Visit the beautiful Kandy City in Sri Lanka

Kandy Tourism

Travel to the magnificent city of Sri Lanka!

About Kandy Tourism

Kandy, an important city, is located in the Central Province of Sri Lanka.

The city of Kandy was the last capital during the era of ancient kings in Sri Lanka. It is the now the administrative and religious capital of the Central Province apart from being its capital. Kandy is situated in the middle of the hills in the Kandy plateau which is surrounded by tea plantations. It is also home to one of the most sacred Buddhist temples in the world, the Tooth Relic. In the year 1988, it was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO. Tourism in Kandy is one of the essential things about the economy of Sri lanka. 

Kandy City stands tall because of its rich tradition and valiant history. The city has stood the test of time by becoming bigger and better. Kandy’s strategic location on the plateau is made even more scenic with the tea plantations surrounding the area. The city is hailed by the locals as an important province of Sri Lanka because it contains the legacy and works of the last king of the country, Sri Vikrama Rajasinha. There are numerous mesmerizing places to visit in Kandy, like the Botanical Garden, Royal Palace and Temple of the Sacred Tooth. A trip to Kandy will prove to be one of the best experiences in your life because of its spiritual and administrative sides that you can individually explore. The history of how the city was kept away from the colonizers for the longest time will draw you to the stories of the valiant and brave warriors of that time. A tour of the Kandy City will show you the long-lasting elegance and beauty of one of the oldest cities in Sri Lanka and will convince you to set off on an exciting journey to the city of Buddhist shrines and the Kandian history.

History of the Kandy City

Kandy City holds within itself the vibrant and brave history of so many people and places. There are ancient landmarks that exist to this very date and convey different stories regarding so many incidents that took place in the past. The city is known for its resistance to the Portuguese, Dutch and British. Kandy City rebelled and drove away the Portuguese in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Dutch sent their troops, approximately at the same time, and they were initially successful in almost making a foothold in the city. However, their army was attacked by King Kirti causing a heavy loss of weapons and people at the coast. This led to the remaining Dutch soldiers to withdraw into the forests. Living in the forests proved to be difficult because of the lack of food, water, and comfort. On the other hand, this acted as a gain for the Kandian sharpshooters who used their agility and training to hide in the forests and take down the remaining army in small numbers. The small numbers turned into a huge cause of concern for the people at the Dutch headquarters. They immediately sent in a fresh troop of soldiers to attack the city. The soldiers’ surprise attack on the city was the leading cause of their win against the Kandian warriors. On your visit to Sri Lanka, you will discover that it was in the year 1952 when the city of Kandy was named as the capital city of  the only remaining independent kingdom in Sri Lanka after the conquest of the coastal regions by the Portuguese. When you travel to Sri Lanka, you will discover that Kandy city struggled to preserve its independence until 1815.

The people of the city immediately packed their bags and fled to the forests. This cycle of incidents kept on being repeated many times. The Dutch became weary of the constant resistance and came to a peace treaty with the city in 1766. The history of Kandy City becomes even more intense with the passing time and their struggle for independence paved the way for a country with a bright future and innovations.

Famous Tourist Places in Kandy

Kandy City is a land of numerous Buddhist shrines, historical landmarks and colorful festivals. The city also houses various tea plantations and picnic spots that should be visited in your trip to Kandy.

Temple of the Tooth - Every travel guide in Kandy will suggest you to visit the famous Temple of Tooth which is a famous shrine of Lord Buddha. Tourists can visit the temple and see that the justified hype around the famous relic of Buddha. The temple houses the tooth of Lord Buddha which was transferred from Kalinga in India to Kandy in Sri Lanka. Visitors cannot see the tooth as it is kept safely in a casket but can participate in the regular prayers during the whole day. This will let you experience spiritual joy and calmness.

Kandy Lake - Kandy Lake was a creation of King Sri Vikrama Rajasinha. The lake was made to make the Temple of the Tooth look more appealing to the eyes of its visitors. Tourists can take a walk along the tranquil lake as it is therapeutic. Visitors can even go on an exciting boating expedition on the lake.

Royal Botanical Garden - The Botanical Garden was built and developed by various Kandian kings. It is one of the major tourist attractions in Kandy and that can be proved by the millions of visitors it receives annually. The garden is much sought after because of its huge collection of Palm trees, colorful orchids and fruits. A visit to Kandy will let you relax and enjoy the lush greenery and vibrant atmosphere of the picture perfect Royal Botanical Garden.

Shopping In Kandy 

Kandy offers a host of options for visitors to shop for. From jewelry to antiques, there are so many things that you would want to buy in Kandy. Here is a list of the best places in Kandy for an enhanced shopping experience. 

Main Market - It is a famous stop for local handicrafts. It is located in the main market of the city and visited by tourists and locals alike. Main Market is offers a lively street shopping in kandy while offering handicrafts, textiles and paintings for sale. 

Luv SL By Odel - It is a popular shopping hub known for selling authentic souvenirs. You will find an innumerable range of souvenirs which you can carry home. It is also known for its upscale shopping malls offering high-end fashion wear and offer a boost to tourism in Kandy

Kandy City Centre - It is located in the heart of the city and is known as the only shopping mall in Kandy offering all types of items under one roof. Shop for clothes, electrical items and souvenirs and handicrafts from here. 

Nightlife in Kandy - add detail information, different best areas, things to do, add info in bullets form while highlighting areas/market names

Nightlife In Kandy

Nightlife is surely an essential source of entertainment for tourism in Kandy. Enjoy a bout of happiness and fun during the nightlife experience in Kandy. Some of the best places in Kandy that will oomph up your vibe are :

Royal Bar & Hotel- It is one of the coolest places in Kandy for a drink. There are a couple of excellent atmospheric bars that offer a lovely set-up along with a host of alcoholic drinks. Although the prices are usually steep, ‘happy hours’ offer a better deal. 

Blackout - One of the best nightlife experiences in Kandy, Blackout is a modern club frequented by tourists who love to enjoy a variety in music. The club oomphs up with music by DJs who play progressive and deep house, minimal and techno. It sure provides a boost to tourism in Kandy

Slightly Chilled Lounge Bar - Offering stunning views, pool tables, PLF, Chinese cuisine and ‘happy hour’, Slightly Chilled Lounge Bar is one of the busiest yet liveliest places for good food and drink in Kandy. Try the local wine here which is available at a cheaper rate. 

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Kandy Packages Reviews

Read on to find out why our customers love us!

    Shilpa's 6 days trip to Kandy

    Nicely arranged tour.. Had a wonderful time. The whole trip was memorable as each day was well planned.

    Shilpa Hegde Bengaluru

    Praveen's 6 days trip to Kandy

    We have great experience with TRAVCO they are the best travel agent i have found for srilankan trip.we have planned for 6 days and 6 nights trip. customer services are EXCELLENT. From Arrival till departure they always with us and taken care. upon arrival in srilankan airport,we had a warm welcome by Mr. Fernando & Mr. Nandiga . Nandiga(car driver) is with us for entire 6 days and guided us with the tourist places as per the itenary. We highly recommend TRAVCO adventures those who want to visit Sri Lanka. Contact Mr. Fernando(+94776761823) from TRAVCO as he is the one who planned our trip and made it most memorable.

    Praveen V Hyderabad

    Harshith's 7 days trip to Kandy

    All the hotels were good ,great service for reasonable price.Travel agent Kevin and our driver his assistant all were very good and explaining all the details. We enjoyed a lot in this trip .thank you

    Harshith G S

    Prerna's 5 days trip to Kandy

    The tour operators were always there to help us with problems that we faced, which eventually helped us having a good trip in Srilanka.

    Prerna Maheshwari Bengaluru

    Nisha's 5 days trip to Kandy

    Ceylon trips has done fantastic job from planning till execution every query was solved at one phone call he never missed any calls n guided us well wat he said did more better thanks Ceylon trips n travel my trip was full of memories

    Nisha Mumbai

    Piyush's 6 days trip to Kandy

    Nothing for the hotels, (because it is directly related to the overall trip budget), but the driver was okay kind of. He didn't really suggest anything wherever we went just the itinerary piece he used to stick to. Overall the trip planned by the agent was good.

    Piyush Kejriwal Mumbai

    Yaramallla's 4 days trip to Kandy

    Great experience.Special thanks to Ms.Chamodi and her team. For first payment to till we were back to airport ,her team members too care of us. Lots of love srilanka. Our chauffer Mr.Wickyrathana is really good human being.thank you... Tooth relic temple, tea estates and colombo local trip

    Yaramallla Aravind Hyderabad

    Swarna's 7 days trip to Kandy

    Dinagi Lanka tours planned a wonderful trip for us. Thank you so much for well arrangements and multiple sight seeing Nuwara Eliya a gem in Srilanka

    Swarna Bhat Bangalore

    Aseem's 6 days trip to Kandy

    They are ok, the driver was not telling himself on what to do and where to go but he was decent and never denied going anywhere wherever we asked. the itinerary could have been better. we missed pinnawala because of it. We paid a premium to this agency but saw no diffference. Could have seleted any other agency which was cheaper.

    Aseem Agrawal Mumbai

    Srinivasan's 8 days trip to Kandy

    The service provider Steeple Tours was excellent and they coordinated the trip very well. No challenges during the entire trip. Special mention of the driver and guide who was very helpful. Ready to go anytime as per the plan and guided the entire tour. However, there was NO support from the travel triangle guide starting from the booking till closure. Hardly I had a chance to speak to him. Even during the payment, had to escalate as he was not reachable. The whole experience thru travel triangle was NOT satisfactory.

    Srinivasan Raghunathan Chennai

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FAQ's of Kandy

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If you want to travel within Kandy City, opt for the services of a ferry. Before accepting a ride on the ferry, please fix a fair price that should be given to the driver afterwards.

Kandy City is a safe place and you can take part in its lively nightlife that tourists are encouraged usually enjoy. There have been no records of criminal violence against tourists for the longest time.

There were some Indians who migrated to different cities in Sri Lanka, Kandy being one of those cities, and are mostly referred to as ‘Indian Tamils’ and they form the minority of the country. However, the Sinhalese form the major population of the country and are not mostly of Indian origin.

Tourism in Kandy

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