Kandy overview

Although technically the second Sri Lankan city to Columbo, Kandy is probably the most beautiful town in Sri Lanka, a relaxed and friendly inland capital. Just 115kms from the actual capital, Kandy is a world away from the smog, traffic and mass of humanity that is Columbo. Lying at 1650 feet above sea level, Kandy sits at the base of picturesque hills which converge at a mountain lake, where the last Sinhalese kingdom fought back the Dutch and Portuguese before finally falling to the British. Here a ramshackle assortment of antique and jewellery shops sit alongside a range of accommodation and a vibrant market. Walking the town or the surrounding hills is a tranquil delight, as are the numerous temples of the city and the 60-hectare Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. Nightlife in Kandy is virtually non-existent.