Kandy is a small cultural city surrounded by mountains, and with its own lake. It’s higher elevation means it remains warm but comfortable year round, offering respite from the rest of the country which can get stiflingly hot in season, or see a lot of rain out of season! It’s a cultural and spiritual hub, home to one of the most important temples in the country and the ideal spring board between Colombo and the more northern Dambulla & Sigiriya areas (two of the absolute must see places on any trip to Sri Lanka) it’s also on the train line to Ella (another must visit place)!
The best way to get to Kandy is by train. It is very well connected making it the best way to travel to and from the city, you can travel to it directly from Colombo straight off the plane if you aren't big into large impersonal cities (like me). You can also get to it on the train line from Dambulla or Nuwara Eliya/Ella.
Hot Tip #1: If you’re short on time, you can do day trips to Dambulla Cave Temple & Sigiriya Rock from Kandy, before taking the most beautiful train route to Ella (more on this in the What To Do section)
Hot Tip #2: Double check if there are any festivals going on at Kandy's Temple of the Tooth, if there are, time your stay in Kandy so you can see it - you will not regret it! -Find out where the best places to stay are during temple ceremonies in this guide, and learn more about their biggest yearly event - the Kandy Perahera festival (in the Hot Tip's section of What To Do in Kandy)
And read on for all my recommendations on Where to Stay, What To Do and Where to Eat for a FABULOUS time in Kandy, Sri Lanka!
I suggest getting the train to Kandy from Colombo, then on to Ella (or vice versa from Ella to Kandy) for an extra special memory - go to the next stop at Badulla and you'll travel across the historic 9 arch bridge... this is one of the most beautiful journeys in the world and not to be missed!! But as one of the most beautiful train journey's in the world, you will need to book your train tickets in advance... my advice is to go for 2nd class - read on to find out why!
Why do I recommend this route?
The train from Colombo to Kandy is quick and efficient, and very cheap! It takes a lot less time than by road, it's will make you feel part of the country the second you step on board with the locals. Following on from there, the route from Kandy to Ella and Badulla is one of the most beautiful in the world! Arguably one of the most beautiful sections of the route is from Ella to Badulla, but many people get the train from Kandy to Ella and miss the part which goes across the Nine Arch Bridge itself! If you are arriving by train try to go all the way and then get a tuk tuk ride back from Badulla to Ella, or stay a few days in Ella and then get the train to Badulla before continuing your journey to other parts of the country. (You can check out my recommendations for what to do in Ella at the bottom of this guide.)
Hot Tips for Train Journeys:
-Tickets are super cheap but you will need to book in advance for most sections of the journey if you want a seat, you can book them in advance here:
-2nd class is king. You will have your own seat and you can open the windows, sit/look out of the doors, and have access to a semi decent toilet.
-3rd class can always be bought on the day (I don't believe there is a passenger limit) but you will probably not get a seat... it will smell and there will be a lot of people crammed in, so don't expect a good view or access to the doors (if you do have to travel 3rd class, try and wait until everyone is on and then sit in the doorway so you get a view with fresh air)
-1st class is air conditioned but you can't open the windows so it's not good for taking photos and the experience doesn't feel authentic or exciting.
-The blue train is newer and definitely in my opinion superior to the red train as a passenger- you can see which train you are booking via the link below and I highly recommend the blue.
-The trains often run late, and are most likely to run on time when taken first thing in the morning rather than in the afternoon or evening, and you'll also have more time to enjoy the beautiful scenery in the daylight!
For the Adventurous:
If you have a bigger budget, you can hire your own self drive tuk tuk for your stay in Sri Lanka and go off on your own explorations feat/Elephants and Peacocks in the road! (don't forget to get a Sri Lankan sim card when you land so you can use google maps! There are cheap places in arrivals at the airport and Dialog Axiata has the best coverage):
A stunning retreat resort nestled in the hills outside Kandy, with nothing but views surrounding it it's extremely peaceful and tranquil. This place has incredible food and service to match it's the ideal place to disconnect, wifi is limited but instead you'll get yoga, spa facilities and walks in nature!
A new and very beautiful resort hotel situated in a stunning location outside of Kandy, overlooking the Misty Mahaweli River and mountain vistas. Staff are absolutely unreal in their level of service. It's a gorgeous place to relax and enjoy the wellness and spa facilities.
If you're after a luxury stay in Kandy itself Kings Pavillion is perfect, the food is amazing and staff are wonderful - extremely well trained and warm. Rooms are spacious and stylish and immaculately cleaned. The massages and spa is wonderful. This is a boutique luxury hotel experience and an absolute delight.
Fabulous place to stay right in the heart of Kandy. This is a little boutique hotel on the same road as the Temple of the Tooth.
It's the ideal location to explore much of Kandy by foot and visit the temple itself. The bed was the most comfortable I stayed in in Sri Lanka and had a very plush duvet. The Aircon was fabulous and the bathroom wonderful.
It's a 30 second walk to the temple which makes it perfect for going to see one of the Pooja Ceremony's (not to be missed...! -usually times at 6.30am, 9.30am and 6.30pm, but please check with someone on the gate when you arrive, as these times often change).
It's also a great location to check out the lake and the local market and also walk to various good restaurants in the area.
HOT TIPS:
-If you want to go to a temple ceremony, try to get to the early morning one- it will be less full of tourists and feel more authentic.
-During the Kandy Perahera festival in August this hotel overlooks the road where the elephants are kept and fed during the day, it's also where many of the dancers/elephants get ready for the festival and end their parade at night, so it offers an amazing look behind the scenes and an opportunity to chat to the Sri Lankans involved in the parade! Cannot recommend this place/location enough for during the festival.
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Boutique hotels surrounded by nature, just outside Kandy:
Utterly beautiful, a paradise surrounded by nature and just 2.8km from the Ceylon Tea Museum, this 5 star boutique hotel makes for a completely unforgettable stay. They can arrange picnics, beautiful hikes, and visits to the tea factory to name but a few of the activities on offer. The food is absolutely delicious, along with the attention to detail and warmth of the staff this place is truly outstanding.
This beautiful boutique property is a short drive away from Kandy, but absolutely lovely with delightfully spacious rooms! It's super clean and the staff make it a really memorable stay! The breakfasts are incredible, as in fact are all the meals which can be tailored to you by the chief!
Very good value for money and a complete jewel. The staff are super generous and attentive, and the owner David is really lovely and makes you feel right at home. The food is exceptional and you will want to stay longer in this idyllic paradise! It is worth noting that this property is not in Kandy itself, but aprox a 30 minute drive away, so I would recommend staying here if you want to relax in the hills for a few days, and perhaps just go into central Kandy for a day to check out some of the cultural highlights.
In a fantastic location right on the banks of the lake in central Kandy, this boutique hotel is great value for money with really spacious rooms and lovely interior design. There are lots of lovely seating areas, a pool and a pool table! Top tip: get the Sri Lankan breakfast, it's amazing and you will be given a banquet of food!
Located just outside Kandy, this hotel is truly 5* despite it's reasonable price tag. Set in picturesque nature, it's calming tranquil setting makes it perfect for a relaxing spa stay. The property is an oasis complete with beautiful pool, a fully equipped gym, pool table, bar, restaurant etc and the atmosphere created by both the staff and it's surroundings is lovely. From here you can hike around the tea-plantations and visit a waterfall, or take a car into Kandy itself to check out the cultural highlights for a day. - Highly recommend this place!
Set in a great location near to the lake in central Kandy, this is a beautifully designed modern hotel with very clean spacious rooms and lovely staff! Because of it's reasonable price, it does tend to get booked out quite early so if you do want to stay here make sure to plan and book well in advance!
This little gem is an exceptional budget option, clean and beautifully decorated, the hosts are lovely and they put on a free cooking class for those that stay! Which is wonderful because the food they cook is delicious so you get to take that skill home with you! Highly recommend this place if you are on a budget!
A lovely host at this little homestay, super helpful and they make a delicious breakfast. The only thing you need to bear in mind is it is in the mountains so you might want to take a tuk tuk for around 500LKR to get up to it from Kandy, they can arrange a reliable tuk tuk driver for you.
The White Rose is in a little building right in the heart of the city, just 10 minutes walk to the railways station, it's a great location. The hostel is very clean, has decent wifi and a lovely rooftop with a great view over Kandy! The host is only too happy to help with anything you need and give you recommendations as well!
A beautiful 3 bedroom villa which can sleep up to 8 people. This private hire property is located in beautiful peaceful natural surroundings with a stream running along the bottom. Your party will have its own butler and an excellent chief on hand ready to cook extremely tasty and super fresh meals, you really can't go wrong if you're a group looking to have somewhere to yourselves.
Top tip: if you want to use the jacuzzi during your stay let staff know the day before or in the morning as it takes a few hours to heat up.
Sri Dalada Maligawa (or the Temple of the Tooth) is a must visit for anyone coming to Sri Lanka, let alone Kandy. Steeped in ancient Buddhist history, it's one of the most important religious sites in Sri Lanka because it's believed to house the tooth of Buddha. The temple is open daily from around 5.30am-8pm.
There are daily ceremonies, known as Poojas, these happen at dawn and in the evening at 6.30pm.
Hot Tip #1:
Go to the morning Pooja to get away from the tourists and feel the authenticity of the ceremony without so many people, this is a great time for photographers to go. Go for the evening cerenmony to enjoy the atmosphere of the temple at night - when all the candles are lit both inside and in the grounds of the temple- a beautiful and spiritual atmospheric sight.
Hot Tip #2: I highly recommend paying for an official temple guide here, they're extremely knowledgable and it really won't be the same without one - not only will they make it entertaining and explain the history and the art work and the story behind the tooth itself, but they will also make sure you have the best spot for each moment of the ceremony - before the crowds set in.
This is the most beautiful botanical gardens in Sri Lanka, it's huge with many lovely greenhouses! You can easily spend a day here and there's a nice cafe you can eat at, or, if you enjoy a picnic- go to the market in the morning and pick up some picnic bits or a Dosa to go and bring it in. There is an entry fee and at the time of writing it was aprox $9 per person.
Top tip: to get here from the centre of town, book an Uber or a Pickme, or check the price on those apps before bartering a nearby tuk tuk - they like to try to overcharge to the Gardens.
Well worth having a look around this bustling market. The market sells many things but as I was told by a temple worker during the Pererah festival, this is one of the best and cheapest places to buy really good spices in Sri Lanka. So if you intend to pick some up to take home, this is a great place to do it.
It's generally open from 7am and the best time to go is in the morning while all the stalls are open, full of their stock - especially if you want to take photos!
If you are in Sri Lanka you absolutely have to visit Dambulla/Sigiriya they will be a major highlight of your trip, however if you are short on time, rather than stay in that area, my recommendation is you get a day trip from Kandy to see the sights, then continue along the train route to Ella, enjoy Ella, then from there move on to the coast for some beach time before heading back to Colombo. If you are looking to do this, these are the two best options:
Go to the Temple of the Tooth to watch both the morning and evening Poojahs - in the morning there will be few tourists, it feels more serene and it's better for photographs. In the evening it feels magical with all the candles lit in the dark and the darkness lends itself to a calm spiritual atmosphere to wonder around and enjoy the outside areas afterwards. The Poojahs happen at sunrise and then again usually at 6.30pm but it's worth heading to the temple on arrival to find out the exact times - hiring an official temple guide is well worth the small cost, they will explain what's going on, tell some intriguing stories and help you appreciate the experience fully.
Staying In August? Watch the famous Kandy Perahera Festival:
If you're going to Sri Lanka in August - make sure to stay in Kandy while the famous Perahera Buddhist Festival is going on, it's stunning and more impressive than those I've seen in India... or anywhere else for that matter! Each night gets bigger and better so nights towards the end of the festival are the most impressive and awe inspiring (book to be here during those if you can) - there are thousands of dancers, fire throwers and elephants. Seriously - do not miss it if you will be in Sri Lanka during this time!
My biggest tips for the Perahera Festival:
- Try to book your accommodation for the festival as early as possible because many Buddhists from all over the country (and of course tourists) are trying to do the same.
- For viewing it, the best place to be is on the same road as the Queens Hotel, just outside the entrance to the Temple - be aware you will have to pay for seating and this can be £20-60 a head (definitely try to haggle them down), alternatively, if you're on a budget, you can get there early in the morning, take blankets or your own seating, and a set up with a picnic on the pavement - many locals do this so it can be a nice way to make new Sri Lankan friends and experience it authentically.
- The other thing I would say is 1-2 nights are enough for watching the festival, the rest of the city will be relatively low-key with many businesses closed, so I would recommend staying in central Kandy for the night or two you want to watch it, then heading somewhere else or staying in an accommodation surrounded by nature outside the centre of city, for the other days you're in the area- from there you can explore the botanical gardens or other sites like Dambulla and Sigiriya etc.
Stay here during the Perahera Festival if possible:
Fabulous place to stay right in the heart of Kandy. This is a little boutique hotel on the same road as the Temple of the Tooth.
It's the ideal location to explore much of Kandy by foot and visit the temple itself. The bed was the most comfortable I stayed in in Sri Lanka and had a very plush duvet. The Aircon was fabulous and the bathroom wonderful.
It's a 30 second walk to the temple which makes it perfect for going to see one of the Pooja Ceremony's (not to be missed...! -usually times at 6.30am, 9.30am and 6.30pm, but please check with someone on the gate when you arrive, as these times often change).
It's also a great location to check out the lake and the local market and also walk to various good restaurants in the area.
HOT TIPS:
-If you want to go to a temple ceremony, try to get to the early morning one- it will be less full of tourists and feel more authentic.
-During the Kandy Perahera festival in August this hotel overlooks the road where the elephants are kept and fed during the day, it's also where many of the dancers/elephants get ready for the festival and end their parade at night, so it offers an amazing look behind the scenes and an opportunity to chat to the Sri Lankans involved in the parade! Cannot recommend this place/location enough for during the festival.
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You will see the Perahera elephants and dancers getting ready in the daytime, and at the end of the night if you head back here as soon as you've seen the last dancer go by, you'll be able to chat to them as they finish the festival circuit (an elephant even held out its trunk to me to say hi across the hedge!) - A totally wonderful and unique behind the scenes view that no one else gets unless they're staying in one of the 3 rooms here!
If it's fully booked already - check out the Queens Hotel which is on the festival route itself:
This is another good location for the Kandy Perahera Festival, if the Heritage Boutique Hotel is booked out, book here - it's actually directly on the festival route coming out of Temple and all the dancers are at their most excited and energetic right outside the windows here. They also have seating for guests at the foot of the hotel - you can't get a better spot to actually watch the festival, however, it is a bit dilapidated and in my opinion over priced - you are paying for the location. That being said, it is an amazing location... but I would only book this place if it is during Perahera.
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WHERE TO EAT IN KANDY:
There are lots of really good places to eat in Kandy. However, the following are in my opinion the tastiest places.
A little expensive but utterly delicious and a lovely vibe for a fancy night out and cocktails - somewhere nice to go for a special occasion or as a lovely first or last night in Kandy.
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If you enjoyed this guide - check out my other Sri Lanka Travel Guides:
Hi, I'm Alice! I have a fondness for seeking out unique, once in a lifetime, once in a destination experiences. I've personally explored 32 countries to date. My favourite destinations so far have been Flores in Indonesia, Varanasi in India, Nyungwe in Rwanda and Chiapas State in Mexico -because they were all a little off the beaten path and totally magical!
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