Kandy: Temple of the Tooth and Esala Perahera

Kandy combines religious heritage with an annual festival. At the heart of the city is the Temple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa), which houses the sacred tooth relic of Buddha. Since 1988, the temple has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Sacred City of Kandy”. For travellers interested in culture and religious heritage, it is a clear focal point for exploring Kandy.

A festival during the full moon month of Esala

The Kandy Esala Perahera is a religious festival held annually in Kandy. It takes place during the full moon month of Esala, which falls in July or August. If you are travelling for the festival, check the dates for that year before planning. This lets you time your visit around this recurring tradition without assuming a specific festival day.

Nature nearby

Udawattekele Sanctuary is close to the destination, north of Kandy Lake. It is open to visitors daily from 6 am to 5 pm, and birdwatching and trekking are offered there. Check the visiting hours before your visit. This nature destination complements the cultural focus on the temple and festival with outdoor activities.

More experiences in the wider destination of the Central Province

Beyond Kandy, the wider destination of the Central Province offers a range of nature and cultural experiences. The Royal Botanic Gardens Peradeniya are located in the Central Province and were established in 1821. They contain more than 4,000 plant species, including orchids, spice plants, medicinal plants and palms. The Orchid House displays blooms of Cattleya, Dendrobium, Arachnis, Oncidium, Phalaenopsis and Vanda, as well as their hybrids. The garden thus combines a long history with a wide-ranging botanical collection.

Meemure is a traditional village in the Central Province on the border between Kandy District and Matale District, surrounded by the Knuckles mountain range. Visitors can watch birds, cycle, climb mountains, hike, take photographs and join safaris there. Traditional forms of hospitality are still practised. Weaving mats from rushes and making products from cane or rattan are domestic crafts. In Meemure, outdoor activities sit alongside village traditions and crafts.

For mountain and forest landscapes, Horton Plains National Park in Pattipola offers a different focus. The protected area in Sri Lanka’s central highlands comprises montane grassland and cloud forest. The Kirigalpoththa Trail through the park is 7 km long one way and takes approximately five and a half hours of trekking; conditions can vary seasonally. Both the one-way distance and approximate duration are relevant when planning your time. Hanthana Mountain has four trekking routes and offers another way to plan hikes within the Central Province.

The Knuckles Mountain Range lies in the districts of Matale and Kandy and is part of the Central Highlands World Heritage Site. A specific route description is available for the hike to Corbett’s Gap: it runs mostly along an abandoned jeep track through the Knuckles Conservation Forest, which is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These details offer a different planning framework from the quantified Kirigalpoththa hike: here, the route along a former jeep track is the focus, while the one-way distance and approximate trekking time are specified for the latter.

Choosing the right location

When looking for a holiday apartment in Kandy, the city itself is the focus if the Temple of the Tooth and Esala Perahera shape your travel plans. If gardens, village culture or mountain landscapes also matter, consider the locations across the wider destination of the Central Province. This lets you choose a location based on the experiences that matter to your trip, rather than grouping different destinations under a single stay.

Discover more destinations: Nawalapitiya, Hedeniya, Kadugannawa, Gatambe, Gampola, Wattegama, Deltota, Daulagala.

Go to the wider travel overview: Kandy.