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Pinnawella elephan orphanage
Kandy
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Pinnawella elephan orphanage
Kandy is
100km (62miles) north east of Colombo and although the town lacks an airport, there
are a number of buses and trains running between the two destinations.
It is Sri Lanka's hill capital and, at 488 metres above sea level, has a much cooler and pleasant climate than Colombo or the southern towns. Kandy is classed as a World Heritage City by UNESCO and is home to the famous tooth relic of the Lord Buddha.
Kandy is the venue of the Esala Perahera, easily the most colourful
festival in Asia, held in July/August each year, in honour of the tooth
relic. The torch-lit streets are filled with elephants and costumed dancers
as they pay homage to the casket of the sacred tooth relic carried by the king
of the elephants. The procession moves along the streets for seven consecutive
nights and concludes on the day of the August full moon.
The
tooth relic is housed in a golden temple known as
the 'Dalada Maligawa'
- the Temple of the Tooth.
It is home to wonderful architecture and paintings, thanks to the patronage of
the Kandyan kings.
Other attractions
in
Kandy include; walking round the large and wonderful botanical garden, watching 
elephants bathing,
taking in an evening show of Kandyan dancing and traditional fire walking, to
say nothing of the museums, historical buildings, and the lovely views of the
mountains and the lake.
Check out 'Things to do in Kandy'
