Kandy Holidays

The Hanthana hills rise just outside Kandy and offer walking routes through grassland, forest and elevated viewpoints. Visitors can choose shorter hikes or longer ridge walks, with wide views across the Central Highlands making the area especially rewarding in clear weather.

Within daytrip reach of Kandy, the Knuckles range offers visitors the chance to immerse themselves in Sri Lanka’s dramatic mountain scenery. Trails cross cloud forest, mountain slopes, villages and waterfalls, with routes varying considerably in difficulty and often best tackled with an experienced local guide.

The rural areas around Kandy are well suited to guided cycling, with routes passing villages, paddy fields, tea-growing landscapes and forested hills. It gives visitors a slower way to see the Central Province beyond the city’s main attractions.

Kandy sits close to Sri Lanka’s historic tea-growing highlands, where walking routes pass estates, steep green slopes and working plantations. Guided visits can combine light hiking with an introduction to tea cultivation and production.

The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic stands within Kandy’s former royal complex and remains the city’s most important historic and religious landmark. Built to house the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha, it became closely associated with royal authority and continues to draw Buddhist pilgrims from around the world.

The former Royal Palace sits beside the Temple of the Tooth and formed the political heart of the Kandyan Kingdom. Surviving buildings around the complex help visitors understand how royal life, government and Buddhist worship were closely connected in the last capital of the Sinhala kings.

The Audience Hall, or Magul Maduwa, is one of the most distinctive surviving buildings within the royal precinct. Its open-sided design and carved timber columns reflect traditional Kandyan architecture, while the hall was historically used for important royal meetings, ceremonies and matters of state.

Gadaladeniya Rajamaha Viharaya dates to the 14th century and is especially notable for architecture that combines Buddhist traditions with South Indian influences. Built largely from dressed stone, its image house, inscriptions and unusual stupa complex make it one of the most important medieval temples near Kandy.

Built in 1344 during the Gampola period, Lankatilaka Rajamaha Viharaya rises on a natural rock outcrop near Kandy. Its architecture blends local, Buddhist and Hindu influences, while ancient Sinhala and Tamil inscriptions add to the historical importance of the site.

Embekke Devalaya was built during the Gampola period and is particularly celebrated for its elaborate wooden architecture. Visitors can see richly carved pillars and roof details featuring animals, dancers, floral forms and other traditional motifs, making it one of the region’s finest surviving examples of medieval wood craftsmanship.

Kandyan dance is one of Sri Lanka’s most distinctive performance traditions, known for energetic movements, elaborate costumes and powerful drumming. Visitors can see forms such as Ves Natuma during cultural shows, temple celebrations and major festivals around Kandy.

Drumming plays a central role in Kandyan performance and ceremony, particularly the Geta Bera, a hand-played drum closely associated with local dance. Visitors often hear traditional rhythms during temple rituals, cultural shows and public celebrations across the city.

Traditional Kandyan dress is recognised for layered fabrics, decorative headpieces and detailed jewellery worn during ceremonies and performances. These costumes reflect the visual traditions of the former Kandyan Kingdom and remain an important part of the city’s cultural identity

Kandy and the surrounding region are closely associated with wood carving, lacquer work, metalwork, textiles and other traditional crafts. Visitors can see these skills in temple decoration, ceremonial objects and locally made handicrafts sold around the city and nearby villages.

Dumbara weaving is a traditional craft from the Kandy region, where artisans use hana plant fibres to create patterned mats, wall hangings and decorative textiles. Visitors can learn how natural dyes and symbolic motifs are still used in traditions recognised by UNESCO since 2021.

The Kandy Esala Perahera takes place each year in July or August and is the city’s most important religious procession. Over several nights, dancers, drummers and ceremonial processions move through Kandy in honour of the Sacred Tooth Relic.

The Kumbal Perahera forms the earlier public stage of the Esala Perahera season. Nightly processions bring together the Dalada Maligawa and the four main devales, giving visitors a chance to experience the festival before the larger Randoli processions begin.

The Randoli Perahera forms the grander final stage of the Esala celebrations, with increasingly elaborate processions moving through central Kandy. The last Randoli Perahera marks the main climax of the festival and attracts particularly large crowds.

The Esala Perahera concludes with the traditional Diya Kepeema ceremony at the Mahaweli River near Getambe. This ritual marks the ceremonial end of the festival and is closely connected with the religious traditions surrounding the annual procession.

Vesak is celebrated across Kandy each May to mark the birth, enlightenment and passing of the Buddha. Visitors can see lanterns, illuminated displays and religious observances around the city, with temples becoming especially active during the full-moon period.

Celebrated each April, Sinhala and Tamil New Year brings family traditions, games, food and community events across Sri Lanka. In and around Kandy, visitors may encounter seasonal decorations and local celebrations alongside the city’s usual religious and cultural attractions.

Poson is observed in June to commemorate the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka. Although the largest celebrations take place elsewhere in the country, Kandy’s temples and Buddhist communities also mark the occasion with religious observances, decorations and community food stalls.

Kandy Lake Club has presented traditional dance performances since 1982, bringing Kandyan, low-country and other Sri Lankan styles together in one evening programme. Visitors can see drumming, mask dances, traditional costumes and fire performances close to central Kandy.

Located inside Kandy City Centre, KCC Multiplex offers three modern cinema screens showing local and international films. Its main auditorium uses 4K projection with Dolby Atmos, making it one of the city’s most polished indoor entertainment options.

WorldPlay occupies Level 4 of Kandy City Centre and provides a dedicated arcade and family entertainment zone. Visitors can combine shopping or dining with arcade games and other indoor activities, making it especially useful on rainy evenings or for families.