Kandy is the second city of Sri Lanka. Most tourists use the city as a base for 24 hours before heading to Ella or further south and, to be honest, the city itself does not have lots to see. However, Kandy does have the most sacred place in the country; the Temple of the Tooth. If you are one of these aforementioned tourists, then I would say that visiting the Temple of the Tooth is a must.
Here is my quick guide telling you all you need to know. I hope that, by the end of it, you’re inspired to explore this sacred place.
Visiting the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy | Your Quick Guide
Plan Your Visit
Location
The Temple of the Tooth is in the centre of Kandy. Once you are by the lakefront, it is actually difficult to miss! It is part of a much larger complex which includes the Royal Palace and is easily the best preserved part of the city.
We had a guide for this and we parked the car in a car park by the KCC Multicomplex. If you don’t have a driver, then many hotels have tuk tuk shuttle services. that run here.
Costs and Opening Times
Tickets cost 2,000 LKR (approximately £5) for the majority of foreign tourists. However, for those travelling to Sri Lanka from South Asian countries, this fee is reduced to 1,500 LKR.
The Temple is open from 05:30am to 08:30pm each day and you’ll need about an hour to explore.
What to Wear
Like all Buddhist Temples, shoulders and knees need to be covered. Visitors also need to wear appropriate clothing. Again, all shoes need to be given in before you enter to one of the booths (which cost 100 LKR each) which can then be collected on the way out.
Events Throughout the Day and Year
The Temple of the Tooth houses a highly important relic; a tooth that came from the Buddha. Many people from across the country come here to be in the presence of this and to see the casket that houses the relic.
Because of this, there are daily puja ceremonies that are held each day:
Early Period of Service: 5.30 a.m. to 7.00 a.m.
Middle Period of Service: 9.30 a.m. to 11.00 a.m.
Evening Period of Service: 6.30 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.
I would strongly recommend avoiding these times as it will get incredibly busy with locals paying their respects.
There are also ceremonies and festivals held throughout the year and the Temple gets busy during these periods. For instance, when we went just before the Sinhalese New Year in April, there were more locals there than usual. For more details though, check out their website.
Inside the Temple of the Tooth
When we were visiting the Temple of the Tooth, I honestly did not know what to expect. I knew about the sacred relic, but didn’t realise just how expansive the site was. Here are the top things to see whilst exploring.
Top Tip: There are plenty of guides to help you around the Temple, but make sure that they are official (sometimes, people pose as them). We used our driver as our guide and it really helped understand what was going on. In all honesty, we would have struggled to understand the significance without him.
The Main Shrine
The Main Shrine has to be your first stop. The casket can be found upstairs, but is only shown at certain points of the day (see above). Even when it is hidden, the area is beautiful and definitely worth seeing. Typically, there is a blanket of freshly-cut flowers adorning the area, which has itself been decorated by lavish gold and rich wood.
The Pattirippuwa (Octagon)
Deeper inside the Temple is the Pattirippuwa, which translates as the ‘octagon’. This is a lavish part of the temple which was originally part of the Royal Palace, something which becomes quite obvious by the stark difference in architecture. The walls tell the story of the history of Sri Lanka through a series of beautiful paintings, covering some of the main points of the country’s rich history.
The Grounds
The grounds and gardens in the Temple are really pretty and are worth strolling around, or simply relaxing in. You get some great views of the Kandy Lake and the surrounding mountains, plus can hear / see plenty of local birds that make this Palace their home. In fact, during the evening you’ll see lots of swallows that roost here and, as the sun sets, be prepared to see and hear the local flying foxes. They are pretty noisy!
Raja the Elephant
One of the most memorable parts of our visit was seeing Raja, the elephant who bore the casket at the many festivals over the years. Sadly though, he is no longer with us and is actually a taxidermy which is proudly displayed in a building in the grounds. I was bowled over by just how big this tusker elephant is and it was really interesting reading about his history.
The Royal Palace and Museums
If you are visiting the Temple of the Tooth, then I would definitely recommend a trip to the nearby Royal Palace and the accompanying museums. Tickets to the Palace (and its museum) cost 1000 LKR, whereas the nearby World Buddhist Museum costs 1,500 LKR. If you have time to spare, I would suggest taking your time to explore. However, if you don’t have long then I would say you could miss these out in favour of a trip to the Royal Botanical Gardens.
Final Thoughts | Visiting the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy
I loved visiting the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy. If I’m honest, it did not start as high up on the list of places to see. Before visiting, I didn’t really fully understand the significance of the it to the Sinhalese culture. However, after walking around and seeing just how beautiful and symbolic it is, as well as observing the importance of it to the local people, I would say that it is a must-do when in Kandy. If you only have 24 hours in Kandy, make sure that this is one of your activities.
