What to Do in Kandy in 3 Days? Travel Guide and Tips

Day 1 | Morning

Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic

Opening Hours: Open from 5:30am-8:00pm

Ticket Price: 1000 LKR

Recommended Length of Stay: 1-1.5 Hours

Location: Sri Dalada Veediya, Kandy 20000, Sri Lanka

The Temple of the Tooth Relic was built in the 15th century and is famous for enshrining the tooth relic of Sakyamuni, the national treasure of Sri Lanka. The monastery has upper and lower floors, the hall is a hall, surrounded by a moat and guarded by a corner tower, which reflects the typical style of Sinhalese national architecture. There is also a World Buddhism Museum in the temple, which shows the spread and development of Buddhism in the world for tourists.

Day 1 | Afternoon

When time permits after visiting Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, don’t forget pay a visit to Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage.

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

Opening Hours: Open from 8:30am-5:30pm

Ticket Price: 11000 LKR

Recommended Length of Stay: 2-2 Hours

Location: B199, Rambukkana 71100, Sri Lanka

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is one of the largest elephant orphanages in the world and is currently one of the largest elephant rescue homes in the world. The Elephant Orphanage in Sri Lanka was built in 1975 by the Wildlife Department to take in those young elephants who are homeless, fall into pits or traps, and escape from the herd, especially those who are seriously injured. 1. Introduction to the park The Elephant Orphanage is located in Pinnawela, about 3 hours away from Colombo. The entire park is divided into two parts by the B199 highway. The east is the main park where the elephants usually live, and the west is where the elephants bathe every day by the MaOya River. In the main park, you can visit the elephant habitat and see how the baby elephants eat. When it is time to bathe, the elephant team will set off from the main park in a mighty way to bathe and play on the river beach in the west. The elephants are well cared for here. 2. Special souvenirs There are very special souvenirs such as elephant dung paper, buffalo leather products and so on. Now, paper products made from elephant dung are Sri Lanka's national gift, and some world-renowned politicians have also used these products. These souvenirs are very popular, and it is meaningful to give to relatives and friends or to keep as a souvenir.

Reviews from Real Guests:

Trip.com User: Amazing place the elephants seem happy and well looked after. we were able to get up very close to them and feed them a delicious fruit that can be bought at a very cheap price of 250 Rs. After feeding the elephants we were able to follow them to the river for baths! unforgettable day!

Midge64: I went here many years ago. my first encounter with Elephants. Wonderful experience.

Day 1 | Evening

Don’t forget to book W15 Hanthana Estate Kandy in advance, because all the tourists head to Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage love staying at it.

W15 Hanthana Estate Kandy

Located in Pathahewaheta, W15 Hanthana Estate Kandy is within a 15-minute drive of Ceylon Tea Museum and Kandy General Hospital. This hotel is 7.4 mi (11.8 km) from Royal Botanical Garden and 5.9 mi (9.5 km) from Kandy Lake. Make use of convenient amenities, which include complimentary wireless Internet access and concierge services. Enjoy a meal at the restaurant or snacks in the hotel's coffee shop/café. Featured amenities include dry cleaning/laundry services, a 24-hour front desk, and multilingual staff. Free self parking is available onsite. Rooms have private balconies or patios. Complimentary wireless Internet access is available to keep you connected. Bathrooms feature rainfall showerheads. Conveniences include desks, housekeeping is provided daily, and irons/ironing boards can be requested.

Day 2 | Morning

Royal Botanical Gardens

Opening Hours: Open from 7:30am-6:00pm

Ticket Price: 2000 LKR

Recommended Length of Stay: 1-2 Hours

Location: Peradeniya Rd, Kandy

The Royal Botanical Garden is 5.5 kilometers away from the city of Kandy and covers an area of more than 60 hectares. It is surrounded by the Mahaveli River on three sides. It is also one of the famous tropical botanical gardens and was once the royal garden of the King of Kandy. Introduction to the Park There are a considerable number of plant species and scientific and technological materials in the fields of bioengineering, ecology, conservation and classification. The botanical garden has more than 4,000 species of tropical and subtropical rare plants, and is famous for orchids and giant tropical trees. There is an orchid museum dedicated to cultivating orchids. The botanical garden also has a spice garden with cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, pepper, vanilla and other spice plants. The tropical sun at the equator and the Mediterranean climate of the Kandy region allow for lush vegetation, flowers, and spring all year round.

Day 2 | Afternoon

Now we come to another great highlight in the city: Ceylon Tea Museum.

Ceylon Tea Museum

Ticket Price: 800 LKR

Recommended Length of Stay: 1-2 Hours

Location: Hantane, Kandy

The Tea Museum is located three kilometers outside the city, formerly the Hanthana Tea Factory in the 1925s. The surrounding area of the museum is full of tea leaves, and being in the tea garden is refreshing and refreshing. Introduction to the Museum The museum has four floors. On the first floor, there is a reading room that allows visitors to deeply understand the history of tea making in the area; the second floor displays the tools used by local people to process tea in earlier times; the third floor is a tea sales point, which can be purchased Various brands of tea; the fourth floor is a tea restaurant; in addition, on the top floor, you can see the beautiful scenery of Kandy hidden in the mountains.

Day 2 | Evening

If you want to explore other popular attractions later, Kings Pavilion is a suitable place for you to stay and refresh.

Kings Pavilion

Stop at Kings Pavilio to discover the wonders of Kandy. The hotel offers a high standard of service and amenities to suit the individual needs of all travelers. 24-hour room service, free Wi-Fi in all rooms, 24-hour security, daily housekeeping, 24-hour front desk are just some of the facilities on offer. Some of the well-appointed guestrooms feature television LCD/plasma screen, carpeting, children's high chair, clothes rack, complimentary instant coffee. The hotel offers various recreational opportunities. Friendly staff, great facilities and close proximity to all that Kandy has to offer are three great reasons you should stay at Kings Pavilio.

Day 3 | Morning

Kandy National Museum

Opening Hours: Open on Tue-Sat,9:00am-5:00pm

Ticket Price: 500 LKR

Recommended Length of Stay: 1-2 Hours

Location: 7JVR+8VW, Kandy

The Kandy National Museum, located next to the Temple of the Tooth Relic, is part of the former imperial palace. Under the dim light, it contains the memories of the Sinhalese people in the pre-European period. The exhibition is mainly in the harem of PalleVahala, which displays exquisite works of art from the Kandy period and the British colonial period, including Buddha statues, crown images and wood carvings, as well as various cultural relics from the British colonial period. Special History In addition to the religious exhibits mentioned above, there are many cultural relics here, which together witness the history of Sri Lanka from the 16th to the 19th centuries. For example, a copy of the agreement signed by the King of Kandy in 1815 when he agreed to belong to British rule, the copy mentioned that Sri Wickrama Rajasinha was sentenced to "regular violation of the sacred and just responsibilities of a monarch", so he was "expelled from the palace" ", while the "Kandy Kingdom" will be "belonged to the British Empire", which is an agreement for the cession of the land. There is also a 17th-century Kandy crown in the museum, which is undoubtedly a good window for tourists who want to learn about Lanka culture.

Day 3 | Afternoon

Udawatta Kele Sanctuary nearby is the top choice before you leave Kandy National Museum and hit the road.

Udawatta Kele Sanctuary

Ticket Price: 644 LKR

Recommended Length of Stay: 3-6 Hours

Location: Buwelikada,Kandy

In the Sinhala language, the name of the reserve means "the garden above the palace". Legend has it that a Sinhalese emperor once fled to this place and was once a royal forbidden place. There is a Brahman practice cave in the reserve. Historically, Buddhist monks have lived in seclusion here. It is an important Buddhist hidden meditation practice place. There are huge vines and shrubs growing in the rich flora and fauna reserve. There are more than 80 kinds of birds, and a large number of mammals thrive here. There are active porcupines, deer, etc., as well as golden-throated woodpeckers and Sri Lankan parrots. And special birds such as the gray ground thrush have undoubtedly become the popular science education base for children in Sri Lanka.

* All reviews in the blog are machine-translated.