Kandy is one of Sri Lanka’s prettiest cities. Situated 115 km inland from Colombo, Kandy lies in the hills and is known not just for its scenic beauty but also for its historical and cultural significance. For a long time, Kandy was the capital of Sri Lanka and had withstood the onslaught of the Portuguese and Dutch colonisers.

From Colombo, Kandy is a 3-hour drive by road. Many visitors prefer to do the drive by rented car and see a bit of the country enroute. Within Kandy itself, you can move around by taxi, three-wheeler or bus, or, if you’ve got a sturdy pair of legs, you can do quite a bit of sightseeing on foot. Don’t miss out on the Temple of the Tooth, the National Museum next to it which houses a good collection of Sinhalese regalia, the Udawattakelle Sanctuary -one of Kandy’s green areas, and the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens spread across 60 hectares of sheer greenery - Sri Lanka’s largest botanic gardens.

Kandy’s got quite enough to see and do, and if you want to shop or get steeped in culture, make your way to the Kandyan Art Association & Cultural Centre, it’s next to Kandy lake, in the same building as the tourist office.