Kandy

As the most famed and most visited city in Sri Lanka, Kandy has a rich though short history having been only officially founded as a Royal Capital in 1472. Protected by the rolling hills that surround it, Kandy was the final bastion of Buddhist political power against repeated invasions from colonial forces that resulted in its frequent burning and destruction. In fact the Kandyan Kingdom was the only kingdom in the whole of the Asian and African region that the powers of three European empires (the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British respectively) could not win by battle. Its final fall in 1815 to the British was ironically peaceful since it involved not victory by battle but through the signing of an agreement that signalled the end of independence for the whole island.

The highlight of a visit to Kandy is to go to the country's most important religious shrine, the Temple of the Tooth, to try to catch a glimpse of the Buddha's holy molar that is venerated by hundreds of pilgrims daily. Beside the beautiful temple, reflected in the Kandy Lake, are remains of the Royal Palace that now house an assortment of museums that you can take your time visiting including one especially for the famous Tusker elephant along with his full skeleton! Along with the nineteenth century St Paul's Cathedral, a handful of both Buddhist and Hindu shrines and a huge bo-tree, this highly cultural and significant area declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988 should not be missed on any tour of the island.

Kandy is a beautiful setting from which to stay and explore the breathtaking natural surroundings of Udawatakele Reserve or even browse some artificial ones such as Peradeniya Botanical Gardens.