Kandy
The second-largest city in Sri Lanka after Colombo, Kandy is brimming with fascinating history, a rich culture, breathtaking beauty, and old-world charm.It was the last capital of the ancient kings’ era of Sri Lanka.The Kandy plateau, which cuts across a region of tropical plantations, primarily tea plantations, is where the city is located. The capital of the Central Province, Kandy is a city of administration and religion.
01. Temple of the Tooth Relic
The left tooth of Gautama Buddha is enshrined in veneration at the revered Temple of the Holy Tooth Relic. The temple, which is visited daily by tens of thousands of local and foreign pilgrims, was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988.
02. Hanthana
The Hanthana Mountain Range lies in the central highlands of Sri Lanka, south-west of Kandy. It was declared as an environmental protection area in February 2010 under the National Environment Act. The maximum height of the range is 1,200 m.
In Total, there are seven individual peaks, the highest being Ura kanda. The peaks offer fantastic perspectives of Kandy city, the Knuckles range, the dolosbage range of Aranayake, and the hills of the Sabaragamuwa region, too, may be noticed from the heights of these hills.
03. Loolkandura
After the failure of the coffee plantation, the Loolkandura tea estate is regarded as Sri Lanka’s first tested tea plantation. James Taylor planted Sri Lanka’s first field for growing commercial tea there in 1867.
Rikillagaskada, in the central province, is where Loolkandura estate is located. There are so many locations inside the Loolkandura property that you should visit, especially About James Taylor, the man who discovered Ceylon tea, there is James Taylor’s Cottage, James Taylor’s Well, James Taylor’s Seat, and Field No. 7 – The First Tea Field.
04. Chariot Path
Chariot Path of King Rawana is a Grassland (Plain) on a top of a mountain range that is surrounded by a pigmy forest, which looks like a pathway. It is a remarkably beautiful place, which has breathtaking views and unspoilt extraordinary environment. This is located near Frotoft Tea Estate in Pussallawa, Sri Lanka. This is believed to be the route, which King Ravana took Seetha from his capital.
05. Mandaram Nuwara
Mandaram Nuwara is a small village situated at the foot of Pidurutalagala in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. The town is also known colloquially as the ‘Misty City’ as it is shadowed by the adjoining mountain ranges and is shrouded in mist for the majority of the day.
06. Royal Botanical Garden
Peradeniya Botanical Garden Situated in Kandy’s suburb of Peradeniya.This garden is the Second Largest Botanical garden in Asia and this garden was established in 1821. The garden is home to a large and diverse variety of plants, especially endemics and species extinct in the wild. There are over 4000 different species of plants in the garden, regarded as among the most superior in Asia.The impressive orchid collection and a massive avenue of palm trees are the highlights. When meandering around the gardens, you can see a wide variety of medicinal herbs and spices in addition to the abundance of floral plants.
07. Udawatta Kele Sanctuary
Udawatta kele Sanctuary known as the royal Forest Park of kandy is located at
The hillside behind the Temple of the Tooth Relic.TThe size of this forest is roughly 257 acres. Udawattakele Royal Forest has a long history. It runs when the Kandyan Kingdom starts torment. Almost 100 of the 405 plant species found in the Udawattakele Sanctuary are indigenous to Sri Lanka. In addition, it is home to 21 snake species and 81 different bird species.. The forest area is also a water source and it supplies essential water to the Kandy Lake.
08. Nelligala International Buddhist Center
Nelligala International Buddhist Center is a Buddhist temple situated in Muruthalawa village in the Kandy district.Located on top of a mountain, this place is a popular place for visitors and tourists due to its unique beauty and amazing view of the surrounding landscape.
The gold coloured Buddha statues of the temple make for a unique and picturesque sight to behold in contrast to the blue sky above. The temple contains the holy relics of Lord Buddha.
09. Bahiravokanda Vihara Buddha Statue
This beautifully carved white statue displays Buddha in a dhyana mudra, the meditation pose associated with his first enlightenment. There is a small gallery inside the statue that displays a collection of some great depictions of Buddha’s life from infant to manhood. The beauty of the statue is doubled during the night when it is lit up with lamps. The place offers panoramic views of the entire Kandy city, Kandy lake, evergreen forests and tea plantations.
10. Ceylon Tea Museum
Occupying the Hantana Tea Factory dating back to 1925, this museum is located 4 kilometres south of Kandy on Hantane Road. Abandoned for over a decade, it was recently renovated and has good exhibits of tea pioneers James Taylor and Thomas Lipton, and lots of old tea processing tools.
11. Knuckles Mountain Range
The name of this mountain range comes from its resemblance to human knuckles. The mountain range consists of 34 mountains in total which range from 900 to 2000 metres high and is one of the best places to trek and explore the hidden biodiversity of Sri Lanka.
For the same reason, the mountain ranges are also designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. You can explore many hidden paths, waterfalls, and rare species of plants here. So if you are a hiking enthusiast, this is one of the best places to visit in Kandy.
12. Canbuy Gem Museum
The Canbuy Gem Museum in Kandy is the ideal location to visit if you want to explore and learn about some of the rarest minerals in the world that are found in Sri Lanka. It gives a history of priceless stones, gems, rare minerals, and fossils from Sri Lanka and other countries.
13. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, is a captive breeding and conservation institute for wild Asian elephants located at Pinnawala village in the district of kegalle. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage (PEO) is an orphanage, nursery and breeding ground for nearly 93 elephants..This Elephant orphanage was established in 1975 started with 5 orphaned elephants. Prime purpose of the Pinnawala Elephant orphanage is to provide refuge for the elephants which are injured / orphaned & abandoned in the wild.
