Best things to do in 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.

Kandy District Unmissables — Map

Arian Zwegers / CC BY 2.0

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Temple of the Tooth

Sri Dalada Maligawa, commonly known in English as the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, is a Buddhist temple in Kandy, Sri Lanka.

Ji-Elle / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Royal Palace Complex of Kandy

The Royal Palace of Kandy, situated in Kandy, Sri Lanka, is a historical complex that served as the official residence for the monarchs of…

Wouter Hagens / Public domain

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Sri Dalada Maligawa

Sri Dalada Maligawa, commonly known in English as the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, is a Buddhist temple in Kandy, Sri Lanka.

PIERRE ANDRE LECLERCQ / GFDL

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Royal Botanical Gardens

Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya are about 5.5 km to the west of the city of Kandy in the Central Province of Sri Lanka.

Vyacheslav Argenberg / CC BY 4.0

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Royal Botanical Gardens

Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya are about 5.5 km to the west of the city of Kandy in the Central Province of Sri Lanka.

KapilaKTK / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Kandy Lake

Kandy Lake, also known as Kiri Muhuda or the Sea of Milk, is an artificial lake in the heart of the hill city of Kandy, Sri Lanka, built in…

Nirvanatoday / CC BY 4.0

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Bahirawakanda Temple

Located on Bahirawa Kanda hill, this temple features a 27-meter-tall white Buddha statue. It provides panoramic views of Kandy city, the lake, and the surrounding mountain ranges.

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Nelligala International Buddhist Center

A modern Buddhist monastery situated on a mountain summit in Muruthalawa. The site features striking golden statues and offers 360-degree views of the central highlands, including Adam's Peak and the Knuckles Range.

Cherubino / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Knuckles Mountain Range

The Dumbara Mountain Range lies in central Sri Lanka, in the Districts of Matale and Kandy.

Anuradha Dullewe Wijeyeratne,168 / 7,… / CC BY-SA 4.0

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Raja

Raja was a Sri Lankan tusker elephant belonging to the Sri Dalada Maligawa, Kandy.

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Pallekele Kandy New Prison

Nature Reserve

Thomas / CC BY 2.0

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St. Paul's Church, Kandy

St. Paul's Church is an Anglican church in the historical district of Kandy, Sri Lanka on sacred grounds west of the Temple of the Tooth.

Other Lists

Sacred Sites of Spiritual Heritage Scenic Viewpoints and Peaks Lakes and Waterfalls