Kandy is the second largest city, after Colombo, which is located in the central part of Sri Lanka. It’s counted in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites due to which people from all over the world are keen to visit this city.
Below you will find a quick guide to Kandy places to visit, how to get there and how to get around this town. Along with some additional tips to make your journey a memorable one.
PLACES TO VISIT IN KANDY :
CULTURAL DANCE SHOW :
As the general route goes, we too went to Kandy from Colombo. We started late in the morning and reached Kandy just in time for the Cultural Dance show. This show comprised of several dancers (both male & female) wearing traditional as well as animal costumes and performing varied forms of dance and portraying their culture. After which there were fire performances, where they entertained us with stunts related to fire.
2. TEMPLE OF TOOTH RELIC :
The main reason for people to visit this city is for the ancient temple where the royal family of Sri Lanka last resided. Kandy is counted in UNESCO World Heritage Sites due to this temple. Temple of tooth Relic also known as Sri Dalada Maligawa holds great significance in Buddhist community as it houses the sacred tooth relic of Gautam Buddha. This temple is a huge complex divided in 14 sections. Lot’s of visitors flock to this temple from different parts of the World.
There’s a huge line inside the temple which moves forward slowly yet steadily. As soon as you’re inside, the guards try to push you outside in order to avoid crowd. Due to this one hardly gets seconds to wait inside the shrine room. However, one doesn’t get to see the actual tooth itself, just the place where it’s hidden.
TIP : It’s mandatory to cover shoulders & knees before entering this temple for both men & women. Otherwise entry is prohibited inside the complex.
3. PINNAWALA ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE :
Elephant orphanage was the highlight of the entire trip of this city. It’s one of the biggest elephant orphanage in the world located on the outskirts of Kandy. Most of the elephants found by this organization were abandoned by their herd or family. The officials take care of the abandoned elephants, feed & nurture them as their own. The entrance fees that is charged & collected goes back into the welfare of the animals.
The elephants have to follow a fixed schedule throughout the day. Early morning they’re taken everyday to a nearby river where one can find them enjoying and playing in the water. After which they eat their lunch and again go back to the river to enjoy themselves. One can observe their daily routine inside the elephant orphanage. Visitors can interact with the animals and take pictures with them. It’s important to know that, we as humans shouldn’t ride on the back of the Elephants as it’s painful for them.
TIP : There are additional places one can visit in Kandy which includes the Botanical garden, the Kandy Lake etc. However, due to lack of time, we couldn’t visit these places.
Getting around Kandy
Kandy is a huge city after Colombo, that’s why three wheeler are easily available everywhere. However make sure to strike a price before hand with the driver. They tend to charge higher in times of traffic and bad weather. There are lots of scams, due to which many end up paying more than required. In order to avoid this, negotiating is a must !
Getting to Kandy!
COLOMBO TO KANDY : We did a road trip from Colombo to Kandy and reached within 3 hours. Also, there are regular buses & trains between these cities, which makes the overall experience convenient. As far as trains are concerned, its always better to book them in advance during weekends and during season in order to have a hassle free journey!
TIP : Travel by train between Kandy to Nuwara Eliya. It’s one of the most scenic routes with lots of picturesque landscapes.
CONCLUSION :
I must admit, Kandy disappointed me (except the elephant orphanage). I had a lot of expectations from this city. According to me, If you have less time there are other innumerable beautiful places in Sri Lanka where you can visit. I recommend to skip this city altogether unless you REALLY want to visit the temple.
If you’ve already visited, do share your experiences with me! Let’s share stories. Also, Subscribe to the newsletter at the end of the page to receive new posts directly in your inbox.