Tourist Places to Visit in Kandy, Sri Lanka, Asia
Kandy is the second largest city of Sri Lanka after Colombo is located in Kandy District of Central Province. It is situated about 115 kms northeast of national capital Colombo and is home to famous Tooth Relic Temple or Sri Dalada Maligawa.
Geography and Climate of Kandy:
Kandy City covers an area of 27 sq. km. and is placed between 7°17′47″ N latitude and 80°38′6″ E longitude. It is situated in the middle of hills in the Kandy plateau and is positioned at an altitude of 500 meters.
History of Kandy:
Kandy was previously called by different names like Senkadagala, Senkadagalapura and Senkanda. It is believed that, the emperor of Gampola Vikramabahu III founded Kandy during 14th century.
Landmarks in Kandy:
- Peradeniya Botanical Garden
- Lankatilaka Temple
- Royal Palace
- Dharmaraja College
Economy of Kandy:
Kandy City Centre is the major shopping centre of Kandy situated in the heart of the city. Kandy is home to numerous furniture, information technology, textile and agro based industries.
Connectivity to Kandy:
Kandy is served by both private and government organization buses. Sri Lanka Transport Board is operating bus services all around the city and buses are accessible at Kandy Central Bus Stand.
Victoria Resevour Kandy Airport is situated 2 kms away from the Kandy city centre with daily flights to Bandaranaike International Airport, Colombo.
One can board trains at Kandy Railway Station situated 1.5 kms away from the midpoint of the city.
Culture and Shopping in Kandy:
The majority of Kandy’s population is covered by Sinhalese, followed by Sri Lankan Moors, Sri Lankan Tamils and Indian Tamilians. Esala Perahera is very famous cultural event in Kandy organized during July or August every year. Kandy is well known for international cricket stadium in the vicinity.
There is one new commercial and shopping complex located at Dalada Veediya named as ‘Kandy City Centre’ home to numerous supermarkets, modern restaurants and entertainment centres. Other shopping centres include Laksala, Waruna Antiques, Upali and Jayakody Batiks.
Kandy houses Sri Lankan, Indian, Chinese, European style hotels and numerous fast food centres namely Pizza Hut and KFC. The best restaurants in near proximity include:
- Devon Restaurant
- Bakehouse
- Sriram Indian Restaurant
- Avanhala
- Flower Song Chinese Restaurant
Tourist Attractions in Kandy:
The Temple of the Tooth:
The Temple of the Tooth is one of the most famous holy places of Sri Lanka and has a tooth relic of the Lord Buddha. The entrance fee for foreign tourists is 1000 LKR.
Royal Botanical Garden:
Royal Botanical Garden is the most scenic garden of the Kandy situated in Peradeniya. The orchid house, the big banyan plant and the suspension bridge are the prime attractions of the garden. The admission fee for foreign travelers is 1100 LKR.
New Ranweli Spice Garden:
New Ranweli Spice Garden is situated in the vicinity of Peradeniya Botanical Garden is the best place to know about Sri Lankan spices and herbs.
The list of other tourist attractions near Kandy is as follows:
- Bahirawakanda Temple
- The Tea Museum
- Udawattakele Royal Forest Sanctuary
- Commonwealth War Cemetery
- Kandyan Art Association
- Kandy International Cricket Stadium
- The Royal Palace of Kandy
Best time to visit Kandy:
From March to middle of May is the ideal time to travel Kandy.
Accommodation Options in Kandy:
The prominent budget, mid range and royal hotels in Kandy city are listed below:
- Kandy Downtown Hostel
- Rosendale Villa
- Olde Empire
- Kandy Cottage
- Peace Haven Guest House
- Amaya Hills Kandy
- Chaaya Citadel Kandy
- Earl’s Regency
- Forest Villa
- Golden View Rest
- Randholee Resort
- Riverdale Hotel
- Swiss Residence Kandy Hotel
- The Tourmaline Hotel
- Tourmaline Hotel