Kandy, second busiest city of Sri Lanka

Arrival in Kandy drops you in a total different atmosphere. Kandy, located in the central province of Sri Lanka is the second largest city of the country after Colombo, a buzzing environment with lots of cars, motorcycles, noises, but also culture ! Kandy can be considered as the begining of Sri Lankan cultural triangle and has been declared in 1988 UNESCO World Heritage. Let's have a look first to the city and its opportunities. 

Kandy is of course the home of the Temple of Tooth Relic, the subject of my next review, which is one of the most sacred places in the Buddhist world. Kandy has also kept a colonial architecture from its British period.

The train station is only 10 minutes walk from the city center and the Temple of Tooth Relic. In case you would like to explore the city before going to your hotel, be aware that the station has a luggage storage room, opened until 7pm. From my memories, the station charges something around 100 roupies per luggage. 

On your way to the city center, have a look to the clock tower, nothing extraordinary but one of Kandys curiosity. The city center is full of ATMs, shops and some average restaurants. Some more colonial restaurants, such as the Bake House restaurant or the Empire Cafe, have a terrasse on the upper floor with a view on the street. The food is really average, I would recommend to use it for a break lunch but not a diner. Be careful, alcool cannot be served between 2pm and 5pm, this is a town regulation ! For diner, a nice option could be to find a restaurant on the hill, overlooking the city. 

Kandy is also famous for its market, have a look. Be careful, some people will try to swindle you, saying that you met them at your hotel and were your porter. We were warned by our travel guide book and we experienced it for real. 

On the way to the Temple of the Tooth, you will discover the colonial architecture from the British period. 

Kandy also has a very pleasant lake, which is the lung of the city and where locals like to relax. 

Two other attractions in Kandy are the Botanical Garden and the giant Buddha. We did not have enough time in the city and prefered to focus on the Temple. However, believe me, you will see many Buddhas in the cultural triangle. It worths going there if you have enough time only. Let's see further the Temple of the Tooth Relic !