If you have ever been to Sri Lanka, odds are you have been to Kandy. The second city of Sri Lanka is one of country’s cultural hotspots, along with being the starting point for the allegedly the most scenic train journey in the world. From experience, 24 hours in Kandy is enough time to get to know this city and to tick off the main attractions.
Here is my quick guide to help you get the most out of your stay here. Enjoy.
24 Hours in Kandy | A Quick Guide
Where to Stay in Kandy
There are some really nice accommodation options in Kandy, ranging from small and basic to lavish and grand.
We stayed at the Earl’s Regency, one of the biggest hotels in the city. I’m not usually one for large hotels, but this was a beautiful exception. The rooms were immaculate and the food options were diverse and tasty.
Here are my top recommendations to suit any traveller to Kandy.
| Traveller Type | Accommodation Option |
| 4 Star | Villa Rosa |
| Affordable Luxury | The Earl’s Regency |
| High-End Luxury | The Golden Crown |
Morning – Temple of the Tooth
Any day in Kandy needs to begin with the Temple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa). This is the most sacred place in Sri Lanka and houses an important relic; a tooth from the Buddha. Entrance to the Temple is 2,000 (around £4.95 at the time of writing) rupees for western foreigners, with concessions for people from South East Asia or locals.
The temple itself is also beautiful to walk around and has plenty of artwork and artefacts. There are plenty of things to see and, with a guide, you’ll learn a lot about the vast history of the temple. Expect to see plenty of wall paintings depicting the annual tooth procession, golden statues and a taxidermied elephant (who used to carry the tooth around Kandy).
Because of the tooth, the temple is a pilgrimage site. The temple shows the casket showing the tooth at various points in the day, which is when it gets extremely busy. This is at 05:30, 09:30 and 18:30 each day. Try to avoid these points, unless you want to see the casket or immerse yourself in the Buddhist culture.
Check out my post on visiting the Temple of the Tooth for more information.
Lunch
Kandy is filled with different restaurants celebrating the classic rice and curry plate. We grew to love these fruity curries, especially when accompanied by bread, a spicy sambal, or a popper.
There are plenty of street food options as you walk in the centre of Kandy, but I would advise to go to a restaurant. You can have some really mixed experiences with street food, unless your guide recommends it. The Golden Curry restaurant is a good shout, as is Indy’s Joint. Both of these are relatively central and you’ll be amazed at the value for money.
Alternatively, you can head to the Kandy Market Hall. This sells a range of local produce, including tea, fruits and poppers. You can also pick up souvenirs here, which is always a better option than a last-minute attempt to spend all your rupees in the airport!
Afternoon – Royal Botanical Gardens
In the afternoon, we headed to the Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya. We really loved our time exploring these vast gardens which house over 4,000 species of plants. To get here, you’ll need to be driven to the outskirts of the city (through busy Kandy traffic, so allow extra time). Entrance fees to enter are 3,000 rupees per foreign adult to enter (£7.45 at the time of writing), with concessions made for locals and children.
We spent hours wandering around the gardens, stopping at the various greenhouses and interesting plants. Of course, the gardens are Insta-famous because of their long palm walkways which, if you go later, are usually deserted.
Top Tip: In Sri Lanka, it generally rains in the afternoon. Bring an umbrella with you. To quote our guide, the locals do enjoy watching the tourists run from the rain as they were unprepared!
Evening: Kandyan Dance
Kandy is where the Kandayan Dance originated, something performed all over Sri Lanka. Because of this, there are plenty of cultural shows that take place all over the city. The most popular are at the Lake Club or at the Kandayan Cultural Centre.
We didn’t go to one of these in Kandy, but did in the quieter Habarana. Expect there to be crowds, but I genuinely think it is the perfect way to end your 24 hours in Kandy.
Catching the Train?
If after your 24 hours in Kandy you are catching arguably the most scenic train journey in the world to Ella, there are a few things to note. Firstly, make sure that you book your tickets as early as possible. These sell out very quickly. Next, make sure that you leave at least an hour if travelling across Kandy as the traffic is apparently hit and miss.
Final Thoughts | 24 Hours in Kandy
Though 24 hours in Kandy is just a glimpse of this beautiful place, I think that it is enough to see everything you need to. Most people generally won’t spend longer than this here and use it as a base before catching the train. I would agree with this and, whilst lovely, once you have seen the main attractions there isn’t a lot more to do.
I hope that you found this post interesting and, if you have any other questions, just let me know.
