Things To Do

We take a look at the best things to do in Kandy, Sri Lanka’s second city and cultural capital. The benefits of massage therapy have been proven to increase with consistent and frequent sessions

Dalada maligawa

Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic

Sri Dalada Maligawa or the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, alongside Adam’s Peak, is considered one of the holiest places in Sri Lanka and is an important pilgrimage destination. The golden-roofed temple is supposedly home to a tooth of Buddha and during the puja, the time of offering and prayers, tourists as well as religious followers are able to inspect the gold casket in which it is guarded. The temple itself is located in the royal palace complex, which encompasses several temples and museums. It was originally believed that the holder of the tooth relic would also be the rightful governor of Sri Lanka. Particularly noteworthy is the annual perahera, during which the tooth is paraded around the city accompanied by around 65 colorfully decorated elephants.

11 minutes drive

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Kandy Lake

Kandy Lake was artificially constructed by the last king of Sri Lanka and Kandy, Wikrama Rajasinhe, as an additional feature for the beautifully laid out Temple of Tooth complex. Also called the Milky Ocean, the lake remains partially incomplete due to the British invasion in 1815. Several legends are connected to Kandy Lake and it is believed that the king installed a secret tunnel from its island to the palace. Nowadays, it remains one of the most highly regarded sights in the country and, despite its location in the center of the bustling city, the lake makes for a wonderful stroll and a respite from the noise of motorbikes and market vendors.

11 minutes drive

Bahirawa kanda

Bahirawakanda Vihara Buddha Statue

Located on a hill, overlooking the city, lies Bahiravokanda Vihara, a giant Buddha statue and one of the city’s most notable religious monuments. Visitors can climb to the top of the hill within an hour, but should be aware of rising temperatures during noon. Once you have reached the peak, bahivara kanda, or devil’s hill, offers panoramic views of Kandy and its surrounding area. The statue itself can be seen from most places throughout the city and is particularly enchanting at night when it is bathed in light. Make sure to remove your shoes before entering the premises or join the devotees, who offer flowers or light oil lamps in reverence to the mighty Buddha

08 minutes drive

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Walk in Udawattakele Forest Reserve

The urban forest reserve of Udawattakele once served as the pleasure garden of the kings of Kandy. The wildlife sanctuary is home to several species of mammals, reptiles and an impressive fauna. Additionally it houses several important Buddhist meditation hermitages. The park is particularly popular with bird watchers and is of great educational value. The Sri Lanka Forest Department has installed two offices in the reserve which display posters and stuffed animals and where visitors can get more information about the life of the park. Udawattakele is a celebration of the lush jungles of Sri Lanka and its tropical nature and is one of the best reasons to get out of the bustling city.

11 minutes drive

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Victoria Dam

Victoria Dam is an arch dam located 130 mi upstream of the Mahaweli River’s mouth and 4 mi from Teldeniya. Its main purposes are irrigation and hydroelectric power production. It is the tallest dam in Sri Lanka and supports a 210 MW power station, the largest hydroelectric power station in the country.

01 Hour 24 minutes drive

Ambuluwawa

Ambuluwawa Biodiversity Complex

Ambuluwawa is situated in Gampola, and it is 3567 feet above the sea level. It is a popular place among travelers due to so many reasons. Though it does not have any historical value it has some attractive facts that attracts visitors. This place was launched as a bio diversity complex in 2006.

This is the only isolated mountain in Central Province. It is not covered by any other mountains. Due to this reason it is a very good place to get a beautiful view of the area. You can get a wide view here as it is open on every direction.

01 Hour 05 minutes drive

Pinnawala-Elephant-Orphanage-3

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage (PEO) ; just as the name suggests holds a unique disposition in the ex-situ animal care. It’s success and fame has travelled not just within the country but throughout the world to an extent where Pinnawala synonymous with the Sri Lankan Elephant.

Currently being a home to 93 elephants the concept was actualized by the late Hon. Minister Kalugalle on the 16th of February 1975. Pinnawala at the time was a very remote area with lush coconut plantations and most importantly an area where the availability of mahouts was not lacking. Also the immense amount of water required by the elephants is supplemented with the availability of “Ma oya” running close by.

01 Hour 10 minutes drive

Peradeniya campus

University Of Peradeniya

The University of Peradeniya is a state university in Sri Lanka, funded by the University Grants Commission. It was established as the University of Ceylon in 1942

14 minutes drive

Garden peradeniya

Peradeniya Botanic Garden

As Sri Lanka’s largest garden an elegant and spacious 147-acres (60-hectares) plenty of time is needed to stroll Peradeniya’s imposing Avenue of Royal Palms.

There are some 4,000 different species of plants at Peradeniya Gardens. The 10,000 or so trees, which are the stars, are mature, lofty giants, many of them tropical timber trees. Highlights of the collection include the Giant Bamboo of Burma, capable of growing to 40 meters height (130 feet) with a 25-centimetre (10-inch) stem diameter. And it can grow by a rapid 30 centimeters a day (12 inches).

12 minutes drive

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