  Kandy Travel Guide, Sri Lanka
Awaiting to view the Sacred Tooth Relic at the Sri Dalada Maligawa, Kandy (31 August 2005)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
The sacred city of Kandy is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka. It is the old capital of the Kandyan kingdom, the last independent state in Sri Lanka.
Kandy is located about 500 meters above sea level. I explored it with a group of AsiaExplorers members when we covered the sites in Sri Lanka. It was a very wet and rainy time that we arrived in Kandy, and as a result, most of my shots of Kandy come out with overcast skies.
Sacred Tooth Relic Temple and Kandy Lake
Author: McKay Savage (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)
World Heritage Site Inscription Details
Location: N7 17 37 E80 38 25
Inscription Year: 1988
Type of Site: Cultural
Inscription Criteria: IV, VI
According to the 2001 census, there are 110,049 people living in Kandy. Founded in the 14th century, Kandy derives its name from the Sinhalese phrase Kanda Uda Pas Rata, which means, "five districts on the mountain". The Portuguese abbreviated it to Candea, and it survives today as Kandy.
Sidewalk vendor in Kandy (31 August 2005)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Kandy was the capital city of the island of Sri Lanka from 1592 until the 19th century. For over three hundred years, it was able to preserve its independence, repelling repeated assaults by invading colonial forces, including the Portuguese in the 16th century, the Dutch in the 17th century, before eventually submitting to the British in 1815. Although it lost its position as capital, Kandy continues to serve as the religious capital of Sri Lanka. The most famous sight in Kandy is the Sri Dalaga Maligawa, popularly known as the Temple of the Tooth Relic.
Kandy is easy to explore on foot. Right in the middle of the city is Kandy Lake. Beside it is the Royal Bathhouse. Across the road from it is the Temple of the Tooth Relic.
Due to its historical significance, Kandy was declared a World Heritage City. Most visitors come to Kandy around July and August, to witness the annual two-week Perahera Festival. This is when the sacred tooth relic is paraded down the streets accompanied by caparisoned elephants, dancers, drummers and other performers. This same festival has changed little over the centuries.
Kandy Raban dance (31 August 2005)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
I had the opportunity to walk around Kandy on foot, even though the weather was not as bright as I wanted it to be. By the end of my walk, the rain came down heavily, and I rushed to the theatre where we were to watch a Sri Lankan Folk Dance performance.
On our way out of Kandy, we stopped over at the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, one of the best in Sri Lanka.
Visiting Kandy
You can get to Kandy by train or by bus. If you are going by train, take the Intercity Express which are more comfortable. You can also get a taxi to take you from Colombo Airport all the way to Kandy. The journey will be about 4 hours and will cost about LKR 6,000.
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Thumbnails of Kandy Tourist Attractions |
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Lovely lake in the middle of Kandy town.
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One of the heritage hotels in Kandy.
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The biggest botanical gardens in Sri Lanka.
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Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.
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