Kandy is one of the most famous cities which is situated in Central province of Sri Lanka and it gets its name from the Sinhalese word for ‘hill’ and surrounded by magnificent mountain ranges. People are visiting every other corner to see beauty of this place and specially Kandyan dance performances are more interesting in Kandy. There are lot of tourist attracted destinations in Kandy it has a special value for its scenic beauty and rich culture. There are lot of interesting activities can do such as observing temple of the Tooth, fish feeding in Kandy Lake, Seeing Kandy cultural Dance show, walking around the picturesque Kandy Lake, Explore the market streets of Kandy old town, visiting local cuisine tasting local foods and etc.
Places to visit in Kandy
Temple of the Sacred tooth Relic
This is a Buddhist temple commonly known in English as ‘Temple of the sacred Tooth Relic’ and locally known as ‘Sri Dalada Maligawa’. This place is a world-renowned place of worship as the tooth of Gautama Buddha is enshrined here. Not only the Buddhists but also every people did not forget to worship this place when they visit to Kandy
Kandy Lake
Kandy Lake people also Known as Kiri Muhuda or sea of Milk. This lake built by the last king of Sri Lanka ,Sri Wikrama Rajasinhe to beautify the Temple of the Tooth. The king added the ‘Valakulu Bamma’ (the clouds wall) around the lake but before he could complete it British forces invaded the city of the Kandy and imprisoned the King in 1815. In ancient the triangular holes in the wall have been used to light oil lamps at night. This ‘Valakulu Bamma’ gives the Lake more attraction. Feeding fishes at Kandy Lake is a very famous activity among people.
Bahirawakanda Vihara Buddha Statue
Bahirawakanda Temple (Sri Maha Bodhi Viharaya) is a Theravada Buddhist temple in Kandy, famed for its giant white statue of Lord Buddha. This place is a wonderful place for visitors to see the natural wonders of the region and also you can see the Temple of the Tooth from there very clearly. This Bahirawa Kanda Buddha statue which is located on top of the Bahirawa Mountain is one of the tallest Buddha statues in Sri Lanka, standing 88.0ft.
Kandy View Point
Kandy view point is regarded as the highest point in the city from where you can get a nice view of the surroundings. Any nature lover or photographers can get best view of Kandy during the sunset and also Sunrise is even more interesting. Visiting Kandy viewpoint is not just about its picturesque beauty but also provides visitors the chance to view of the entire city and the serene Kandy Lake.
Kandy National Museum.
The national Museum is open for all the day in a week and visitors can visit the museum within 9.00am to 5.00pm and also located in next to the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy. This place is part of the former Royal palace of Kandy. This museum has over 5,000 artefacts on display consist of tools, weapons, Jewellery and etc.
Giragama Tea Factory
This place is one of Sri Lanka’s most revered sites when it comes to tea production. Opening hours are 8.00am to 6.00pm and entrance is free for all. Giragama tea plantation has played its part in the evolution of Sri Lankan tea and renowned worldwide quality products. Visitors can experience getting up close with the plants and learning about the meticulous process.
Peradeniya Royal Botanical Garden.
This a botanical garden situated near the Mahaweli river, the longest river in Sri Lanka. This garden consists of more than 4000 species of plants with botanical value.
Commonwealth war Cemetery
This is British military cemetery for soldiers of the British Empire who were killed during the World War II as well as soldiers who died during World War I. This was formerly known as the Pitakanda Military Cemetery.
Bogambara Prison Kandy
Bogambara Prison was a maximum security prison and also the second largest prison in the country after Walikada Prison.
Ambuluwawa Tower
This tower is famous for its unique architecture. Climbing the tower is very interesting as you can enjoy the beauty of nature on the same adventures as it’s getting narrow when it reaches the top. But it’s worth it that you can enjoy a nice view on top of this tower. And also Ambuluwawa is a site with religious and cultural importance to SriLankans as this is a multi-religious centre.
Kandy Esala Perahera
This is an annual event with a lot of cultural value which is held every July-August in Sri Dalada Maligawa. This procession consists of various traditional dances and events. This event represents the traditions of Srilanka and it’s culturalalues.
Kandyan Dancing
This is the traditional dancing style in SriLanka. Kandy was where this dancing style originated and then spread to the other parts of the country. Therefore it is known as Kandyan Dancing. You can witness the amazement of this dancing style in the Kandy Esala Perahera in July-August. If you visit Kandy other than this time period you can enjoy this cultural dancing style with a unique costume and the rhythms of traditional drums in shows such as Kandy Lake Club Cultural Dance Show.