The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, or Sri Dalada Maligawa, is the most sacred Buddhist temple in the world. It is located in the royal palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy. The temple houses the sacred tooth of Buddha nestled in a golden chamber within the premises of the royal palace complex. Evening is the best time to visit when the temple is lit up.

According to Sri Lankan legend, the left canine tooth of Buddha was retrieved from his funeral pyre after his death in 543 BC. It is believed that this tooth is stored in the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. The ambiance inside is exceptionally cozy and welcoming; it enthralls with the smells of fresh flowers and coconut oil-lit candles and lamps. Within the temple, the daily pujas are carried out on the ground floor, consisting of the Pallemaluwa. On Wednesdays, the bathing of the relic with an herbal preparation (scented water and fragrant flowers) takes place. It is called the Nanumura Mangallaya. This holy water is of substantial spiritual reverence and is distributed among the devotees. 

The temple grounds are spread out over many hectares and have all tourist spots under one roof. Museum, Royal gardens, royal palace, Ambience hall, Mahamaluwa, meditation grounds, moonstone, and the Kandy lake overlooking an array of florals – these and many more sights are the reasons for its ingenuity and grandeur! Kandy is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it is said that whichever state holds the tooth relic maintains an essential place in the country's governance.

The Royal Botanical Garden is situated 5.5km west of Kandy city. You can easily find this place when you are coming to Kandy from either the Gampola direction or the Colombo direction. Peradeniya Botanical Garden is an excellent place to unwind and relax. It is situated close to the Mahaweli River and covers almost 147 acres (59 ha). The elevation is 460m above sea level.

There you can see many beautiful flowers and plant species. According to the sources, the garden consists of more than 4,000 plant species, including spices, medicinal plants, palm trees, and orchids. Peradeniya Botanical Garden is well known for its orchids. As well, the palm tree lines have made a great spot for photographers. Annually, over one million tourists visit this beautiful place.

The garden has a long history. The British developed this as a botanical garden in the 19th century. It is considered the largest botanical garden in Sri Lanka and one of the best in Asia. We recommend this as a must-visit place around Kandy City.

Hanthana is a beautiful mountain range which is situated near Kandy City. The range can be clearly identified and observed from the city. There you can see a few radio towers and television towers on the mountain. It is a fantastic place for hikers and trekkers.

The hike is not difficult for anyone. Due to the availability of public transport for more than half its height, you have only around half a kilometer to climb. But the route is along tea estates and mana bushes. Anyhow, you can trek the mountain range for a long distance. The scenic view from the top will definitely amaze you. You can see the entire Kandy city, the Mahawei River, the Knuckles Mountain Range, and the surrounding places very well.

The Uragala peak is the highest point of the Hantana range, with a height of 1240m. Katusukonda is also a must-visit place, and it looks like Lizard Backbone. Crossing Katusukonda is an awesome adventure activity for anyone. But you need to be careful. Trekking in Hanthana is also a difficult activity in the rainy months. As well, you need to be careful of the leaches.

A fantastic place for adventure lovers. It is situated in the Gampola area, 21 km away from Kandy City. The fearless can climb Ambuluwawa Tower. But some of them failed to reach the top. This is an ideal place to take an adventure experience in Sri Lanka.

Ambuluwawa also has a biodiversity complex and a trigonometry center. Many plant and animal species can be found in the surrounding forest. You can see a clear picture of Gampola City from the top of the tower. The view is absolutely amazing. We recommend you add Ambuluwawa to your list of places to visit around Kandy.

This is a modern temple which is situated in Muruthalawa Village in the Kandy District. It is 12.5km away from the city. Nelligala is a recently famous place with a lot of visitors daily. The temple is constructed on a large rock. Its structure and architecture are fantastic to watch. The Buddha Stratues and Sumana Saman Stratue have given uniqueness to this temple. Nelligala is also another fantastic view point.

Gadaladeniya is an ancient Buddhist temple which is situated near Pilimathalawa town. It is 12km away from Kandy City. This is an ideal spot for a cultural tour in Sri Lanka. Gadaladeniya is considered one of the largest rock temples in Sri Lanka.

The temple was constructed by King Buvanekabahu Iv in the 14th century. It is a place where you can find the Hindu artistic style. The architecture is very similar to the techniques of South Indian architecture. A seated Buddha statue, Makara Thorana, and four Buddha images comprise the main shrine room. The Makara thorana includes the faces of four gods.

Lankathilake Temple is another ancient Buddhist temple which is situated close to the Gadaladeniya Temple. It is 4 km away from Pilimathalawa. This was also made by King Buvanekabahu IV in the 14th century.

The Hindu architectural style can also be found in the Lankathilake Temple. Those were created by a South Indian architect called “Sathapati Rayar” in the 14th century. There are six devales for the six gods. The temple premises are so beautiful and you can observe a nice view from around it. According to us, Lankathilake should be included in your list of the best places to visit around Kandy.

Embekka Devalaya is another culturally and historically important place, which is also situated near Lankathilake Temple. It was built by King Vickramabahu III in the Gampola Era. The devalaya is dedicated to God, ‘Katharagama’. The shrine consists of three sections. It is the Sanctum of Garagha, Hevisi Mandapaya (Drummers’ Room), Digge or Dancing Hall.

The Embekka Devalaya is so popular because of its wood carvings. Most of the carvings can be found in the Drummers’ Hall. It is considered one of the best places to see ancient woodcraft in the world. Apart from the sanctum, the entire devalaya is made of wood. That shows the ability of the ancient Sri Lankans. It is a wonderful place for a cultural tour.

The Knuckles Mountain Range covers a large area of the Kandy and Matale Districts. It is an important biodiversity hotspot in the country. UNESCO declared the area as a National World Heritage in 2010. You can find a lot of endemic plants and animal species here. But it is difficult to enter the mountain range and looks like an isolated place.

Anyhow, there are so many beautiful places to visit in the Knuckle Mountain Range. They are not far away from Kandy City. There are a few ways to enter the Kncukles range. Yahangala, Hunnasgiriya, Five Peaks, Meemure, Gerandi Ella, Dothalugala, Kotaganga, and Riverston are some of the renowned tourist attractions in the Knuckles Range. Those places are superb for trekkers, campers, hikers, and wildlife enthusiasts.

So, here is our list of the top 10 places to visit around Kandy. Out of these 10 places, there are some nicer tourist attractions near the city.