Things to do in Kandy, Sri Lanka
Kandy is a place in Sri Lanka and it leaves lasting impressions on the soul and thinking of all the passionate travel fanatics. The metropolis is unique by magical vibes of nature, slight chants of hymns, and adorned with soothing charm. The people who take a day tour to Sri Lanka is remained deeply influenced by the best activities to do in Kandy and the sophisticated allure that result in a reward of lasting memories. A primary center of Buddhism amongst different well-known Asian places, Kandy is a destination submerged in peace. Around the Kandy lake couples spending romantic moments at a lake facing restaurant, pleasant compassionate folks overflowing with warm gestures, ladies clothed in a fantastic outfit, and thrilling historic monuments overlooking extraordinary vistas make Kandy an interesting vicinity in Sri Lanka.
Table of Contents
- Ashburnham Estate – A Cuppa Steaming Tea
- Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage – Elephant Ride
- Kandy Lake – Nature Walk
- Nilambe Buddhist Meditation Centre – Meditation
- Dambulla Cave Temple – Leisure Stroll
- Horton Plains National Park – Explore
- Main Market and Kandy City Center – Shopping
- Rock View – Good Food And Great Lake Views
- Botanical Garden – Wander
- Temple Of Tooth Relic – Seek Buddha’s Blessings
- Udawatta Kele Sanctuary – See Giant Lianas
- Lankathilaka Vihara – Lankan History
- St. Paul’s Church in Kandy – Marvel At The Architecture
Ashburnham Estate – A Cuppa Steaming Tea
Huge tea estates in the boutique premises, exceptional rooms, and thrilling nature around make this place a vital area to visit when you are planning for the best to do in Kandy. The 100-acre campus is situated at a distance of one hour to the northeast. It offers gorgeous views of the Knuckles mountains, tea estates, waterfalls, and has superb stay options. The travelers get the treat of the big bedrooms with modest design. Guided excursions and good meals put Ashburnham at the top of the listing of must-visit places in Kandy. The guided tour comprises tours of the Temple of Tooth Relic, Botanical Gardens, down the hill for Ayurvedic rub down in Wattegama, and Udawattakele Forest.
Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage – Elephant Ride
When you are in Kandy, one of the great activities to do and the most cherished enjoyable activity in the town is an elephant ride. What you can do is you can play with them, ride over them, feed them, and take a bath as they empty their trunk full of water. The ride on top of the elephant is one of the crucial highlights of top activities to do in Kandy. The nearby villages and well-trained elephants exploring the wildlife make the elephant ride even more thrilling.
Kandy Lake – Nature Walk
The list of your Kandy things to do must include a comforting nature stroll around the central lake. The regions around the lake are mostly flocked by peace-loving travelers. A calm stroll in the morning hours with rainforest looming in the backdrop and Tooth Relic Temple make for the ideal setup to explore a joyful walk around the Kandy Lake. Apart from this, you can even stumble on various travelers practicing the Buddhist way of meditation and scattering chants in the surrounding places. Such a destination offers you lots of time to meditate and recreate yourself which is one of the most special things to do in Kandy.
Also Read: 8 Best Things to Do in Sri Lanka
Nilambe Buddhist Meditation Centre – Meditation
Nilambe Buddhist Meditation Centre lies 13 km to the south of Kandy. It is a harmonious sojourn providing daily classes of meditation instructions to the nature enthusiasts and seekers. The meditation hub is the ideal destination for the people looking to make the best of an unforgettable excursion in the island nation. Nilambe Meditation Center can get you much comfort with plenty of Buddhist monks and greenery. This destination has many things to offer right from walking through the spreading tea estates to pumping yourself up. You have to ensure perfect silence when you are at the premises of the meditation center.
Dambulla Cave Temple – Leisure Stroll
If you are a visitor searching for the unparalleled splendor and huge diversity of Sri Lanka, take an enjoyable stroll in and around the Dambulla Cave Temple. This temple is considered as one of the most historic temples in Sri Lanka. It possesses carvings, prehistoric paintings, and peace. It is a famous destination for Buddhists and spiritual seekers. Also, it appears to be the Biggest Rock Cave Temple in Sri Lanka that hid at a 600 ft high rock with unique nature sights around it. The archaeologists have declared that the rock caves were once a living area back in prehistoric times.
Horton Plains National Park – Explore
A trip to the Horton Plains National Park is a pleasant thing to do in Kandy for adventure enthusiasts. You can even add certain activities in the list right from standing on the edge of Worlds End to planning trekking and tenting in the parking area. In the national park region, there is a chain of mountains that features interesting trails across the most famous peaks in Sri Lanka. They are very inviting and enchanting. You can get the exact thrill of the trip by strolling through the alpine, traversing paths atop 2000 m, and lush grassland. You can experience the best between 6 to 10 am when it is covered in haze and mist. January to March is the perfect time to visit the Horton Plains National Park.
Also Read: Top 10 Best Places to Visit in Sri Lanka
Main Market and Kandy City Center – Shopping
Kandy City Center and Central Market provide you with a lot of buying options. It offers a world of interesting opportunities for tourists. One of the pleasant things to do in Kandy is surely exploring the local market place. The city center mall is unique for its special architecture caters and extremely modern features to a huge chunk of travelers planning a trip to Kandy. Besides having supermarkets, well-laid restaurants, and an amusement area, the hub also has lots of showrooms. The showrooms contain handicraft stores, accessories shops, and designer wears. Also, you can discover other famous purchasing alternatives in the town situated in the close proximity of the Kandy Lake.
Rock View – Good Food And Great Lake Views
When you visit this place, you can experience excellent views, have dinner near the Kandy Lake, and great food on the treasured moments. You can find this destination as the best to do various things in Kandy. When you sit back in the marvelous restaurant, you can enjoy the unbelievable sights around. The experiences rendered by Kandy city are just incredible. You should take care to explore Kandy House, Rock View, Kandy Muslim Hotel, Soya Center, and White House.
Botanical Garden – Wander
One can visit Botanical Garden effortlessly through a tuk-tuk ride from the metropolis which would hardly ever take about 20 minutes. This lush paradise spreads over a region of 147 acres or more and it grabs the attention of more than two million travelers yearly. It owes to its huge spectrum of exotic, rare, organic, and medicinal plants. It is considered to have above 4,000 species of plant life until the date which includes a staggeringly huge range of orchids.
Temple Of Tooth Relic – Seek Buddha’s Blessings
The Temple Of Tooth Relic is one of the most religious destinations in Sri Lanka. It is also recognized as the Dalada Maligawa. It tops every listing of pilgrims who go to this island country. It is one of the most admired destinations of worship throughout the world and an essential section of the Ramayana tour. It is situated inside the royal palace complex that had belonged to the ancient palace of Kandy. This stunning white temple complex is recognized to shelter an artifact of the teeth of Buddha wrapped up in a golden box. Traversing this famous World Heritage Site is one of the most soothing activities to do in Kandy at night.
Also Read: Srilanka: Inside Travel Guide & Tips
Udawatta Kele Sanctuary – See Giant Lianas
Udawattakele is a large forest reserve that is situated on the pinnacle of a hill-ridge in the town. It spreads over a vast place of above 257 acres. It is famous for wildlife seekers and nature enthusiasts. Also, it is well-known for its curvy roads and substantial avifauna ideal for exciting bike rides. It shelters a good range of plant species which include the shrubs, massive lianas, and small trees. As a matter of fact, various botany fanatics and nature lovers visit these massive lianas that are rarely discovered anywhere else in Sri Lanka. Also, the park has a lot of small and medium-sized mammals endemic to Sri Lanka and three Buddhist meditation hermitages.
Lankathilaka Vihara – Lankan History
Lankathilaka Vihara is situated a little far from the important town of Kandy. However, it still makes up for an amazing site of a pilgrim to visit for travelers as well as locals. This historic Buddhist temple is recognized to be one of the most picturesque architectural edifices set up in the Gampola era. This historical sanctum was constructed by King Bhuvanekabahu IV with an interesting history dating back to the 14th century. Though it was constructed using the directions of the king, the whole development was later completed below the supervision of his Chief Minister called Senalankadhikara.
St. Paul’s Church in Kandy – Marvel At The Architecture
St.Paul’s Church in Kandy is located next to the Temple of the Tooth Relic on the important sacred grounds. It was established in 1848. It was earlier constructed to be an image of British power. It now acts as an extraordinary display of the colonial building of that time, and an admired sacred group for the Sri Lankan people. It entices in folks with its spacious and simple interior. Now, this church has been taken care of under supervision for more than 150 years. It is the best instance of a multi-religious heritage.