to the Sinhalese.

What to see and do in Kandy?

In Kandy for the Festival of the Tooth

We discovered Kandy during the largest Buddhist ceremony in the country: Esala Perahera (the Festival of the Tooth).

But Kandy is not limited to this annual festival. Here is some practical information to explore it.

In the Land of Kandy...

Located in the heart of Sri Lanka, Kandy truly lives up to its nickname: > (>). Nestled in the mountains at just 1,640 feet above sea level, it has over 125,000 residents.

This city holds special significance for the Sinhalese, with some still considering it the capital (as it was the heart of the last Sinhalese kingdom). During the tumultuous periods of Sri Lanka's history involving the Dutch and the Portuguese, Kandy managed to remain largely untouched... until the arrival of the British in 1815, who marked the city with their influence.

In recent years, Kandy seems to have followed an exponential growth curve. The peaceful haven has modernized significantly, along with all the noise and pollution that comes with it. During the Esala Perahera period, the number of attendees seems to multiply endlessly, along with the number of tuk-tuks and the surrounding noise.

Visiting Kandy

Kandy, a Sacred City

Two things immediately strike tourists upon their arrival in Kandy: its artificial lake and the high concentration of temples and shrines. It's no wonder that Kandy is regarded as the religious capital of the island.

The Temple of the Tooth: Sri Dalada Maligawa

Esala Perahera, Sri Lanka, Kandy, — Elephants at the Festival of the Tooth photo by unsacsurledos.com

seaplane, travel, adventure — Flying in a seaplane: a big first! photo by unsacsurledos.com

The most important temple in Kandy: the Temple of the Tooth, known in Sinhalese as Sri Dalada Maligawa. Begun in the 18th century and completed in 1782, this temple was part of the royal palace of Kandy. Enclosed by a wall, it consists of several buildings: the Vahahitina Maligawa, the Alut Maligawa, the Sri Dalada Museum, and the Mangul.

The heart of this palace-temple is of course >, in the sanctuary (>). But don't be disappointed: it's impossible to catch a glimpse of the famous tooth. It is protected by seven golden caskets nested within one another, like Russian dolls. The only thing you can actually see is the ceremonial spectacle, animated by a flute player and drummers.

More information about the Temple of the Tooth can be found in the article dedicated to Esala Perahera.

What: this museum presents a view of Buddhism around the world, country by country.
Address: behind the Temple of the Tooth
Hours: open daily from 9 AM to 8 PM
Fee: 500 Rs
What: collection of items that belonged to the kings of Kandy.
Address: King's Street; north of the Temple of the Tooth (entrance from outside the temple)
Hours: open daily (except Tuesday) from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM
Fee: Free entry.
What: collection of art objects: costumes, tableware, weapons, woodwork from the Kandy period (17th-19th century).
Address: southeast of the Temple of the Tooth, in the former royal concubine palace
Hours: open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM
Fee: 500 Rs
What: green space containing several notable buildings or sites (including two of the four temples of the protector deities of the Tooth): Natha Devale, Pattini Temple (and its imposing Bo tree: Vel Bodhiya), Saint Paul's Anglican Church
Address: opposite the Temple of the Tooth.
Hours: open 24/7
Fee: free access
What: large white Buddha statue overlooking the city of Kandy
Address: Sri Pushpadana Mawatha, 1.2 miles west of the Temple of the Tooth
What: artificial lake 1.8 km long and 300 m wide, created on former rice fields in 1807 by the last king of Kandy
Address: to the east of downtown.

The Four Guardian Deities

The Temple of the Tooth is protected by four guardian deities. Each of these deities is honored in a temple located around the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy:

Natha Devale: dedicated to Natha (the abbreviated and local form of Mahayana the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, ultimate compassion Buddhist deity), located in Temple Square)
Pattini Temple: dedicated to Pattini, goddess of chastity and healer of diseases (located in Temple Square)
Maha Vishnu Devale: dedicated, as its name indicates, to Vishnu, the protective god (located opposite Temple Square)
Kataragama Temple: dedicated to Murugan (or Skanda), god of War, located 350 meters from Temple Square)

Other Sites to Visit

Aside from the Temple of the Tooth, there are other interesting sites to discover (and many are located next to the famous temple).

Other places in the vicinity of Kandy can be interesting if you have the time, such as the Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya.

International Buddhist Museum (IBM)

Archaeological Museum

Kandy National Museum

Temple Square

Bahirawa Kanda Statue

Kandy Lake (Bogambara Lake)

Kandy: Practical Information

Where to Stay

Many accommodation options in Kandy: from hotels > to more family-run guesthouses. Aim for accommodations on the hills around the lake: a more pleasant (and less noisy) setting than in the city center. We do not have a specific address to recommend.

Be careful, during Esala Perahera, prices are easily tripled and many accommodations are fully booked weeks before the event. There's always a way to find something, but if you want a specific place, it's better to make a reservation.

Note: As everywhere on the island, we found that accommodations offered were often very basic or luxurious: hard to find a middle ground. In general, beware of photos on the internet and the beautiful hotel lobbies: the reality in the room can sometimes be very different from what one expects. Don't hesitate to check a room before accepting, and verify cleanliness, test the electricity, hot water, fan... and check if there are mosquito nets on the windows and/or above the bed.

Where to Eat

In Kandy, there is a choice for all tastes and budgets, from the most local to the most > with a few fast food options. We do not have a specific address to recommend.

Transport

From Colombo: Kandy is located 118 km northeast of Colombo. The two cities can be connected by train or bus... or by seaplane! By train: between 2.5 and 3 hours By bus: 4 to 5 hours
Towards the > north: 2.5 hours by bus to Dambulla
To Nuwara Eliya: 3 hours by bus

If you have advice or experiences to share, feel free to leave them in the comments!

To go further: - Esala Perahera: Experience the Festival of the Tooth - Sri Lanka: Hiking in the Tea Plantations - Traveling in Sri Lanka as a Woman: My Impressions - Traveling by Train in Sri Lanka (coming soon)