Hotels in Kandy

Kandy: Sri Lanka's Hill Capital and Sacred Centre

Kandy sits 115 km northeast of Colombo at 500 m elevation in the Central Province, surrounded by tea-covered hills. The city served as the last royal capital of Sri Lanka until British annexation in 1815. Its centrepiece, the Temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa), houses a sacred Buddhist relic and draws pilgrims year-round. The Kandy Lake, an artificial reservoir built by King Sri Wickrama Rajasinha in 1807, borders the temple complex and defines the city's core geography.

Visitors come for the Esala Perahera, a ten-day procession held annually in July or August featuring decorated elephants, drummers, and fire dancers — one of Asia's largest Buddhist festivals. The Royal Botanic Gardens at Peradeniya, 6 km west of the city centre, spread across 147 acres and contain over 4,000 plant species including a 200-year-old Java fig tree. The surrounding Knuckles Mountain Range provides trekking terrain within 30 km.

Practical Tips

• Getting there: Trains from Colombo Fort take roughly 2.5 hours; the scenic hill route passes Peradeniya Junction.
• Climate: Kandy receives rain from both monsoons; May–August and October–January see the heaviest rainfall — pack a light waterproof layer.
• Temple dress code: Shoulders and knees must be covered at Sri Dalada Maligawa; sarongs are available at the entrance for a small fee.