Kandy

Kandy was the last capital of Sri Lanka's ancient kings, holding out against colonial powers until 1815, longer than any other kingdom on the island. That history is still visible in its layout — a compact city built around an artificial lake, ringed by hills, with the royal palace complex and the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic at its centre.

The temple houses what is venerated as a tooth relic of the Buddha, brought to Sri Lanka in the 4th century and moved between capitals as the seat of power shifted, eventually settling in Kandy. It remains one of the most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites on the island, and each year the relic is carried through the streets during the Esala Perahera, a procession of decorated elephants, dancers and drummers held over ten nights.

Kandy is also the easiest base from which to visit the surrounding hill country — spice gardens, botanical gardens at nearby Peradeniya, and the start of the scenic railway line that climbs on toward Nuwara Eliya and Ella. The city itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Inside the temple, three ceremonies of offering — known as thewawa — take place daily, and visitors are welcome to observe. The inner chamber holding the relic itself is opened only on specific occasions, but the atmosphere during a thewawa, with drummers and the scent of incense, is often what people remember most.