Kandy marks the beginning of hill country in Sri Lanka. It’s tucked among green mountains, with the city center wrapped around a calm, scenic lake. I stayed here in total of three nights and happened to time my visit with Buddha Day. The city came alive with celebrations, and some places were even offering free food to everyone.
In this post, I’ll cover the sights that are worth visiting and explain why other are not worth visiting for everyone.
Is Kandy Worth Visiting?
If you’re traveling on a very tight schedule, you can skip Kandy without feeling like you’re missing anything truly unique. That said, you would miss out on a beautiful botanical garden and several interesting temples.
That said, I actually liked Kandy more than Colomb. It’s much greener, the temperature is cooler, and there’s a centrally located hike that gives you an awesome view over the city. The occasional showers keep the air feeling fresh, too. The traffic is also far less hectic than in Colombo — though still a bit chaotic at times especially when I arrived here on my tuk-tuk. I accidentally entered a roundabout the wrong way, got stranded in the middle with traffic swirling around me in the opposite direction, and the police had to stop everything to pull me out.
How Many Days to Spend in Kandy
Most travelers find that one full day is enough to cover Kandy’s main attractions. With two nights, you can arrive, settle in explore the next day, and move on without feeling rushed.
If you have extra time, you can stay another night and take things slow — but if you’re a beach person, I’d save that extra day for the coast instead. That said, I preferred Kandy over Colombo, as it’s a bit less hectic while still being a fairly large city. I stayed three nights myself, though part of that time I was working.
What to Do in Kandy
You can join an organized tour or simply explore on your own. If you are booking a tuk-tuk, the PickMe app usually offers the best prices and gives a larger share to the drivers than other apps—it’s essentially Sri Lanka’s version of Uber.
Visit the Asgiri Maha Vihara Pirivena Temple
This temple doesn’t look like much on the outside, but once you step inside it’s a completely different story. The interior is a dome‑like chamber covered in beautifully painted artwork, with detailed illustrations of Buddhist stories stretching across both the walls and the ceiling.
I happened to visit on the Day of Buddha, which made the experience feel extra special. This temple ended up becoming one of my favorites during my entire trip in Sri Lanka.
It’s centrally located just a stone’s throw away from Kandy Lake, and easy to reach either by tuk-tuk or on foot.
Visit Sri Maha Bodhi Viharaya Temple
This is the famous giant white Buddha statue that overlooks the entire city. You’ll spot it from all over Kandy, no matter where you go. It’s also one of the best viewpoints in the area — as you climb the stairs to the top, the view opens up beautifully over the city and the surrounding hills.
It’s located just a couple of kilometers from the Asgiri Maha Vihara Pirivena Temple mentioned above.
Udawattakale Royal Forest Park
A peaceful escape from the city that offers shaded forest paths in a relaxing atmosphere, even though it’s right in the middle of the city. You can do some light hiking here and visit a few caves that have been used by Buddhist monks for mediation and retreat.
As you walk, you’ll notice an interesting mix of flora and wildlife: monkeys in the trees, deer darting between trunks, birds flitting overhead, and even the occasional dog running by. The forest is full of natural sounds — cicadas buzzing, birds chirping, and the occasional monkey scream — all while the canopy gives you shade and keeps you cool, making it the perfect place to slow down and enjoy nature.
There’s also a viewpoint inside the park that offers panoramic views of the city.
I’ve seen that some agencies offer guided tours of this park, but that’s honestly unnecessary — it’s just a forest park, and very easy to explore on your own. I’d recommend saving your money and simply going by yourself with a tuk‑tuk instead.
Note that if it has been raining, there will be leeches. Wear long socks and pants, and tuck your pants into your socks so they can’t sneak in through the gaps.
Visit the Royal Botanical Garden
This botanical garden in Peradeniya is home to more than 4,000 plant species from around the world. It’s considered one of the largest and finest botanical gardens in Asia and has a long, fascinating history. It’s also a popular spot for Instagram photo sessions thanks to its wide lawns, towering palms, and beautifully maintained paths.
Stroll Around the Kandy Lake
Kandy lake sits in the heart of Kandy and offers a calm from the busy streets around it. There’s a walking path around the lake, making it easy for a short stroll. You’ll see locals hanging around, monks passing by, and vendors selling this and that while birds gliding over the water.
Visit the Market
There’s a market near the bus station that sells the usual tourist items, but also plenty of spices, vegetables, local pastries, and everyday essentials. It doesn’t look particularly impressive, but it’s worth a visit because it caters more to locals than tourists, giving you a more authentic glimpse of daily life in Kandy.
Things You Might Want to Skip
Temple of the Sacred Tooth
The Temple of the Sacred Tooth sits right next to Kandy Lake. It is the most famous site in Kandy, so it might be a bit controversial what I am about to say.
The whole experience revolves around Buddha’s tooth, yet the tooth itself is not viewable, it’s either locked inside a box that visitors can see or stored somewhere else entirely. The stories vary depending on who you ask. If the main attraction is supposedly this sacred tooth, but it’s not actually visible, I personally don’t see the point. I’m not a fan of “Schrödinger’s sights,” where the thing you’re meant to see both exists and doesn’t at the same time, but then you have no way of checking. It’s basically like going to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa, but it’s locked in the vault and what you can see is a picture of the vault.
I was about to visit, I even rented a scarf to cover my knees since I was wearing shorts, but ended up bailing at the last minute.
Many visitors still find the atmosphere meaningful, so if spiritual significance matters more to you than the physical artifact, you may have a different experience. If you visit, let me know your thoughts in the comment section below.
Cultural Dancing
The same thing goes for the cultural dancing arranged nearby the Temple of Tooth. I read many reviews of tourists complain that a local guide brings them there and says it’s free, but at end are forced to pay anyway and prices were not discussed ahead. I didn’t go since it seemed scammy. If you want to see that, avoid the people helping you for free and book a ticket online.
View Location of the Cultural Centre
Where to Eat in Kandy
In the centre of Kandy there are a lot of Western restaurants with Western prices.
During my visit I opted to find places where the locals eat, and found a very authentic place called Mandiya, located just a couple of hundred meters from Lake Kandy. Here, they serve large portions of Sri Lankan rice and curry for a low price — you can eat well for $2–2.5 USD. It’s a bit hard to find though, as it’s hidden away at the back of an old shopping mall.
Getting To And From Kandy
Being the second largest city in Sri Lanka, Kandy is well-connected to the rest of the country, and you can easily get here by train, bus or minivan. The cheapest way is to travel like a local using trains and local buses.
By Train
The official train schedule can be found here: railway.gov.lk. Tickets are usually released 30 days in advance. The cheapest option is to buy the ticket directly at the train station.
Kandy to Ella
However, popular routes — especially Kandy to Ella — tend to sell out quickly during high season, especially the premium seats. If you’re traveling during the busy months, it’s a good idea to book in advance. You can reserve your ticket through GetYourGuide.
By Bus
Getting around by bus is extremely cheap, but it can be a bit confusing to figure out where and when each bus departs in each city. Google Maps’ public transport mode actually works surprisingly well in Sri Lanka, so you can use it to find the bus station and check approximate departure times. And if you’re unsure, just ask a local — people are very friendly and happy to help.
By Minivan or Private Car
If you prefer something simpler and don’t want to spend time figuring out bus stations and schedule — and don’t mind paying a bit more for comfort and convenience — you can use 12Go to book a seat in a minivan or even a whole private car between cities. The prices are still reasonable.
Book transport from Sigiriya to Kandy from $13 USD or Colombo to Kandy from $7 USD.
Where to Stay in Kandy
I stayed up on the hills in a place called Jaye’s Homestay as I had my own tuk-tuk and could easily get around. It was a great stay as the area was more tranquil and relaxing than the city centre. You can do the same even without a tuk-tuk, just book transport with the PickMe app. It had no pool though, but if you are looking for a place with a pool and a view, check out these places.
- Theva Residency: A little bit tucked away in the hills, this 4‑star hotel has an infinity pool with a beautiful view of the city and consistently great reviews.
- Oak Ray Heritage Hotel: Centrally located 4-star hotel with a rooftop pool
Summary
While Kandy isn’t really one of the highlights of Sri Lanka, it still has something to offer for most travelers and makes a convenient stop before continuing onward. Next natural stop would be Ella if you’re traveling from the west or the north. Otherwise, Sigiriya Town is the more logical choice.
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