Day 01
Kandy City Highlights and Sacred Sites
- Connect with your tour guide, who will pick you up from your hotel in Kandy to begin the itinerary.
- Begin by visiting the Royal Botanic Gardens, located about 5.5 km west of the city of Kandy in Sri Lanka's Central Province. In 2016, the garden welcomed 1.2 million local visitors and 400,000 foreign visitors. It lies near the Mahaweli River, the longest river in Sri Lanka, and is renowned for its collection of orchids. The garden includes more than 4,000 species of plants, including orchids, spices, medicinal plants, and palm trees. Attached to it is the National Herbarium of Sri Lanka.
- Then, drive to Kandy World War Cemetery. This graveyard, formerly known as the Pitakande Military Cemetery, was taken over by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as a permanent war cemetery and is now the final resting place of soldiers of the British Empire killed during the war. This British military cemetery includes 107 British soldiers, 35 East African soldiers, 26 Sri Lankan soldiers, 23 Indian soldiers, 6 Canadian soldiers, 3 Italian soldiers, and 1 French soldier. Of these, more than 75% served in the army, while the rest belonged to the Air Force, Navy, and National Fire Service.
- Then, head to the Bahirawakanda Buddha Statue. Roughly 2 kilometers from the city center of Kandy lies a Theravada Buddhist temple called the Sri Maha Bodhi Viharaya, also known as the Bahirawakanda Temple. The temple is famed for its giant white statue of Lord Buddha, called the Bahirawakanda Vihara Buddha Statue, which stands at 88 feet and is one of the tallest Buddha statues on the island.
- Next, go to Arthur's Seat, also known as the Kandy View Point, to witness the lush greenery lining the sparkling waters of the iconic Kandy Lake, the Temple of the Tooth Relic overlooking the city, the iconic buildings, and the blue sky touched with white that add to the mosaic of Kandy. Situated at 1,790 feet above sea level, Arthur's Seat offers an amazing panoramic view of the city of Kandy. Here, you will find a platform built to facilitate your view of the city below. This viewing point was identified during the British ruling period. Legend reveals that there was a bungalow owned by Mr. Arthur, a planter, just above where Arthur's Seat now stands. The planter Arthur used to view Kandy City by standing on a stone seat under a tree in front of his bungalow.
- After that, enjoy watching the Kandyan Dance Show, traditionally performed only by male dancers.
- Lastly, visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. It is said that the tooth - one of the Buddha's teeth and therefore one of the most important Buddhist relics - was first brought to Sri Lanka in the 4th century AD and has been part of the politics of the local region ever since. Legend has it that whoever owns the tooth has governance over the local area. However, the Temple of the Tooth itself was first built in 1603, with the current temple dating back to the 18th century.
- Return to your hotel to conclude the tour.
