Kandy (Sri Lanka) is an ancient city with a population of just under 112 thousand people. For Buddhists all over the world, it is not only a cultural center, but also a spiritual center, a sacred place for all believers. Kandy is located in the center of the island, close to Colombo (115 km). In this article, you can find out what to see in Kandy (Sri Lanka).
The last Sinhalese capital
For 225 years (since the 16th century), the country was a sovereign state, but in 1815 it was captured by the British, and together with many other Asian and African countries it became a colony. However, the spirit of the people was not broken and despite the fact that almost the entire royal family was killed, the city of Kandy in Sri Lanka managed not only to preserve all the cultural and spiritual treasures, but also to multiply them.
Ceylon suffered a great deal, one of which was the civil war between the Tamils and the Sinhalese. It lasted 20 years, and became one of the bloodiest in the history of mankind. Despite the fact that the military conflict ended in 2009, the country has still not recovered from the losses: about 100,000 people were killed, and for small Ceylon, this is a huge figure. Also, many buildings were destroyed, and most cannot be restored. The result of the Sri Lankan civil war was the victory of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the loss of the Tamil Tigers.
Origin of the name
In ancient times, the city of Kandy had a different name-Senkadagala, which means “Capital of growing splendor”. This name was too long, so the indigenous people renamed their city Maha Nuwara, which translates to “Great City”.
Surprisingly, even today at many railway stations and buildings you can find both the modern and ancient name of the city of Kandy in Sri Lanka.
City attractions
Almost all the attractions of Kandy (Sri Lanka) in one way or another they are connected with Buddhism – the faith of the indigenous people. Today, the city has no problems with tourists, because the cultural capital of Sri Lanka is one of the most beautiful and largest cities in the country.
So what to see in Kandy? Let’s look at it below.
Temple of the Tooth of the Buddha (Sri Dalada Maligawa)
As you know, after his death, the Buddha was cremated. Only four teeth of the sacred teacher survived, one of which was brought to the main temple of Sri Lanka. The sanctuary is named after this event.
The holy City of Kandy is the last location of the relic of the Sacred Tooth of Gautama Buddha. The relic was brought to Sri Lanka by Princess Hemamala and Prince Dantha from the city of Kalinga in ancient India in the 4th century. It became a symbol of the kings of Sri Lanka and was carefully guarded in a special shrine built on the territory of the royal palace, wherever the capital was located.
According to legend, the tooth of the Buddha has magical properties: the person who owns it has full power and can cope with any adversity.
The sacred relic for Buddhists has been tried many times to destroy. The first Dalada Madura in Kandy, which contained the relic of the Sacred Tooth, was built by King Vimaladharmasuria I during his reign from 1592 to 1604. History shows that it was destroyed by the Portuguese during their invasions. A second temple was built on the same site by King Rajasinghe II during his reign from 1635 to 1687, which was burned down by the Dutch.
The last time an attempt to destroy the sights occurred in 1998, when Islamists blew up the temple. But the shrine is surprisingly preserved, and still attracts the attention of Buddhists from all over the world. Today it is the main attraction of Kandy, which is a must-see.
The temple is part of the royal palace complex and is located in a small fenced area, and around it stands another temple, built after the city became the guardian of the shrine. The outer building has a library and several small halls with a Buddha statue and a large number of ancient frescoes.
Due to the fact that earlier attempts were made to blow up the temple, today all tourists are searched at the entrance to the attractions, and only then they are allowed to pass. By the way, men and women are probed separately from each other (this is due to the peculiarities of culture).
There are always fresh flowers at the entrance to the sanctuary. They are worth taking if you want to get as close (as possible) to the shrine.
On the second floor, there is a line of believers who walk along the wall to the window, where they put flowers. Through this small opening, you can see the hall, which has another window. It opens into the room where the Buddha’s tooth is located. The most amazing thing is that people who have seen the shrine can be counted on their fingers.
The best time to visit the temple is 6.00, 10.00 and 18.00. It is at this time that you can watch pujas (religious rites) and attend the service.
- Location: Kandy city center.
- Opening hours: 5: 30-20: 00.
- The cost of visiting the attraction is 1500 rupees.
- Features: before entering the temple, you must take off your shoes.
On a note! From Kandy, you can easily reach the Lion Rock (Sigiriya). how to do this and why you should see one of the most significant sights in Sri Lanka, see here.
Royal Palace
The Kandy Palace is the last royal residence established in Sri Lanka. It was built in the 14th century. Despite the fact that today there is not much left of the building to see them, many tourists still come from all over the world. The walls were completely destroyed and later rebuilt, but the interior design of the attraction was preserved.
It is worth saying that the royal palace has played an important role in the history of the state. This is where the Royal courts of Justice were held, and it was here that the Kandy Convention was drawn up.
Today, the Royal Palace is not only a historical landmark in Kandy, but also the National Museum of Sri Lanka, which is also sometimes used for state ceremonies. The museum features royal relics and historical artefacts.
- Location: Kandy city center, close to the temple.
- Opening hours of the attraction: 8: 30-16: 30.
- Admission fee: Rs 2,500.
Ranavana Purana Rajamaha Vihara Temple
Ranawana Shrine is located 7 km from Kandy, and it is one of the most beautiful temples in the country. Here is the world’s tallest statue of a walking Buddha. The building stands in the middle of a large forest and seems to be part of nature. In order to find the sanctuary, you will have to try.
The hallmark of the temple are statues of Buddha of different ages and monks. The sight is really unusual: it seems as if the stone statues will now come to life and go to a solemn ceremony in the temple. Due to the fact that the attraction is located in the forest, the atmosphere here is peaceful: there is peace and quiet all around.
- Location: Ranawana Temple Rd, Pilimathalawa, Sri Lanka. 7 km from Kandy or 900 meters from Colombo-Kandy highway.
- You can see what is on the territory of the temple around the clock.
- Admission fee: free of charge, donations are accepted.
You will be interested! In the central part of Sri Lanka, there is a pretty town of Ella, located among the mountains and tea plantations. What to see in it is described on this page.
Royal Botanic Garden of Peradeniya
Peradeniya is the largest botanical garden in Sri Lanka and one of the most beautiful in Asia, made popular by its unique collection of tropical flora. In total, the garden is planted with about 4800 stands of plants, 3/4 of which are blooming.
When visiting this landmark in Kandy, you should pay attention to the alley of memorable trees, which was created with the help of famous people who have ever visited Sri Lanka (each guest of honor planted a tree). The beginning of this tradition was laid by King Edward the Seventh and Russian Emperor Nicholas II.
The Botanical Garden is also famous for its large collection of indoor plants. The unique feature of this exhibition is that it presents more than 100 species of orchids from different regions of the world. Fans of growing plants at home will have something to see.
The palm grove is also worthy of attention, where you can also find interesting specimens (red camellia, Gibraltar tar, kokio, ledvyanets spotted).
Peradeniya Botanical Garden is one of the main and most interesting attractions in Kandy. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit it.
- Location: 6 km from Kandy, Peradeniya Road, Peradeniya 20400, Sri Lanka
- Opening hours: 8: 00-17: 30;
- Admission fee: Rs 1500.
- Website: www.botanicgardens.gov.lk.
Udawatta Kele Forest Reserve
Udawatta Kele Forest Reserve is located in the heart of Kandy, near the Temple of the Tooth. Previously, the Royal Garden was located near the reserve. By the way, the name of this place translates from Sinhala as “Garden located above the royal palace”. In 1856, this garden was transferred to the rank of a nature reserve, and in 1938 it became a sanctuary.
Today, the reserve is home to more than 80 endangered species of birds (Japanese ibis, Ceylon myna, Far Eastern stork, etc.) and animals (cap macaque, Indian muntjac, bandicoot rat, ruddy mongoose).
Also in the reserve there are a large number of rare tree species: large-leaved sweetenia, green ficus, white magnolia, Ceylon ironwood. Separately, it is worth highlighting orchids, of which there are more than 80 species: two-colored cymbidium, wanda, Japanese polystachia and others.
- Location attractions: Lovers Walk, Kandy, Sri Lanka. The park occupies a fairly large territory, so it makes sense to rent bicycles and see it while riding along the paths.
- Opening hours: 7: 00-18: 00.
- Ticket price: 700 rupees.
For a day trip from Kandy, you can easily reach the famous Dambulla Temple located in the city of the same name.
Perahera Festival
The famous Buddhist festival of Perahera is one of the main events of the year for believers. And for tourists – a great opportunity to see the ancient customs of Sri Lanka, get acquainted with the culture. We can say that this is one of the main intangible attractions of Kandy (Sri Lanka).
Esala Perahera is a ten-day festival that symbolizes the veneration of a sacred relic, i.e. the tooth of the Buddha. The place of the festival was chosen not by chance, because it is in Kandy that the tooth of the Buddha, which we wrote about above, is carefully guarded. The shrine is taken out of the box only once a year, and all believers get an amazing opportunity to be close to the treasure.
According to an ancient legend, Perahera is held in order to appease the gods and send peace to the Earth. This holiday is designed to end all wars and bring peace to all the inhabitants of the planet.
The colorful festival is attended not only by monks from the main temples of the country and ordinary believers, but also elephants, which are decorated with bright lanterns and balloons. The festive procession consists of dancers, musicians and torchbearers moving towards the Mahaveli River. Photos of Kandy (Sri Lanka) taken during the holiday are really fascinating: thousands of people merge into a single stream that is visible from anywhere in the city.
The festival of Buddhists takes place in several stages:
On the first day, Kapural is chosen – the main face of the carnival. Subsequently, this person will find the Esala tree and cut it into four parts (according to the number of major Hindu temples).
During the next five days, secret rituals are performed in the shrines, and on the sixth day they are put on public display. On these days, the abbot of the church wears white robes and participates in solemn processions.
Early in the morning on the day of the march, thousands of Buddhists from Asia take to the streets to get the best seats. Kandy is transformed before our eyes: bright crowds of people adorn the city, and it becomes truly festive. At 21.00, when the moon appears in the sky, a cannon shot is heard, and a solemn procession begins to appear out of the darkness. It is very interesting to look at the action from the outside.
However, the parade in the cultural capital of Sri Lanka is only one small part of the celebration. During the festive weeks (11 days and 10 nights), numerous rituals are performed, culminating in the magical rite of cutting water. This ceremony is held in memory of Kataragama’s battle with demons. Monks chant mantras throughout the night, and young girls who want to get married wash their faces at the fountain. It may be a holiday, but it lasts for a very long time, so after the ritual is completed, the main square of the city is full of sleeping people and elephants.
Now we have answered your question about what to see in Kandy in Sri Lanka. This city is also often the starting point for a trip to Adam’s Peak, a sacred mountain. For more information about the attraction, see this article.
How to get to Kandy?
The nearest airport is Colombo International Airport. You can reach Kandy by bus, taxi or train.
From Colombo by bus
From the airport, you can get directly to Kandy by passing bus number 1/245. You need to “catch” the transport by raising your hand, as it may simply not stop. The cost of travel is $1.
If you plan to explore the largest city in Sri Lanka, Colombo, first, then the route will be as follows. From Colombo Central Bus Station in the direction of Kandy, buses No. 1 depart 2-4 times per hour. Tickets can be purchased on-site at the ticket office. The issue price is 160 Sri Lankan rupees. The journey takes 3.5-4 hours.
To get to this station from Bandaranaike International Airport, you need to take bus number 187, which departs from its entrance, it runs around the clock. The same bus will also take you to Colombo Fort Railway Station.
From Colombo by train
From Colombo Fort Railway Station, trains leave for Kandy 8 times a day: the first at 5: 55 am, the last at 17:45. The road takes from 2h 30 min to 2h 50 min. The ticket price for a third – class carriage is Rs 105, the second – RS 190, and the first (air – conditioned) – RS 500. Second and third class seats can only be purchased at the train station ticket office on the day of departure, while first class seats can also be purchased on the website, but it often doesn’t work.
The route passes through a picturesque hilly area, the train periodically passes among tea plantations.
Schedule and current prices can be found on the Sri Lanka Railway website. http://www.railway.gov.lk/.
Taxi
Another rather expensive but convenient way to get to the place you need is to take a taxi. For example, a trip from Colombo to Kandy will cost about $75-100.
From the southern cities of Sri Lanka
From Matara, Galle, Hikkaduwa and other southern Sri Lankan cities, Kandy can only be reached by train with a transfer. So first you need to get to Colombo, and then – see the description above.
It is not a problem to get to Kandy by bus – this is a large city in Sri Lanka and transport runs in its direction quite often. You can check the details at the local bus station.
After seeing the sights of Kandy, travelers often go to Nuwara Eliya, the tea capital of the island.
Weather and climate
Kandy (Sri Lanka) has a mild climate. Daytime temperatures throughout the year are in the range of +28…+32 °C, nighttime – +18…+22 °C.
The best time to visit Kandy is from January to February and from June to September. During these periods, Kandy gets the least amount of rain. But in April-May and October-November, there is a high probability that the weather will not be lucky – it rains quite often.
We hope that our article about the city of Kandy (Sri Lanka) inspired you to new adventures. Enjoy your travels!
