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Kandy Travel Guide
Buy Sri Lankan RupeesKandy at a glance
Kandy is Sri Lanka's cultural capital and the last kingdom to fall to the British, set around a lake in the hills with the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic at its centre. It is the natural second stop after Colombo and the starting point for the hill country train to Ella.
One thing worth knowing before you book anything: India is a SAARC member, and Sri Lanka's heritage sites charge SAARC nationals a reduced rate. At Sigiriya that is roughly USD 20 against USD 30 to 35 for other foreign visitors, and at the Temple of the Tooth it is LKR 2,500 against LKR 3,000. Carry your passport and ask for the SAARC rate at the counter rather than assuming the posted foreigner price applies to you.
The Temple of the Tooth is the reason to come and its pricing was revised in July 2026: foreign visitors now pay LKR 3,000 and SAARC nationals, which includes Indians, pay LKR 2,500. Puja ceremonies run three times a day at 6:30am, 9:30am and 6:30pm, and the atmosphere during puja is what most people actually come for, so it is worth timing a visit to land on one.
Beyond the temple, Kandy Lake is a pleasant early-morning or evening walk, and the Royal Botanical Garden at Peradeniya sits about twenty minutes out with an extensive orchid collection. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is roughly an hour away and is usually folded into the Colombo to Kandy drive rather than done as a separate trip. Kandyan dance shows run most evenings in town.
The Kandy to Ella train is one of Asia's most photographed journeys, climbing through tea country over several hours. Reserved seats sell out well in advance in season, so book ahead rather than turning up at the station.
Where to stay
Kandy's main sights are compact enough that most short stays never leave the centre.
Central Kandy, near the lake
Walkable to the Temple of the Tooth, the lake promenade and the main restaurant strip. The practical choice for a short stay.
The hills above Kandy
Properties on the surrounding hillsides with views over the lake and city, a short tuk-tuk ride from the centre.
Peradeniya
Out toward the botanical garden and the university, quieter and cheaper, suited to a longer stay.
Paying in Kandy
For the Sri Lankan rupee itself, visa-on-arrival, how much cash to carry and the LRS and TCS numbers, see the Sri Lanka travel guide.
Before you fly it is worth reading what an ATM withdrawal in Sri Lanka actually costs.
Kandy is less card-friendly than Colombo. Hotels and larger restaurants take cards, while tuk-tuks, smaller local restaurants and the botanical garden ticket counter are generally cash.
What Kandy actually costs
Set the length and style of your trip to see what to budget, in Sri Lankan rupees and Indian rupees.
Indicative, excluding international flights and accommodation, per person per day. Converted at the verified mid-market rate on 23 September 2026, LKR 100 ≈ ₹29.08, not a Matrix board rate.
Budget roughly ₹730 to ₹1,890 per person per day on the ground, excluding flights and accommodation.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Temple of the Tooth, SAARC national | LKR 2,500 |
| Temple of the Tooth, other foreign visitors | LKR 3,000 |
| Rice and curry at a local spot | LKR 300-800 |
| Casual restaurant near the lake | LKR 1,200-3,000 |
Getting around
Central Kandy is walkable, with the temple, the lake and the main restaurants all within a short stroll. Tuk-tuks cover anything further, including Peradeniya, and PickMe works here as it does in Colombo. Agree a fare before setting off if you flag one down.
Kandy Railway Station is the departure point for the hill-country line to Ella. Reserved seats are the ones worth having and they go quickly, so book several days ahead in high season.
Common mistakes in Kandy
Paying the foreigner rate at the Temple of the Tooth
SAARC nationals, including Indians, pay LKR 2,500 rather than LKR 3,000 under the pricing revised in July 2026. Ask at the counter and carry your passport.
Visiting the temple outside puja hours
Puja runs at 6:30am, 9:30am and 6:30pm, and the atmosphere during it is what most visitors come for. Outside those windows the experience is much flatter.
Turning up for the Ella train without a reservation
Reserved seats on the hill-country line sell out well ahead in season. Unreserved carriages are standing room on a journey of several hours.
Treating Pinnawala as a separate trip
It sits about an hour away and folds naturally into the Colombo to Kandy drive rather than justifying its own day from Kandy.
Dressing for the heat rather than the temple
The Temple of the Tooth enforces modest dress and shoes off. Shoulders and knees covered, and socks are worth carrying for hot stone.
Kandy FAQs
Foreign visitors pay LKR 3,000 and SAARC nationals, which includes Indian passport holders, pay LKR 2,500, roughly ₹730, under pricing revised in July 2026.
Three times daily, at 6:30am, 9:30am and 6:30pm. The atmosphere during puja is the reason most people visit, so it is worth timing your visit around one.
One to two days. A single full day covers the temple, the lake and a dance show; a second adds the Peradeniya botanical garden at a slower pace.
Yes. Reserved seats sell out well ahead in season, and the alternative is standing for several hours on one of the most scenic rail journeys in Asia.
Less card-friendly than Colombo. Hotels and larger restaurants take cards; tuk-tuks, smaller restaurants and the botanical garden counter are cash.
Yes at the Temple of the Tooth, where the SAARC rate is LKR 2,500 against LKR 3,000 for other foreign visitors. Carry your passport to claim it.
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