Kandy

Kandy is considered the capital of hills and the cultural capital of Sri Lanka is the beautiful Kandy Lake, which is great for strolling. Kandy is famous for sacred Buddhist sites including the Shrine of the Temple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa), celebrated with the grand annual Esala Perahera procession.

Some days the skies over Kandy seem to be constantly bruised, with persistent fog clinging to the hills surrounding the beautiful lake in the city centre. Delicate hill country breezes gently disperse the mist to reveal colorful homes amid Kandy’s unlikely wooded halo. In the city center, tricycles zip around slippery corners, picking up a soft spray that threatens the silk sarees of local women. Here’s a city that looks good even when it rains.

As the drizzle eases, the cobalt sky reveals a city of imposing colonial-era and Kandyan architecture no more impressive than the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, one of Buddhism’s holiest shrines.

History and culture are at stake. Yes, the city is known for the big Kandy Esala Perahera Festival (held annually in July/August), but its vibrant cultural life and attractions more than justify a visit at any time of the year.