During my trip to Sri Lanka, I knew I’d be heading to Kandy, and I was very much looking forward to it. While in general I don’t find cities as the places that move me the most when I travel, I knew that Kandy and the Temple of the Tooth were top of my things to do list.
Frankly, I was a bit over the Sri Lankan city vibe when I arrived in Kandy, having come straight from Colombo. I was also still grappling with the effects of jet lag, which makes everything seem brighter and louder. But when we stepped into Sthree cafe (see below), friendly faces smiling at us as we ate the best food I had eaten on the island yet, Kandy endeared itself to me.
While Kandy welcomes thousands of people to the site of the sacred Buddha relic (more below), it still felt very much like a city that doesn’t cater too much to tourists (unlike Ella and some of the beach towns). Sure, there were more Western-style restaurants and even “sports bars” around town, but overall it felt like a city where people live and shop for groceries and flip-flops.
While I started my time in Kandy overwhelmed, at the end of my visit, I felt as though I hadn’t had enough time there. I suppose that’s a good sign.
About Kandy, Sri Lanka
Kandy is one of the major cities in Sri Lanka (6th on the list based on population). There are over 125,000 residents.
Kandy is located in the central province of Sri Lanka, in the middle, in the more mountainous region. This area is very different than the beaches and the coastal cities.
Kandy is still, however, Sri Lankan, and the streets can be chaotic, particularly in the market. We wandered the streets and found so many things to look at and experience (and so many vendors and locals approaching us for various reasons).
Kandy was originally established in the mid-1300s AD and experienced much cultural turmoil as the Portuguese, Dutch, and British fought over the country and moved various governments (and societies) in and out.
But what Kandy is most known for today is as a home to one of the most sacred religious sites in the world for Buddhists (more on that below).
We spent two nights in Kandy, and given one entire day devoted to Sigiriya and the Dambulla Cave Temples, our time there felt rushed.Â
Getting to Kandy, Sri Lanka
Kandy is located about 3 hours east of the Colombo airport. Uber and PickMe work well in Sri Lanka for longer transports such as this, and you can hire a private driver if you want.
I would not recommend driving in Sri Lanka – the rules of the road are quite different.Â
You can take buses (private or public). See more on the buses in this blog post. There is also a train route that is popular.
But a note about the train…Â
One of the most popular Internet-recommended things to do is to take the train from Ella to Kandy – or even out of Colombo. Bloggers rave about this and post gorgeous photos as the train weaves through tea country.
But before you do this, know that: 1) the trip takes all day (think 9 hours); 2) the trains in Sri Lanka are notorious for running behind schedule; 3) the train will be crowded and may not have climate control.
A friend of mine did this and said she wished she hadn’t – they had to sit three people to two seats, it rained so they either were hot because the windows were closed or they were getting wet with the windows opened, and they sat on the wrong side of the train, so they only saw the views if they stood up and walked around.
The Internet rarely leads me astray, so taking the train to Kandy may be the best thing you ever do in your life, but be prepared.
Things to do in Kandy, Sri Lanka
Table of Contents
Temple of the Tooth
This is the whole reason to go to Kandy – the Temple of the Tooth. I was immensely excited to see this and was enraptured during the visit. It felt old, holy, beautiful, aged, and all the other most wonderful adjectives about religious sites. I am sure I use all the same adjectives when I write about the cathedrals in Europe,
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What is the Temple of the Tooth?
This is a Buddhist temple, on the lake in Kandy, that was built to hold a relic from the Buddha.
The relic is exactly what everything you are reading implies: a tooth from the Buddha. The Buddha was cremated, and his ashes were divided into eight portions and given to various nations. While being cremated doesn’t leave much left to be saved and preserved, there are hair and tooth relics scattered throughout the world. It is said there were four teeth shared as relics, but two are in mythological realms and two are on earth – one of those in Sri Lanka.
The tooth ended up in Sri Lanka through a subterfuge campaign to get it out of India when the region it was then in was under attack. A princess hid the tooth in her hair and left for Sri Lanka. From that time, it became the responsibility of the monarch of Sri Lanka to ensure the tooth was safe. It also came to mean that whoever possessed the tooth had the right to rule the land.
Throughout the centuries, the tooth has moved in an attempt to save it from various intruders. Accounts indicate that the tooth found its way to the Kandy area when the Portuguese invaded Sri Lanka.
Even though, technically, the Buddha said he wasn’t a god and not to worship him, the Temple of the Tooth and the relic itself draw a huge number of pilgrims and devotees.
In April 2025 (not too much earlier than when I was visiting), the tooth was publicly displayed in a very rare exhibition event open to the public. Over 450,000 people stood in line on the streets of Kandy, waiting their turn to see the tooth. With the heat and the wait, four people died and hundreds were hospitalized.
Today, people still come to where the tooth is stored in droves, even though it is behind closed doors at a distance from the public. But Buddhists seeking comfort or help pray and meditate in front of the shrine that marks the tooth’s location. Hundreds of lotus flowers are laid, and people of all ages sit on the floor nearby, fervently whispering their prayers.
There are a couple of things to know to visit the Temple of the Tooth:
- Foreigners will enter via a separate entrance from Sri Lankans.
- No shoes allowed anywhere on the premises (there are shoe lockers at the ticket counters).
- No hats.
- Men and women must be appropriately clothed – knees and shoulders covered.
- There is light security, so be prepared to have someone look in your bag.
- The Temple is open daily from 5:30 am – 8:00 pm.
- This is very much a house of worship, so be courteous to people praying.
- There is a charge to get in. At the time of my visit, it was 1,000 LKR per foreign adult.
While the area housing the tooth is quite remarkable, there is so much more to the temple, so plan to spend some time here and enjoy it all.
There were various shrines, stupas, and places to tie ribbons in memory of loved ones or as a prayer. There is an outdoor pavilion with intricate carvings. There was a golden gilded temple that reminded me of the experience I had in Colombo.
As you wander the grounds, move slowly. Breathe in the incense smoke and watch devotees light candles; consider the centuries of human suffering and celebration that happened on the premises. This was an incredibly rich experience.
The official website for the Temple of the Tooth is: sridaladamaligawa.lk.
Cultural Dance Show
When we walked into this show, it felt like it was going to be a talent show at a church fellowship hall. The space was unimpressive.Â
Of course, as travel usually goes, it was different than expected. There are a few places that over these cultural dance shows, and the shows have limited seating. If you want to go (and I thought it was fascinating), you will want to get your tickets in advance.
The cultural dance shows feature traditional dances, with elaborate costumes, followed by a fire performance that includes the performers walking across hot coals. (Be aware that the fire show we saw would never in a million years pass a safety inspection in the U.S., but it was wildly wonderful and certainly the most intense part.)
If I had been able to pick, I would have attended the Kandy Lake Club dance show.Â
There weren’t many details available about what we were experiencing – we received a printout listing the various dances we’d see, but it was light on information and there was no emcee.
Walk the Lake
According to our local guide, there aren’t any lakes in Sri Lanka that are natural; they are all manmade. The lake in downtown Kandy (next to the Temple of the Tooth) is clearly manmade, but that doesn’t detract from its charm. It is a defining feature of the city. People feed the big fish in the water while houses stretch up the verdant green hillsides flanking the water.
head to the Kandy Viewpoint
You will likely need a tuk tuk or car to get to the viewpoint, but it is a popular spot for tourists. Coming upon a sheltered stop, we pulled over to see Kandy in all her glory. The lake was below, and the stupas on the hills.
Eat (Especially for a Cause)
I was in Kandy with a G Adventures tour (a review on that coming soon, so be sure to subscribe). Not to spoil my upcoming review post on G Adventures, but one of the things I like about the company is its commitment to give back to communities. In Kandy, our small tour group was ushered into Sthree Cafe for lunch. (See the TripAdvisor reviews for Sthree Cafe.)
In Sinhala and Tamil, “sthree” means “woman,” and Sthree Cafe is a cafe and shop designed to help women. Started by the Women’s Development Centre, Sthree’s ultimate goal is to promote women’s economic development. They hope that by giving more women access to economic freedom, they can help women trapped in abusive relationships gain independence. Sthree offers classes to women on various topics, sells their homemade goods, and serves fresh food in the cafe made by the women in the program. The endeavor has been so successful that it has been expanded to include persons with disabilities.Â
But even better? The food was GOOD (and, by the way, the kitchen was very clean, which is a nice bonus).
Also, the items for sale in the boutique shop were beautiful, well-made, unique, and very reasonably priced. We had the bonus of being at Sthree on Diwali, as well.
You do not have to be on the G Adventures tour to get into Sthree.
Sthree is located at 327 Peradeniya Road, Kandy 20000. Find them on Instagram here.
Take A Day Trip to Sigiriya and the Cave Temples
Sigiriya Rock is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is often done as a day trip from Kandy. While it is one of the most expensive excursions in Sri Lanka, with an entry fee of around $30 USD, it was one of the most memorable adventures I had in Sri Lanka, too.
This day trip can be paired with the Dambulla Cave Temples, as well (which I will be sharing soon, so be sure to subscribe).
Things That Didn't Work
I tried very hard to get an Ayurvedic massage at Green Chaya Spa. But, honestly, my travel companion and I had a very frustrating and unpleasant experience there. Reservations don’t mean a thing, so after waiting over an hour (and with a lot of confusion), we ended up leaving without any service due to having to get to another appointment.Â
Given that my group opted to go to Sigiriya and the cave temples, we did not have time for the Royal Botanic Gardens, which are apparently beautiful and ususally what the G Adventures tour group does for part of the day.
Should Kandy Be On Your Sri Lanka itinerary?
All of the “best of” Sri Lanka tour itineraries include Kandy, and that’s for a reason.
Kandy ties everything about this island culture together—the religion, the scenery, and the Sri Lankan life. It’s easy to see why so many travelers remember Kandy with a kind of fondness. We ran into a backpacker as we meandered around in Kandy, and she was headed to the bright lights of a good restaurant to meet up with friends she had just met, so happy to be there.
When you go to Kandy, you may experience all the allure of the local life as did this backpacker friend. And as you wrap up your time in the city, you’ll likely find yourself already planning a return trip, or at least carrying a little bit of Kandy’s spiritual, colorful spirit with you.
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