Kandy Travelers Recommend

With two full days in Kandy, you have time to check out the historic city’s most important attractions and still visit area tea plantations, go on a food tour, and even learn how to whip up traditional Sri Lankan fare yourself. Here’s how.

Day 1: Cultural Highlights

**Morning:**On your first morning in Kandy, visit the city's most important attraction: The Temple of the Tooth. This UNESCO World Heritage Site houses one of the Buddha's teeth, though the relic itself is not often on display. Many city tours start here and are great for familiarizing yourself with local religious customs.

**Afternoon:**Just north of the temple sits the Royal Palace of Kandy; it's the next stop for most full-day tours. Don't miss the Natha Devale shrine, which dates to the Middle Ages. If you have time, stop by the International Buddhist Museum to learn how Buddhism is practiced around the world.

**Night:**After grabbing dinner at one of the many restaurants along Kandy Lake, head over to the nearby Kandyan Art Association to check out a dance and traditional drumming performance. You may even see a fire walking demonstration along with traditional dance styles.

Day 2: Culinary Kandy

**Morning:**Sri Lanka has long been an important tea producer, and there are plenty of plantations in the Kandy area that are open to visitors. On your second morning, consider a guided tour to a local tea estate; you can even go by mountain bike if you want to some exercise.

**Afternoon:**In the afternoon, head back to Kandy for lunch, but instead of sitting down for a meal at a restaurant, consider a food tour. These walking tours tend to cover a lot of ground, giving you the chance to fill up on all sorts of local snacks and sweets.

**Night:**Continue your culinary experience into the evening with a cooking class in the home of a local. You not only learn how to make all sorts of popular dishes, but you also get to sit down and enjoy the fruits of your labor for dinner.

Kandy offers a lot for visitors, and with one day, you have plenty to keep you busy right in the city center. Whether you plan to join or tour, or prefer to go it on your own, here's one way to organize your day.

Morning: A Famous Tooth and Other Important Artifacts

Start your day in Kandy with a trip to the city's most important attraction: Sri Dalada Maligawa, better known as the Temple of the Tooth. This 18th-century Buddhist temple houses one of the Buddha's teeth, and the presence of the relic draws pilgrims from around the world. Most city tours stop here, and going with a guide is ideal to ensure you follow temple protocol. Just next to the temple sits the National Museum of Kandy, where you can see all sorts of artifacts, from royal weaponry to jewelry located in what was once the king's harem house.

Afternoon: Palace Splendor and a Taxidermied Elephant

In the afternoon, grab a quick lunch before heading to the Royal Palace of Kandy, just north of the Temple of the Tooth. Palace tours focus on the highlights, which include the 14th-century Natha Devale, one of four shrines within the complex, and the taxidermied remains of the elephant Raja, who was famously used for royal and religious processions for decades. If you have time, stop by the International Buddhist Museum just around the corner, a good place to learn more about Buddhist traditions around the world.

Night: Fire Walk or Cooking Class

Finish your day in Kandy by attending an evening dance and cultural performance hosted in the auditorium at Kandyan Art Association. Dance is traditionally performed to the beat of a drum known as geta beraya, and performances staged here often end with a fire walk demonstration. Alternatively, if you’re a fan of cooking and want to learn how to make Sri Lankan dishes, consider signing up for a private cooking class in the home of a local—an experience that allows you to both cook and sample all sorts of delicious food from the island.

With three days in Kandy, you can get a feel for the ancient city with a visit to its historic attractions and religious sites, museums, and restaurants, with time left over to venture out to the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Sigiriya and Dambulla nearby. Here’s how to do it.

Day 1: Historic and Cultural Highlights

Spend your first day in Kandy visiting the city’s numerous cultural and historic sites. Taking a guided tour is a good way to get acquainted with the area while learning about Kandy’s history. Most visitors start with the star attraction: Sri Dalada Maligawa, more commonly referred to as the Temple of the Tooth. Dating to the 18th century, this temple was named after a relic in its possession—a tooth believed to have belonged to the Buddha. Most of the city's main cultural sites are located within walking distance of the temple, including the National Museum and International Buddhist Museum, which focuses on Buddhism around the world. Don’t miss the Royal Palace of Kandy, just north of the Temple of the Tooth, which features centuries worth of local architecture (its Natha Devale shrine dates back to the 1300s). Finish your day with a dance performance at the nearby Kandyan Art Association.

Day 2: Food and Tea

On your second day in Kandy, take a tour out to one of the many tea plantations in the area, where you can learn all about the cultivation and production of Ceylon tea. While most tours are by car or tuk tuk, bicycle tours are a good option to get a little exercise along the way. If you have your own car or have booked a personal tour with a tuk tuk and driver for the morning, request to stop at a local spice farm to learn about spice production. If you have time left over, head back to Kandy for an afternoon food tour, a great way to try a lot of different Sri Lankan food in one go. Afterwards, join a local cooking class and dinner experience to learn how to make local favorites yourself.

Day 3: Day Trip to Sigiriya and Dambulla

Devote your final day to visiting two of Sri Lanka's most important UNESCO World Heritage sites: Sigiriya and Dambulla. Sigiriya features an intricately frescoed palace situated atop a 656-foot-high (200-meter-high) rock. The palace was used as a Buddhist monastery until around the 14th century. Today it's possible to climb to the top of the rock to visit the site's architecture, frescoes, and gardens. Sigiriya is usually visited in conjunction with the nearby Dambulla Cave Temple, which features more than 150 statues of the Buddha spread across five caves, the biggest of which is about 50 feet (15 meters) in length. Multiple private tour options are available from Kandy. Some include stops at additional sites such as Minneriya National Park, a popular spot for wildlife jeep safaris, and Hiriwadunna Village, where you can take a boat or ox cart ride or learn to cook from local village residents.