Kandy, one of the most important places in Sri Lanka, is a pretty little city with a major historical and religious background. It was the last capital of ancient Sri Lanka and is located right in the center of the island county. Even though Sri Lanka is known for its beautiful beaches, the amazing green and misty hillsides of this country cannot be ignored. And Kandy is in the middle of it all.
The city lies in the midst of the Kandy plateau and is surrounded by charming tea plantations and lush green hills. Kandy and its surrounding regions hosts a number of historical and religious sites. Some of these major attractions include the famous Temple of tooth relic, one of the most sacred places of worship for the Buddhists, and the nearby ancient sites of Dambulla. This is our guide on top things to do in Kandy Sri Lanka with a hope to help you plan your own trip to this beautiful place.
We are a roaming couple who likes to travel on a budget and we generally don’t spend a long time in a particular place. As our blog name suggests, we hop around quite frequently. So if our style, i.e., short trip on a budget, suits you, we believe the following guide will help you to understand the place better. There is also a suggested 2 or 3 day itinerary and an estimated cost at the end which we followed and might help you with planning your own trip. If you like our posts, please subscribe to us using email or through social media.
Top things to do in Kandy Sri Lanka
1. Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
Now, even if we don’t consider the tourism aspect, this city is of immense historical and religious importance among Buddhists all around the world. And that’s because, according to legends, this beautiful temple houses a significant Buddhist relic, one of the teeth of Gautama Buddha himself.
It is said that the tooth, which was a left from Buddha’s funeral pyre, was smuggled to Sri Lanka from Kalinga in India by a Princess and her husband. From then onwards, the tooth has played an important role in both religious and political aspects of the island nation and it was believed that whoever had the custody of the tooth, had the right to rule the country.
This magnificent temple, also known as Sri Dalada Maligawa, is part of a royal palace and was built by late king Vimaladharmasooriya 1st in 1592 AD. The Relic Shrine is approached by a large draw-bridge over a water filled moat and through a beautifully decorated tunnel that leads to the main shrine complex.
Inside of the temple is decorated beautifully with paintings and sculptures of Lord Buddha and other gods and goddesses and monks, with a golden canopy over the main shrine. There is a drummer’s chamber situated in front of the main shrine.
During the festival of Esala Perahera, or the festival of the tooth, this temple is visited by many, and this colorful festival is accompanied by beautifully decorated elephants. The entrance to the temple costs LKR 1500 for foreigners.
2. Kandy Lake
Right at the center of the city and beside the famous tooth relic temple, there is the Kandy lake. This beautiful and peaceful artificial lake has a bloody history though. When this lake was constructed in 1807, the local tribes protested but they were all slaughtered and put to stakes ordered by the then king Sri Wickrama Rajasinha. At the center of the lake there is a small man made island which was originally Sri Wickrama Rajasinha’s harem and was later converted to an ammunition depot by the British.
The lake is full of wildlife though. You can see beautiful swans and other birds thriving in the waterbody. But don’t even think of taking a swim as the waters are infested with snakes and monitor lizards.
3. Bahirawakanda Vihara Buddha Statue
Now, when you are in Kandy, this one is hard to miss, at least visually. This is a massive white Buddha statue, as tall as 27 meters, and can be seen from almost all corners of Kandy. The construction of the statue, located in the temple Sri Maha Bodhi Viharaya, was finished in 1992.
The temple also offers a stunning view of the Kandy city from the top and is especially incredible during the sunset.
4. Daytrip to Dambulla
Situated just 75 Kms from Kandy, Dambulla is a pretty little town but with vast historic importance. Dambulla is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka with over 80 documented caves in the surrounding area. Dambulla is famous for two famous UNESCO world heritage sites. The Sigiriya rock fortress and the Dambulla cave temple. We have a complete photo story about a day trip to Dambulla which can be found here.
Dambulla cave temple, also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla, is a beautifully preserved cave temple perched on top of a small hill and has a giant golden Buddha statue at the entrance.
Inside it has a total of 153 Buddha statues and extravagant frescoes and wall paintings on every corner of the caves, even on the ceilings, telling tales from Buddhism. The entrance fee to this temple is 1500 LKR per person.
The Sigiriya Rock is another unique place in itself. This is a huge granite hill almost 180 meters high, on top of which there are the ruins of an ancient city. The entrance to this site is a bit costly though at 30 USD per person for foreigners.
The top of the hill is accessible by navigating through a series of staircases and beautiful wall paintings along the way.
On the top of the rock, very few standing structures remain but there are constructions still present as testimony to the ancient city. Also from the top you can witness a breathtaking view of the whole region covered by a vast blanket of green forest.
How to reach
Being one of the most important cities in Sri Lanka, Kandy is well connected to the rest of the country by roads and railways. This city is just 120 Kms from the capital Colombo by road and frequent buses run both from Colombo airport and Colombo city to Kandy. Buses are by far the cheapest mode of travel, but if you want to spend more, taxis are available too for hire from Colombo.
A little costlier than buses, but by far the most fun way to reach Kandy is definitely the railways. The train ride from Colombo is just around 3 hours and is very scenic. Kandy is also connected to Ella and this route is said by some to be the most scenic train ride in the world.
Where to stay
We are generally a heavy user of Airbnb due to its affordability and more connected to the place feel and Kandy Sri Lanka has a lot of affordable options in that respect. If you want to spend a little more, Kandy has a good number of choices for absolutely gorgeous hotels too.
Budget | Bethel Rest Homestay
Located in a tropical, green and calm area of Hanthana Kandy, this homestay is just 10 minutes drive from the city center.
Budget | OYO 455 Amigo’s Home Stay
3-star hotel at a budget, just 3.5 Km from city center and with all basic amenities.
Mid Range | Rivora Residence
Beautiful location and lake views, this 4 star property is 5 Kms from city center.
Luxury | Tea Heights
Featuring outdoor swimming pool and other outdoor activities and a beautiful terrace, this luxury hotel is amidst the green Kandy hills.
A short trip itinerary for Kandy
Day 1:
- Reach Kandy by an early morning train/bus from Colombo.
- Check in to your hotel and have a heavy breakfast to prepare for a long day ahead.
- Head out to explore the city, take a walk by the Kandy lake and visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.
- After the temple, towards the evening take a tuk tuk and reach the Bahirawakanda Vihara Buddha temple overlooking Kandy and enjoy the magnificent sunset over the pretty city.
- Once it gets dark, head back to your hotel, have a full belly dinner and some beer and sleep off your fatigue.
Day 2:
- Start this day early, book a cab (or rather arrange for it the previous day) and head for the ancient ruins of Dambulla.
- There are multiple locations in Dambulla that you need to visit so plan accordingly. Try to cover the Golden Temple of Dambulla first and make it to Sigiriya towards late afternoon so that you can be there at the top before sunset. Again don’t miss the glorious sunset from top of Sigiriya.
- Head back to Kandy and indulge in some shopping and end your day again after some delicious Sri Lankan cuisine.
Day 3:
- Bade Kandy goodbye and move to your next fabulous destination.
Estimated costs of the trip
Here is an estimated cost for this short trip for 2 persons for 2 days from our experience on what we spent on a budget.
Bus from Colombo to Kandy : 1.5 USD x2 = 3 USD
Train from Kandy to Colombo : 3 USD x2 = 6 USD
Hotel for 2 nights (Airbnb) : 25 USD per night = 50 USD
Food cost for 2 days (Average) : 20 USD x2 = 40 USD
Dambulla cab cost : 50 USD
Tooth relic temple Entrance cost : 10 USD x2 = 20 USD
Dambulla golden temple entrance cost : 10 USD x2 = 20 USD
Sigiriya entrance cost : 30 USD x2 = 60 USD
Misc expenses (bottled water, cab etc.) = 30 USD
Total cost ~ 280 USD for 2 people for 2 days including a day trip to Dambulla.
Having said all these, if you are looking for ease, you might want to check this Kandy day tour.
Or this day trip to Dambulla from Kandy
Hope you have a great trip ahead!!!
If you liked our Guide on Top Things To Do In Kandy Sri Lanka, please check out our other Destinations.
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