Sri Lanka’s finest botanic gardens, just outside Kandy, with an orchid house, giant Java fig and avenues of royal palms.
- Mid-range
- Experience
Why we marked it
- Sri Lanka’s most important Buddhist temple
- Daily ceremonies with drummers
- Part of the UNESCO Sacred City of Kandy
- Beside Kandy Lake
The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Sri Dalada Maligawa, holds a relic of the Buddha’s tooth and is the most sacred Buddhist site in Sri Lanka. It sits within the old royal palace complex beside Kandy Lake, at the heart of the UNESCO-listed Sacred City of Kandy.
What to expect
Join the crowds of pilgrims carrying lotus flowers, hear the drummers during the daily ceremonies, and explore the shrine rooms and museums around the complex.
Good to know
- Cover your shoulders and knees, and remove shoes and hats; white clothing is traditional.
- Visit during the morning or evening ceremony for the full atmosphere.
- Sri Lankan citizens pay a much lower local rate; bring your NIC.
- It is busiest on poya days and weekends.
Where it is
Sri Dalada Veediya, Kandy, Sri Lanka
More spots in Kandy
All of KandyA small café a short walk from the Temple of the Tooth and Kandy Lake, known for homemade cakes and good coffee.
- Budget
- Café
- Homemade cakes
- Coffee
A good-value hostel above Kandy with some of the best views in the city, a sunrise balcony and help planning onward travel.
- Budget