Kandy (Temple of the Tooth Relic & Royal Botanical Garden)

Kandy is the Buddhists’ sacred city and the Last Kingdom of Sri Lanka as well. Hence from the center of this city, the reminiscence of a royal era is evident all over. This city is 117 km (2 hr 30 min ) ride from Colombo International Airport. The heart of this city is the sacred temple of tooth (Dalada Maligawa) where the Buddha’s tooth relic is placed. The temple of the tooth is a complex of the royal palace, shrine of Hindu Gods (Natha dewalaya), Kandy royal museum and the famous lake round of Kandy where many historical epics happened. Even though there are few remains of the original temple, which was constructed around 1600, is a World Heritage site. The grandiose Kanadyan architecture and amazing embellishments make it a wonderful sight for visitors.

One of the other significant stops is the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, which is the largest garden in Sri Lanka with a variety of nearly 10,000 different trees. Out of those the most distinctive and rare species is the Giant Bamboo of Burma, which grows 12 inches per day up to a height of about 40 feet.

The 88-foot Buddha statue in the Bahirawa Kanda (devil’s hill) is also another stunning panorama that should not be missed. Due to its prominent placement, the white statue is visible from all parts of Peradeniya city. To get to the viewpoint, you can simply walk up. Early mornings and nights are the best times to be around.

The Ambuluwawa Tower which is situated in the suburbs of Gampola town, a few Km away from Kandy is another prominent place for its picturesque sceneries on the way and at the top of the tower. This has become famous for its spiral staircase case which is quite challenging to climb and giving it a try worths.