Joanna James
Recognised as a world heritage site by UNESCO, Kandy is a city that is known the world over for its cultural and historic significance. Being a unique and enticing destination, Kandy must be included in your travel itinerary. If you decide in doing so, here are a few useful tips that might come in handy during your time here.
Being regarded as the cultural capital of the country, Kandy is home to numerous Buddhist temples which includes the fabled temple of the sacred tooth relic. The city also houses s a handful of Hindu and catholic and Islamic places of worship. Regardless of which religious site you are planning to visit, be mindful that you should be dressed modestly covering your shoulders and knees. Bear in mind that Buddhist, Hindu and Islamic religious sites do not permit footwear to be worn within their temple premises so make sure that you adhere to the instructions
High moral values should be practised while you are in the city and acts such as smoking in public places or regions surrounding religious is a punishable act. Public displays of affection are generally frowned upon around the country and while at a city that is culturally significant as Kandy practises as such should be completely avoided. Taking pictures within temple premises is also not allowed and you could only do so when you obtain special permission from relevant authorities.
The city of Kandy has a Singhalese majority but most of the people here understand and can respond to you in English. As you have heard in popular media, most of the people in Sri Lanka are kind and helpful there is no exception to Kandy. However few words such as 'thank you' (sthuthi), 'please', and 'do you speak in English' in Sinhala could be very helpful.
People who do serve you expect to tip although they much not directly ask you so. you could tip waiters at hotels and tuk-tuk drivers if you think that they have asked for a reasonable fair charge or if they had helped you in any sort. When you tip at restaurants make sure that the bills do not have service charges included. If it has been included you might not need to tip them.
You need not have to worry about theft or scams in Kandy since the city is regarded as one of the safest cities in the island. But when you are a tourist, in a different country you could never be sure, so being a little vigilant of your surroundings won't do any harm. The city of Kandy could get crowded by locals during festival seasons and religious event such as the famous Esala Perahera so if you travel to this city with your children during this time, keep them close to you at all times and never let them wander in their own.
Do adequate research about the city's main attractions so that it would be easier to identify things and get you bearings more easily when you are there. You could know about the city by visiting reliable websites such as Kandy Escapes. It is recommended that you carry a small bag with you so that when you visit any of the city's temples you can put them in your bags and carry them with you. Ladies could carry a shawl with them so in case if they had to visit a temple they could cover their shoulders if needed. Also if you are planning to travel to Kandy from Colombo by train you will have to reserve your seats in advance since they could sell out pretty fast
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