Lakeside
First-timersWalking distance to the temple, the lake and the market.
Kandy city guide
Things To Do In Kandy
The last royal capital, in the hills around a lake, with the Temple of the Tooth, one of Buddhism's holiest sites, and the start of the most beautiful train ride in Asia.
58
Hostels in the city
8.8
Average, from 5,907 reviews
1815
The kingdom falls
1988
Joins UNESCO
6–7 h
Train to Ella, once the line reopens
The hill capital
Kandy was the capital of the last Sinhalese kingdom, which held out against European rule until 1815. Its Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, beside the lake, holds a tooth of the Buddha, and the whole sacred city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Kandy sits in green hills at about five hundred metres, cooler than the coast.
It is also where the hill country train begins its climb to Nuwara Eliya and Ella. Two days is right.
Where to stay
Stay close to the lake and the temple for the sights, or in the guesthouses on the hills above it, along Rajapihilla Mawatha, for views and quiet. Peradeniya, by the botanic gardens, is greener and cheaper but needs a bus or tuk-tuk into town.
The hills above the lake
ViewsGuesthouses along Rajapihilla Mawatha, quiet with views over the town.
Peradeniya
BudgetGreen and cheaper, by the botanic gardens, a short bus ride from town.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 12 top-rated hostels. Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Kandy
The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, beside the lake, is the reason to come. Go for one of the daily pujas, the ceremonies of drumming and offerings when the doors of the relic chamber open: at dawn, mid-morning and, most atmospheric, in the evening around half past six. The tooth itself is kept inside nested caskets and never shown. Foreigners pay LKR 2,000 (about €5.50). Wear white or modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees; shoes are left at the entrance.
Walk the three-kilometre loop around Kandy Lake, built by the last king in 1807, and watch a Kandyan dance performance: shows with drummers, dancers and fire-walking run every evening at around five in halls near the lake.
The Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya, twenty minutes away, cover 60 hectares, with an avenue of royal palms, an orchid house and giant fig trees. The Ceylon Tea Museum, in an old factory in the hills, explains the island's tea before you see the estates.
The Knuckles range, a UNESCO-listed cloud-forest massif, is the best hiking near Kandy; go with a guide. Once the line reopens, the train to Ella through the tea country is one of Asia's great journeys.
Free things
Free things to do in Kandy
The walk around Kandy Lake is free and best in the early morning, when monitor lizards and herons are out.
The central market, a two-storey covered hall of fruit, spices and fish, costs nothing to wander. The Kandy View Point above the town, sometimes called Arthur's Seat, gives the classic view over the lake and temple roofs for free.
The streets of the old town, with colonial shopfronts around the clock tower, are worth an hour, and you can watch worshippers bringing lotus flowers to the temple from outside without a ticket.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking in Kandy
Kandy eats simply and cheaply. Lunch is rice and curry, often a self-service spread in workers' restaurants around the clock tower, for €2 to €3. In the afternoon, bakeries and short-eat counters sell rolls, patties and vadai, and many places serve hoppers in the evening.
Kottu is everywhere after dark. The town is a good place to try a proper cup of Ceylon tea, and the hill country's fruit, including mangosteen and rambutan in season, is sold at the market.
A meal is €2 to €6.
Nightlife
Going out in Kandy
Kandy goes to bed early. Evenings start with a Kandyan dance show at five and the temple puja at half past six, and by ten the town is quiet.
There are a few hotel bars and some guesthouse rooftops with views over the lake, and that is about it. Kandy is the place to rest before the hill country, not to go out.
A beer is €2.50 to €4. Every full-moon day is a Poya holiday, when alcohol sales are banned and most bars close or serve only quietly; check the calendar before planning a night out.
Getting around
Getting around Kandy
Kandy is compact enough to walk between the lake, the temple, the market and the clock tower. Tuk-tuks cover the hills; agree the fare first or use PickMe.
Cyclone Ditwah badly damaged the railway around Kandy in late 2025. Trains to Colombo are due to return from October 2026, and the hill country line towards Nanu Oya and Ella is expected back by the end of 2026. Until then, buses and cars are the way: Colombo is three to four hours, Nuwara Eliya about three, Ella five to six. When the trains run again, reserved seats sell out, so book ahead.
Buses leave from the Goods Shed and clock tower bus stands for Dambulla and Sigiriya, about two and a half hours.
Costs
What Kandy costs
Kandy is cheap. Dorms start around €7 and a careful day is €18 to €28.
The Temple of the Tooth is LKR 2,000 (about €5.50) for foreigners, a dance show a few euros, and Peradeniya has a separate foreigner's ticket. A rice-and-curry lunch is €2 to €3 and a tuk-tuk across town €1 to €2.
The currency is the Sri Lankan rupee (LKR); prices here are euro equivalents. There are ATMs in the centre; carry cash for guesthouses and tuk-tuks.
Safety
Staying safe in Kandy
Kandy is safe. Touts around the lake and the temple offer guiding or a lift to a spice garden or gem shop; a firm no is enough.
At the temple, cover shoulders and knees, remove shoes and hats, and never pose with your back to a Buddha statue, which is considered deeply disrespectful. Tattoos of the Buddha have led to visitors being refused entry, and in some cases deported, in Sri Lanka; keep them covered.
Monkeys around the lake and the botanic gardens grab food and bags. The lakeside path is quiet late at night.
Emergency: 119 police, 1990 ambulance (Suwa Seriya, free). Tourist Police: 1912.
Day trips from Kandy
Royal palms, tea history, cloud forest and the rock fortress, all within a few hours.
Knuckles range
Cloud forest and ridge walks in a UNESCO-listed massif.
Sigiriya
The rock fortress, best as a stop on the way north.
What's on
What is on while you are there
The Esala Perahera is one of the great festivals of Asia.
1 Jun – 27 Nov
Night City Tour
Experience the enchantment of Kandy under the stars with a night tour. Attendees will have the opportunity to witness a traditional dance performance, explore…
2 Jun – 28 Nov
Full-Day Cultural & Scenic Tour
Immerse yourself in the rich cultural heritage and breathtaking beauty of Kandy on a full-day tuk-tuk tour. This event offers a chance to visit…
Hostels
Where to stay in Kandy
The top-rated places to stay in Kandy right now, live from Hostelworld.
Eden Kandy
Dorms from €9 a night
See dates and book
Nature Lovers' Hostel
Dorms from €4 a night
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Bunkalow
Dorms from €8 a night
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White Rose Hostel
Dorms from €6 a night
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Sustainable
Tribe Hostel
Dorms from €8 a night
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Kandy Krush Hostel
Dorms from €8 a night
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Deck on the Hills
Dorms from €6 a night
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2in1 Kandy
Dorms from €9 a night
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Cozy Nest Kandy Villa
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The Drop Inn Kandy
Dorms from €2 a night
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Funk Bunks - Kandy
Dorms from €4 a night
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Hotel Mango Garden
Dorms from €7 a night
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When to go
January to April is driest.
Jan
Good
Feb
Dry
Mar
Dry
Apr
New Year
May
Vesak
Jun
Wet
Jul
Perahera
Aug
Perahera
Sep
Good
Oct
Rainy
Nov
Rainy
Dec
Good
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros.
Prices are in rupees locally; these are euro equivalents.
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- Doing things—
Kandy travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
When is the Esala Perahera?
In July or August, over ten nights leading up to the Esala full moon. Dates change each year with the lunar calendar, and rooms book out months ahead.
What should I wear to the temple?
White or modest clothing covering shoulders and knees. Shoes and hats come off at the entrance, and sarongs can be borrowed if needed.
How long is the train to Ella?
Six to seven hours in normal times, but the Kandy section was closed after Cyclone Ditwah and is expected to reopen by the end of 2026. Until then, go by road to Nuwara Eliya or Ella and take the train from there.
Do I need to book the train?
Yes, once services resume. Reserved seats in second and first class sell out weeks ahead in the high season; unreserved tickets can be bought on the day.
How many days do you need?
Two: one for the temple, the lake and a dance show, and one for Peradeniya or a hike.
When is the best time to visit?
January to April is driest. July and August bring the Perahera, the most spectacular time and the busiest.
What is the puja?
The temple ceremony of drumming, chanting and offerings, held three times a day, when the doors of the relic chamber open. The evening puja, around 6.30pm, is the one to see.
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