Kandy is the ancient capital of Sri Lanka and is located higher up in the mountains. The city is centrally located and has a pleasant climate. It is most famous for the Temple of the Tooth, where a tooth of the Buddha is being kept in a shrine. It is also the most visited place in town. Nowadays, because of previous bomb blasts, the security measures are comparable with boarding a plain. If you are short in time, you can consider to skip it.
The Temple of the Tooth, in front Queens Bathing Pavilion
The kingdom of Kandy was founded in the late 15th century and endured until the early 19th century. The kings themselves had almost the status of a deity and are often depicted in frescos in temples, worshipping the Buddha. It has led to the unique Kandian style of art, if you visit a temple from that period you will recognize it immediately.
A Kandyan king worshipping the Buddha, the fresco is painted in the unique Kandyan style
Kandy and its surroundings have a visitor a lot to offer. You can easily spend quite a few days to get an impression. But what we like most, is to stroll around lake Kandy and in the centre of the town. And then to visit one of the Buddhist or Hindu temples. The Vel Bodhiya, also named the Pattini Devale, adjacent to the entrance of the temple of the tooth, is one of our favorites. Many local people are visiting this temple and it is interesting just to sit there and to watch the visitors. Many of them make some offerings, usually fruits or flowers. And the atmosphere is very relaxed.
Women preparing flowers to make an smal offer
Located at lake Kandy are also two of the oldest hotels of Sri Lanka. The Queens and the Hotel Suisse. Both hotels bring back an atmosphere of long passed times. If you want to have a drink in the late afternoon, the Hotel Suisse is the place to be. It has a spacious garden and an monumental bar with a beautiful wooden floor that is polished daily.
The bar of the Hotel Suisse
Now, you can’t be beamed to the bar of the Hotel Suisse, but we can beam a cocktail to you, more or less … Here is the recipe of one of our favorites 🙂