Kandy, a quiet city calmly sitting in Sri Lanka’s Central Province and surrounded by the impressive Hanthana mountain range, is one of Sri Lanka’s major cities and an important cultural, economic and administrative hub. From a touristic perspective, Kandy is a place everyone simply falls in love with, without needing to express any distinctive reason.
A perfect place to relax, a magical city that hits your calming senses the minute you enter its borders—a place with not too many reasons to captivate you, yet not too few to bore you!
When I say calm or quiet, this is the feeling the city stays in your memory, despite the crazy traffic of people and vehicles on its streets and all the chaos in almost every street in town.
It was the last royal capital of Ceylon before the British took over the city in 1815, a place where history was written about the greatest heroes and the worst traitors. The most revered Sri Dalada Maligawa, or the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, attracts thousands of locals and tourists every single day to this UNESCO World Heritage town.
A stroll by the lake, with sweeping views of the surrounding Udawattakele Forest Reserve and the Wales Park area, is just beautiful.
For someone who admires culture and history, there are many sites to visit, such as Embekka, Gadaladeniya and Lankatilaka Viharaya. Then, the most famous sites include the Royal Botanic Gardens of Peradeniya, a spectacular garden spread across around 60 hectares, home to thousands of plant species, including orchids, palms, ferns and tropical trees. Other worth visiting places include the Ceylon Tea Museum, Gem Museum, Bahirawakanda Buddha Statue, a traditional cultural show and the Garrison Cemetery.
Plenty of hotels, villas and boutique accommodation options are available for a memorable stay in Kandy. Unique experiences include traditional cultural shows, batik workshops, visits to working tea factories, exploring a gem museum, luxury Ayurvedic rejuvenation stays and meditation centre experiences.
Kandy is among the top touristic spots in Sri Lanka. It is a place I have personal connections with, a nostalgic town that never fails to mesmerize me, and, from a touristic point of view, a place I wouldn’t miss.
D’s Ceylon Notes