Kandy

Description

Kandy is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Sri Lanka. Steeped in history, Kandy is an exotic hilly city that impresses visitors in the first instance. The city enjoys a comfortable cool climate all around the year and any season can be picked for visiting Kandy. The architecture, layout, sculptures and paintings all around the city are worth observing.
There are various world heritage sites across Kandy that can be visited. One such site is the Temple of the Tooth. A short visit to the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage is recommended. The Peradeniya Botanical Gardens or the Royal Botanical Garden is worth visiting. It is the largest botanical garden in Sri Lanka. The Udawattakele Royal Forest Sanctuary is another wonderful destination to visit. The Kandy National Museum is located in a beautiful historic building and gives visitors an insight to the Kandyan era. The Tea Museum in Kandy is unique museum to visit. From the Arthur’s Sea visitors can get a complete view of the Kandy City. A walk along the Kandy Lake is also recommended.
Kandy also offers a number of excellent shopping opportunities. In several shops around the city one can find lacquerwork, metalware, brassware and several other craft items. Home furnishing, antique jewellery, gemstones and handicrafts are just some of the things that visitors can buy during their visit to Kandy.

Nearby Airports

The nearest major airport to Kandy is the Bandaranaike International Airport. The airport is around 103 Km from Kandy and is easily accessible. From the airport direct buses are available to Kandy; one way trip costs Rs 136 and takes around 3-4 hours. Direct taxis are available from the airport to the Kandy and costs around Rs. 6000 for a one-way trip. Direct A/C buses are also available from Colombo to Kandy. The latest option is to hire an Air Taxi that leaves from Colombo (Kelani River) at 9 AM and reaches Kandy at 9:30 AM at Mahaweli River in Polgolla. The one way cost for hiring the air taxi is Rs. 4900 and a round trip costs Rs. 9800.

Halal Restaurants

Kandy also has a number of halal restaurants. Some of the best halal restaurants in Kandy include Dinemore, Little Hut, Kandyan Muslim Hotel, etc. Fast food chains like KFC in DaladaVeediya and Peradeniya Roadalso serve halal food.

Mosques

There are several mosques in Kandy where Muslim visitors can stop for offering prayers. The most prominent mosques in Kandy include Mahayyawa Grand Mosque,MawilmadaJummah Mosque, King Street Jumma Mosque, HeerassagalaJummah Mosque, etc.

Things to Do and See in Kandy

• Royal Botanical Garden
• New Ranweli Spice Garden
• Kandy National Museum
• The Tea Museum
• Kandy Lake
• Athur's seat
• Kandyan Art Association
• Udawattakele Royal Forest Sanctuary
• Hanthana Mountains
• Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage
• Trekking around the Kandy district