Joanna James
A popular stop in Sri Lanka is Kandy and that's for many good reasons. It's the cultural capital of the country full of heritage sites, and the scenic beauty the city holds is also not to be forgotten. Let this article highlight some of the key attractions of the city that are worth visiting.
Ask any citizen in Sri Lanka about what Kandy is known for, and the first answer you'll surely get from everyone will be 'The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic'. It's not just worshipped by the Buddhists even though it's a Buddhist sacred site, but everyone equally respects this attraction regardless of their religions, beliefs, and values. Located so close to many Kandy hotels in Sri Lanka the likes of Hotel Topaz, this temple site also provides easy access to the World Buddhist Museum.
If you feel the city is quite crowded and there's a lot of unbearable noise there, you can simply head to the Royal Botanic Gardens to feel relaxed and chilled. The garden spans over 147 acres and more than 4000 plants (of which some are endemic to Sri Lanka) are there to be explored. Do not miss out on the orchid collection in this garden, because it's one of the most amazing things your eyes are going to witness in your lifetime. If you want to avoid the crowds, go there on a weekday, as weekends are very busy with visitors.
Spend some time admiring the beauty of the great Kandy Lake if your day's schedule allows it. This is a very ancient lake (built in 1800s) and a walk around this will surely create some space for good mental relaxation. There are sellers with popcorn parcels around the lake (under the shades of the giant trees near the lake) and you may also buy one pack from them and feed the fish in the lake with popcorn.
Located very close to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth relic, Udawatta Kele Sanctuary was once the garden of the Kandyan kings. Today, it's a wildlife sanctuary with many species of mammals and reptiles, and also with many important plants. Bird watchers find this place to be very interesting, and to give them some added entertainment, there are also very funny monkey troupes moving here and there. Since this place is also a meditation spot used by the monks, try not to make too much noise while you explore.
Sri Lanka is known for its supply of the world's best tea- Ceylon Tea and located very close to Kandy are some of the main tea plantations of the country. If you visit the Giragama Tea Plantation, you will be able to see how beautifully the tea estates are arranged with clear structures and shapes. Click good photos of them, because they are indeed picture perfect!
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