Sri Lanka is a country that should be at the top of your travel list! Wonderful cities, rich in culture, kind-hearted people, and a greatly diverse landscape throughout the island. Rainforests, beaches, tea plantations, hidden waterfalls, rice fields, train rides, boat rides, tons of wildlife, these are only a few of the incredible experiences you will encounter!
Planning your trip to Sri Lanka? You may want to start your trip off with a city named Kandy, only 3 hours from the airport. In this post I will share with you a 2 Day Itinerary for your visit in Kandy.
For a full guide to visiting all of Sri Lanka you can find that here;
DAY 1
Botanical Gardens
Paradeniya, Royal Botanical Gardens is right in the center of Kandy and a beautiful way to start your trip through this city. This garden is very large and you can spend a good 2 hours or so here. It is mainly outdoors but there are some indoor greenhouse exhibits to view. You will see tons of flowers, very interesting trees, a nice view of the water, encounter many monkeys (do not try to pet them and keep an eye on your valuables, they are sneaky!), and have a very relaxing morning!
You can purchase tickets once you arrive for 1500 RS (adults) and 730 RS (children under 12)
Batik
While you are in Sri Lanka you should try to book a Batik Lesson. Batik is a process commonly used in Sri Lanka to design and dye fabrics, so it's fun to learn the process and design your own creation to take home with you. You can spot many Batik designs throughout the shops in the country.
Temple of the Sacred Tooth
Next on your list should be the Temple of the Sacred Tooth. Located right by Kandy Lake, this beautiful temple is very important in the Buddhist religion. It holds a tooth of the Buddha and you are able to view the golden casket upon entry. If you would like to give a flower offering there are beautiful fresh flowers for purchase right outside of the temple before you enter.
**You are going into a temple so you will need to be dressed appropriately, legs and shoulders covered!**
Visit Cafe Secret Alley
Once you have worked up an appetite, head over to the Cafe Secret Alley located just minutes away from the Temple of the Sacred Tooth. This awesome cafe offers a laid back beachy vibe with acai bowls served in coconut shells topped with fresh fruit and fresh flowers and delicious smoothies!
Kandy Lake
A great way to end your first day in Kandy is to check out Kandy Lake. You can choose to take a stroll around the lake or maybe choose to take a boat ride to rest your tired legs! See if you can spot the Asian Water Monitor while you are walking, (they look very similar to Komodo dragons. They are usually found sleeping or sun bathing around the water.
Day 2
Tallest Standing Buddha
Your next day should start at Ranawana Purana Rajamaha Viharaya. This is a Buddhist Temple where you can take a trail through the forest hills, learn about Buddhism, talk to a monk and receive a blessing, and view the tallest standing Buddha. This is about a 30 minute tuktuk ride from the center of Kandy.
Visit a Tea Factory and Plantation
About 10 minutes up the road is Geragama Tea Factory. Here you can take a tour through the tea plantations to see how people harvest the tea then into the factory to watch how the tea is made.
Visit a Hindu Temple
Heading back towards Kandy you can find a Hindu Temple called Kataragama Devalaya. I found it interesting to visit a Buddhist temple and then a Hindu temple afterwards to experience each one. I found the Buddhist temples to be very quiet and peaceful and the Hindu temples to be very colorful with lots of flashing lights and music playing.
Explore the streets of Kandy
For the rest of the day I would take the time to walk the streets of this city and see what its like here. There are tons of vendors to purchase souvenirs from (I recommend bargaining with them and not accepting their first offer. They usually tend to bump up the price for tourists), there are fruit markets all around and different eateries to check out!
**Attention Experienced Hikers**
If you are looking for a hiking adventure and have experience with this, you may consider checking out the Knuckles Mountain Range in Kandy. This is approximately a 12 mile hike that takes you way outside of the city life. You will hike through mountains and rainforests, encountering small villages, rice fields, tea plantations, and hidden waterfalls that you can swim in. This is an extremely challenging but rewarding trek if you are up for the challenge.
That concludes the 2 day itinerary for the city of Kandy. I hope the rest of your travels through Sri Lanka are extraordinary and you make unforgettable memories, lifelong friends, and leave with a smiling face.
Do you know of any other MUST SEE spots around Kandy? Let me know in the comments!
If you plan on traveling to other places around Sri Lanka, check out my other posts here:
What beautiful scenery. I would love to visit that botanical garden!