A charming, culturally vibrant city, Kandy is the capital of the Hill Country. It was the seat of government of the last Sinhalese kingdom, until it was taken over by the British in 1815. Today, it attracts tourists and pilgrims alike who come here to visit the Temple of the Tooth, the most sacred Buddhist shrine in Sri Lanka, and to experience the famous Esala Perahera. Easy to wander around, Kandy also has some interesting museums and markets to explore. There is a range of accommodation to choose from, with many of the town’s hotels set in the surrounding hills. Kandy also makes a great base for exploring the Knuckles Range and the outlying temples.

Kandy Lake

Located in the heart of the city, this lake was created by the last king of the Kandyan kingdom, Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe, in the 19^th century. The island in the center was used as the king’s pleasure house before the British converted it into an ammunition store after they conquered Kandy in 1815. The building on the south shore, opposite the Temple of the Tooth complex, was formerly a monk’s bath house; it is now a police station. Visitors can hire a boat for a tour across the water. Lone travellers are advised to avoid the eastern and after dark.

Kandy National Museum

On a small hill east of the Temple of the Tooth stands the Kandy National Museum, housed in a white building used to function as the Queen’s Palace. The exhibits in this museum depict life in Kandy before the arrival of the Europeans. Among the displays are weapons such as bows and arrows, knives and daggers as well as jewellery and traditional costumes. In addition, items of the day-to-day use such as jaggerymoulds with elephant designs, and areca nut cutters shaped like can be seen near a display of devil dance masks and wooden carvings. The museum is good place to take a closer look at ola-leaf manuscripts and to appreciate the skills of the crafts-man of the Kandyan kingdom.

Museum of world Buddhism

Those interested in Buddhism will find a visit to this museum rewarding. House in a Neo-Classical building from the British era, the museum explores the history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, and also has exhibits on Buddhism in other Asian countries. A large number of the sculptures on display here are replicas, while some of other objects have been donated by the relevant countries. Tourists who have visited Aukana and Sasseruwa will find the photographs of the colossal Bamiyan Buddha statue in Afghanistan especially interesting. The replica of the fasting Buddha statue in the Pakistan pavilion is also striking. Rooms upstairs filled with exhibits focusing on Buddhist beliefs in countries such as India, China, Korea, Vietnam and Japan.

Temple of the Tooth

The Temple of the Tooth, or Sri Dalada Maligawa, houses Sri Lanka’s most important Buddhist relic, the Buddha’s tooth. Built in the 16^th century, the original temple stood at the heart of the Royal Palace complex. The temple was plundered along with the palace when the Dutch attacked the city in 1765. The main shrine was originally constructed during the reign of Vimala Dahrma Suriya I (1590-1604); it was rebuilt by King Rajasinghe II (1634-1686) following the Dutch incursion. The palace was renovated in the 19^th century by Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe, the last king of Kandy, who built the most and replaced the earlier entrances with a massive stone gateway. An LTTE bombing badly damaged the temple in 1998, but it has since been restored.

The third point of the Cultural Triangle that also comprises Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, Kandy is the cultural capital of Sri Lanka with a rich heritage of music, dance and architecture. Home of the sacred Tooth relic, the city is on nearly every visitor’s itinerary. It also serves as a gateway to the Hill Country, the mountainous core of the island, where the countryside is dotted with tea plantations are town still preserve the remnants of the British Colonial legacy.

Set amid verdant hills in the heart of the island, Kandy was founded during the reign of Wickramabahu III of Gampola (1357-1374). The city became the capital of SenaSammadhaWickramabahu’s (1473-1511) kingdom in the 15^th century, and its reputation was further cemented when the Tooth Relic arrived in 1592. Over the years, successive kings built, renovated and rebuilt sections of the city, as they staved off Colonial powers. The British, however, were determined to conquer the whole island, and finally, in 1815, succeeded in overthrowing this last bastion of independence, thanks to the unpopularity of the tyrannical Sri WickramaRajasinghe. Kandy soon became an important center for trade, with a railway line linking it to Colombo. Today, it is Sri Lanka’s second city, renowned for the Temple of the Tooth and the spectacular Esalaperahera.

Beyond the bustle of Kandy, the pace of life slackens and the temperate climate provides a welcome relief. The southern Hill Country presents a range of contrasts – from wild and rugged landscapes with gushing waterfalls to carefully manicured tea plantations carpeting the hillsides. The Colonial-era railway creaks along at dizzying heights, past former British hill stations, such as Nuwara Eliya and Badulla, which are now modern towns. The area’s other attractions include the hill towns of Ella and Haputale, which offer scenic views and lovely winding walks.