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Hill Capital

Kandy - The Last Royal Capital

Cupped in green hills around a calm lake, Kandy was the final seat of Sri Lanka's kings and remains the island's spiritual heart. UNESCO-listed as the Sacred City of Kandy, it's equal parts temple town, highland retreat and cultural stage.

Kandy held out against colonial powers longer than any other Sri Lankan kingdom, falling to the British only in 1815. That royal history is still visible everywhere — in the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic at its centre, in the palace complex around it, and in the lake King Sri Wickrama Rajasinha built in 1807 right beside it. Beyond the old town, the hills open out into tea country, botanical gardens and some of the best traditional dance and craft in the island.

We time the drive up from the lowlands so you arrive in the cool of the late morning, with a driver who can walk you through temple etiquette, and enough flexibility in the day to catch an evening cultural dance show or a stroll around the lake before dinner.

Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
Sri Dalada Maligawa, home to Buddhism's most venerated relic and the centre of the annual Esala Perahera procession.
Kandy Lake
A peaceful, walkable lake built in 1807, ringed by the "cloud wall" and a favourite evening stroll for locals.
Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya
147 hectares of orchids, giant bamboo and a centuries-old avenue of palms just outside the city.
Traditional Kandyan dance
Evening drum-and-dance performances showcasing the costumes and rhythms of the old royal court.
Gateway to tea country
The launch point for the hill-country train and the surrounding tea estates around Hantana and beyond.
UNESCO World Heritage Half-day to explore 500m elevation Perahera in Jul/Aug
Plan My Kandy Trip See Day Tours