Like Kids in a Kandy shop

Upon arrival in Kandy, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the multitude of things do. As the cultural centerpiece for Sri Lanka, the proliferation of temples, gardens and hikes can easily make Kandy a stop that leaves the visitor breathless. To make matters worse, imagine you’ve only got a day available to use. Read on for the day trippers guide to Kandy.

Kandy

WHERE: Central Sri Lanka

WHY: history, food and culture

TIME: 2-3 nights

MORNING

Every day should start with breakfast, and your day in Kandy is no different. For a heart feed, head to Bakehouse (36 Sri Dalada Veediya). Located central to everything in town, Bakehouse offers both snacks and traditional Singhalese fare - get here by 7 am to score a balcony view. My advice is to opt for a Sri Lankan buffet breakfast, go hoppers, coconut sambol and steamed rice.

Now, it’s coffee time. Sri Lanka isn’t traidiotnally known for the quality of coffee, but Cafe Buono is aiming to change this (12 Lamagaraya Road). Take the short walk from Bakehouse to Buono for all your caffeinated needs.

First stop within Kandy is actually outside of Kandy. Take a TukTuk ($10 US) or bus ($2 US) to the Pinewalla Elephant Sanctuary. It should take about 45 minutes from the centre of town to reach the sanctuary itself, however the road there is scenic - think sprawling rainforest and tree cover the majority of the way. The sanctuary itself is certainly worth the visit, expect to see hordes of elephants roaming freely - if you get there early enough (09:30 am) you’ll spot them bathing, which is well worth it. While there may be some questionable ethics at play within the park (too much contact with the elephants), the orphanage is certainly attempting to provide a stable space for the elephants, and I didn’t see anything overly shady whilst there.

AFTERNOON

Once back in Kandy, it’s time to get another feed. Head back to the centre of town to Sri Ramaya (Sri Dalada Veediya, Kandy 20000, Sri Lanka). The food here is thoroughly local, tasty and served up quick. Get in before midday to avoid too much of a lunch rush.

Next you’re off to the the Bogambara lake. You can walk all the way around the Bogambara lake, right next to the temple of tooth relic. The lake itself isn’t overly exciting, but the local monitor lizards that sit by the shore are certainly worth checking out.

Once the sun starts to set head to the big ticket item of Kandy, the Temple of the Tooth. Said to house a tooth relic of the Lord Buddha, this temple is one of Sri Lanka’s most sacred places. While the temple is open from dawn until dusk, my advice is to try and get here in the late afternoon, around 4:00 pm. Ensure that both your shoulders and knees are covered prior to attempting to enter (entry fee $10 US). The temple itself is likely to be extremely busy when you are there, however, the complex itself is certainly worth exploring - the frescoes and Buddhist reliefs covering the walls are fascinating and certainly worthy of a squiz. The casket containing Buddha’s tooth is unveiled at about 6:30 pm nightly - there will be a large procession of monks carrying the casket whilst playing a large wooden drum - get prepared for a steady click of cameras, this is the peak tourist trap.

NIGHT

As you’ll find throughout the majority of Sri Lanka, there is generally a dearth of things to do at night in Kandy. However, due to the high volume of tourists in the area, Kandy has a few pubs that are worth having a drink at before retiring for the evening.

On the main street, Dalada Vidaya there are two watering holes worth sinking some money at. Stop one is ‘The Pub.’ Aptly named, the Pub has an excellent varandah where you can drink Lion Lager and passable cocktails. Next is ‘The Pub Royale,’ expect a similar vibe here - you can get dinner from about $5 US.

In terms of your dinner options, you can go no further in Kandy than a street feed. Located across the road from the ‘The Pub Royale,’ there is a nightly food market set amidst a small park and above the downstairs clothing market. Head across Dalada Vidaya and peruse your options, expect south Indian, Sinhalese and Chinese fare to be on offer here.

If you’re looking for a less touristy locale in which to imbibe after dinner, try out the Victory Hotel. Located just off the main drag on Colombo road, this hotel is likely to be full of locals - however you can get a beer for about $1 US, and Arrack for $4 US and a cigarette from a cigarette waiter (seriously) for $2 US.

Forgotten anything worth doing in Kandy? Let us know in the comments below!