Things to do or
see in Kandy
Temple of the Tooth,
The National
Museum,
Gardens and parks,
Pinnawella Elephant Orphanage,
Wildlife and rain forests, Shopping ,
Golf, Day trips, Sports,
Relaxation,
Dining
and entertainment
Dalada Maligawa (the Temple of the Tooth)
Sri Dalada Maligawa
(the Temple of the Tooth) is the holiest shrine in the
Buddhist world. According to
tradition, the Tooth Relic of the Lord Buddha was brought to Sri Lanka
in the 4th century AD by an Indian princess called Hemamali. Fearful
that the relic would be stolen, Hemamali hid the tooth within the
tresses of her hair.
The temple is famous for its traditional Sinhalese architecture and is visited by thousands of devotees every day.
The most dominant feature
of the building is the Octagon (Pattirippuwa) which was
where the Kandyan kings addressed the public on important occasions.
The
National Museum
The
National Museum is next to the Temple of the Tooth, housed in buildings
which were once the quarters of the royal concubines. It contains the
royal regalia and traditional Kandyan objects and possessions.
To the top
Gardens and parks
Peradeniya Botanical
gardens
15 minutes drive from the city
centre
is the Peradeniya Botanical Garden. It is the largest in Sri Lanka,
covering 60 hectares. The garden began as a pleasure garden for a Kandyan
king
and is surrounded on three sides by the river Mahaweli. The garden
possesses over a hundred varieties of palm trees and
the famous Javan fig tree which covers 1600 square metres. Another attraction
is the Orchid House which houses more than 300 varieties of exquisite
orchids. A spice garden
gives you a first hand introduction to the trees and plants used for traditional Ayurvedic medicine. Wandering through the gardens is an
experience which should not be missed. Our favourite is the bat tree - a
tree which you cannot walk past without noticing as it is the noisiest
tree in the garden. What you believe to be flowers or fruit dangling
from the
branches are in fact bats and they seem only to rest in this
particular type of tree.
Kandy Lake side
gardens
This is situated
above the Kandy lake and has a great view of the temple and the Kandy
city. It is a much smaller garden but is quite pleasant for a nice
picnic or an evening stroll.
Pinnawela elephant
orphanage
Pinnawela orphanage is
approximately one hours drive
from Kandy. It was established in 1975 by the Sri Lanka Wildlife
Department and has the greatest herd of elephants in captivity
in the world
with
65 elephants.
The orphanage is a also breeding place for elephants
with twenty born since 1984. Daily activities include:
08.00: The babies are
fed on milk in the mornings and allowed to range freely
on 12 acres of grassland.
10.00 and 14.00: The elephants are
walked 400 metres to the river Maha Oya for a two-hour
bath.
Between
16.30 and 18.00 in the evening, the elephants are
taken to their stalls and tethered for the
night.
Best viewing times are 9am and 1pm when the
babies are being bottle-fed and the entire herd
is taken to the river for their daily bath.
This is an unforgettable experience.
An ideal day trip from Kandy. There is an entrance fee to the site.
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Wildlife
and Forests
Udavattekale Sanctuary
Above the Temple of the Tooth lies one of Kandy’s hidden treasures; a seldom
visited forest of secluded groves, huge trees and wildlife. Udavattekale was the ‘forbidden
forest' of the Kings of Kandy and was preserved as a ‘Tahansi Kale’ - a
closed forest from which all civilians
were barred on pain of death. Not even firewood was allowed to be
collected.
The forest today is only a
fraction of its former size, now just over 200 acres, but it still boasts
trees of its former glory such as Talipot trees, cinnamon, olive, rattan
cane, betel, bo-trees, kitul palms, jak, mara, betelnut and arecanut.
Birds, insects and wildlife such as monkeys can be seen here. Access is obtained behind Trinity College School.
The
Knuckles Range
This is a ran
ge
of mountains and the name describes its outline.
There are 35 peaks rising to more than 3000 feet (915 m) and they
contain a rich variety of plant and animal life.
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Relaxation
Ayurvedic Pampering
Many of the
larger hotels offer Ayurvedic massages and other relaxing or therapeutic
treatments. It is possible to get anything from a foot massage to a
whole body treatment. The Hotel Thilanka nearby offers a range of
services from Rs 400 to Rs 3,000
Meditation
You can learn
meditation and study Buddhism at a number of places around Kandy. For
more information contact the Buddhist Publication Society by the lake.
Scenic walks
There are many
scenic walks in and around Kandy. Just walking around the lake you can
see monasteries and historical buildings. If you walk anywhere up hill,
you are rewarded with wonderful views of the town and the surrounding
mountains. One nice walk is up to the large new Bohiravokanda Buddha
statue which overlooks the town centre.
Bird watching
Kandy is home to
a wealth of birds and butterflies which can be seen on all the walks
suggested above. However, it is also possible to do this from the
comfort of the house - recent visitors commented on the two eagles which
were seen every morning around 11am, circling the nearby hills.
Shopping
Kandy has
numerous shops and markets where you can find any number of items
including cheap clothing, beautiful jewellery and traditional Kandyan
handicrafts such as woodwork, laquerwork, brass and cane weavings. For
good quality handicrafts at fixed prices, visit the government-owned
emporium called Laksala, just by the lake.
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Sports
Golf
Victoria Golf Course
This world-class course was
opened in 1999 and is situated 25 km
east of Kandy. It is
6,190
m long (par 73)
and is a championship golf
course
designed by Donald Steel.
It combines natural features such as rocky outcrops with landscaped
trees and avenues.
Nuwara Eliya
Golf Club
This course is
reputed to be one of Asia's finest and is 5'520 m (par 71). The fairways
are long and narrow and the terrain is largely hills. The club is 10
minutes walk
from the Grand Hotel and
approximately 1 1/2 - 2 hours drive from Kandy.
Tennis /
Swimming
Tennis, swimming
and other sports are available at most hotels nearby for a nominal fee.
Two pools we recommend are at the 5 star Earls Regency hotel (10 minutes
drive from the house) with a fee of Rs 300 per person and at the Hotel
Thilanka (5 minutes drive from the house) where they charge Rs 150 per
person. This last pool is in a great position overlooking the Kandy
lake.
White water rafting
Approximately 1
1/2 hours drive from Kandy is Kitulgala, a place that is becoming
increasingly popular for white-water rafting on Sri Lanka's second
largest river, Kaleni. It is also the location for the bridge
construction and destruction scenes in David Lean's film, Bridge On the
River Kwai, shot in 1956. One such company organising the rafting is
channap@itmin.com.
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Entertainment and
dining
Dining
It is possible to
sample a variety of different food at different prices in Kandy. For
cheap Sri Lankan rice and curry, we like the White House and the Devon
restaurant just down from Cargills Supermarket. Average prices here are
Rs 100 per person. Popular with western backpackers is The Pub, opposite
Cargills, which serves good western food in a modern but relaxing
environment. Main courses here cost around Rs 450. Another of our
favourites is the Indian restaurant, Rams, on King Street. They serve
delicious south Indian food for approx Rs 300 for a main course.
All hotels offer
both western and Sri Lankan food. The class of the hotel usually
indicates both the cost and the quality of the food. Our favourites are
Hotel Thilanka (main course approx Rs 400, pleasant atmosphere and
helpful staff) and the excellent 5 star Earls Regency - 5 course set
meal is Rs 900 per person.
Kandyan dancing
Cultural
performances such as dancing, drumming and fire-walking are performed
almost every night in peak season at different venues like the Cultural
Centre. For more information, contact the Tourist Information by the
Temple of the Tooth.
Besides
traditional performances, films (English, Sinhala and Indian) and
theatre (Sinhala) are fairly popular entertainment options.
Nightclubs
Entertainment of this variety is
limited in Kandy, but two popular places are Black Out at the Swiss Residence
(other side of the lake) and Le Garage at Le Kandyan.
Day trips
Nuwara Eliya
(1 ½ - 2 hours drive)
Known
as the Garden City, Nuwara Eliya is a welcome retreat from the heat of
Colombo and the south. It lies in the heart of the tea country and has a
much cooler climate - it can even get a bit chilly at night ! Beloved of
the British during the Empire, there are a number of colonial features
such as an English style Post Office, a golf club, race course and a
majestic residence - now a hotel. The race course still has races in
season and horse riding and boat rides are available all year round.
Close to Nuwara Eliya is Horton Plains, Sri Lanka’s highest and most
isolated plateau. It is a huge, grass covered plain, home to many
wild animals including leopards, deer and monkeys and to many
species of birds. You can walk all over the plains but a popular
walk is to the precipice known as World’s End – a sheer drop of
1,050 metres with spectacular views.
Ancient
cities
Dambulla (approx 1½ hours
drive) To the top
72km from Kandy, Dambulla is a town
at the centre of Sri Lanka. Just out of the town centre is a vast rock
which houses an ancient temple in its caves. There are five separate
caves containing 150 images of Buddha, the largest being 50 metres long
and 6 metres high. The walls of the caves are covered in frescoes, some
of which are over 2,000 years old. It is possible to experience the
most amazing sunsets here and at dusk, hundreds of swallows descend on
the caves and swoop among the visitors. If you are in the mood to treat
yourself, stay a night at the wonderful Kandalama hotel.
Sigirya (approx 2 hours drive,
half an hour from Dambulla)
92
km from Kandy, this 'Lion Rock' fortress was a royal citadel for more
than 18 years. It gets its name from the large brick lion, erected by
King Kashyapa who intended that visitors should only enter his fortress
through the mouth of the lion. The only parts of the lion which are
visible today are its paws. On one side of the rock are famous frescoes
of beautiful maidens painted in the 5th century. The summit of the rock,
with an area of nearly one hectare, was the site of the old palace. The
UNESCO-sponsored Central Cultural Fund has restored Sigiriya’s 5th
century Water Gardens to their former glory.
Polonnaruwa (approx 3½ hours
drive)
142 km from Kandy, this ancient city
was the island’s capital in the 10th century. There are innumerable
ruined temples and wonderful statues. Particular attractions are: the
remains of the King’s council chamber, the Royal Citadel, the Kumara
Pokuna, the Royal Pavilion, the Vatadage Relic House (which is lavished
with moonstones, guardstones, and a sculptured railing), Kiri Vehera,
and Gal Vihare - where the famous statues of Buddha are carved out of
the rock.
Anuradhpura (approx 3 hours drive)
138km from Kandy, Anuradhpura is Sri
Lanka's first capital and is over 2,500
years
old. Particular attractions are: The sacred Bo Tree, many temples, the
Brazen Palace, Samadhi Buddha and Kuttam Pokuna. Another ancient place,
Mihintale, is 12 km from Anuradhapura. Mihintale is where Buddhism first
came to Sri Lanka and where one of the earliest hospitals was founded.
It is a rock dotted with shrines and dwellings - a grand stairway of
1,840 steps made of granite slabs leads to a summit with a splendid view
of the countryside and Anuradhpura.