Kandy District

Province ·🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

Area 1,940 km²

Time zone Asia/Colombo

Official website www.kandy.dist.gov.lk/index.php/en/

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Explore Kandy District

Kandy District Unmissables

Kandy District serves as Sri Lanka's spiritual heart, centered around the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and the historic Royal Palace complex. The region features the expansive Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya and the mist-covered Knuckles Mountain Range, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visitors can explore the colonial architecture of St. Paul's Church, view the city from the Bahirawakanda Buddha statue, and walk the perimeter of the man-made Kandy Lake, built by the last Sinhalese king in 1807.

12 places

Sacred Sites of Spiritual Heritage

This collection highlights the diverse spiritual landscape of Kandy, centered around the UNESCO-listed Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. It features 14th-century architectural landmarks like Gadaladeniya Temple, known for its South Indian influence, alongside modern centers like Nelligala. The list encompasses significant Buddhist viharas with ancient murals, colonial-era Anglican churches, and vibrant Hindu kovils, reflecting the region's multi-religious history and traditional Kandyan craftsmanship.

20 places

Scenic Viewpoints and Peaks

This collection highlights the high-altitude landscapes of Sri Lanka's central highlands, centered around the Kandy district and the UNESCO-listed Knuckles Mountain Range. It includes architectural landmarks like the spiral Ambuluwawa Tower, the dramatic sheer cliffs of Mini World’s End, and the famous eighteen-bend mountain pass of Daha Ata Wanguwa. These sites offer vantage points over major landmarks, including the Victoria and Kothmale Reservoirs, the Mahaweli River valley, and the dense cloud forests of the Knuckles massif.

17 places

Lakes and Waterfalls

This collection highlights the diverse water bodies surrounding Kandy, ranging from the historic Kandy Lake, commissioned by King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe, to the massive Victoria Reservoir, Sri Lanka’s largest. The list includes the Royal Pond within the Udawattakele Forest Reserve, used by former monarchs, and the scenic Sembuwaththa Lake set amidst tea plantations. It also features significant irrigation tanks and waterfalls like Rathna Ella, showcasing the region's hydro-engineering and natural landscapes.

15 places