The old royal capital in Sri Lanka's central hills and a UNESCO site: Sri Dalada Maligawa, home of the Buddha's tooth relic, the lake and the Peradeniya botanic gardens. From here you reach Sigiriya's Lion Rock, the Dambulla cave temples, Nuwara Eliya's tea country and the hills of Ella. A key pilgrimage place for Buddhist Mongolians. No direct flights — connect via Bangkok, Seoul or Hong Kong to Colombo (CMB), then 3–4 hours by car. Mongolian citizens get an online ETA ($50).
🛂 Visa: e-Visa · 30 days✈ Flight: 12h☀ Best months: January, February, March, August
Sri Lanka's holiest temple, keeping the Buddha's tooth relic — a must for Buddhist Mongolians. During puja the relic chamber doors open to drums and horns; arrive 20–30 minutes early. Cover shoulders and knees and remove shoes; buy tickets only from the automatic machines.
Like a well-travelled friend for a first-timer: before you go, landing, SIM, transport, money, food, safety, manners, apps, leaving — step by step.
🧳Before you goETA, insurance and your hill-country route — sort them at home and getting to Kandy is easy.+
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Get the ETA online
Mongolian citizens apply for a tourist ETA at eta.gov.lk: $50, 30 days, double entry; free for children under 12. On arrival it costs $60. It became free for 40 countries from 25 May 2026, but Mongolia is not on the list. Passport valid for more than 6 months, with a return ticket.
Tip: Apply only on the official eta.gov.lk — many agent sites charge extra.
The Esala Perahera ran 18–28 Aug in 2026 and returns in July–August next year — hotels and flights fill months ahead. After Cyclone Ditwah in 2025 the hill-country railway runs only in part, so check its status before planning train legs.
Private hospitals charge, so travel insurance is a must. Pack light, pale clothes covering shoulders and knees for temples, a light jacket for cool Nuwara Eliya nights, mosquito repellent and a rain jacket.
Tip: Bring leech socks if you plan to walk in the Knuckles or Udawatta Kele forests.
🛬Landing and getting to KandyKandy has no international airport: land at Colombo's Bandaranaike (CMB) and continue by road or rail.+
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By car — the simplest
From the airport to Kandy usually takes 3.5–4 hours: via the Mirigama–Kurunegala section of the Central Expressway (open since 2022) or the old A1 road. Pre-book a hotel transfer or a PickMe intercity car. After a night arrival, sleep in Negombo and set off in the morning.
The airport is ~100 km from Kandy by road; a pre-booked transfer costs ~USD 40–55, a taxi from the exit ~USD 80–100. Agree the full price before getting in and ask whether expressway tolls are included.
Because of cyclone damage, as of September 2026 Colombo Fort–Kandy trains ran only as far as Rambukkana, with service to Peradeniya/Kandy planned to resume in October. Once restored, it is ~2.5–3 hours from Fort. Check with Sri Lanka Railways before you go.
📶Phone and internet+
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Dialog or Mobitel at the airport
In the arrivals hall at Bandaranaike, right after customs, Dialog sells tourist SIMs at LKR 1,399 (20 GB), 1,799 (30 GB) and 2,450 (50 GB). Registered with your passport and activated on the spot. Dialog has the best coverage in the hills.
Tip: Signal drops on mountain roads, so download Google Maps offline.
If your phone supports eSIM, install SLT-Mobitel's tourist eSIM or an international one such as Airalo before the flight. A local SIM is cheaper and comes with a phone number — handy for calling drivers and hotels.
🚇Getting around Kandy and the hillsTuk-tuks in town, a car with driver for outlying sights, and the scenic train in the high hills.+
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Tuk-tuks in town — by app
Central Kandy is compact and you can walk around the lake. For Bahirawakanda and Peradeniya, book a tuk-tuk with PickMe or Uber — the fare is shown upfront. Drivers offering a 'free tour' usually end up at gem, silk or spice shops.
From Kandy it is ~2.5–3 hours to Sigiriya, ~2.5–3 hours to Nuwara Eliya and ~2.5–3 hours to Nanu Oya. For families, hiring a car with driver by the day is easiest; combine Sigiriya and Dambulla in one day.
One of the world's most scenic rail journeys has run again on the Nanu Oya–Ella section since 18 Jul 2026: ~2–2.5 hours, departing Nanu Oya at 9:00 and 14:30. The Kandy–Nanu Oya section is under repair until the end of 2026. Seats are bookable online 30 days ahead and sell out fast in peak season.
The currency is the Sri Lankan rupee. In central Kandy, ATMs of Commercial Bank, Sampath, HNB and BOC accept foreign cards. Temple tickets, tuk-tuks, markets and village places need cash — take enough before heading into the hills.
Sigiriya, Peradeniya, Pinnawala and others charge foreigners a separate, higher price — this is normal. Restaurant and hotel bills usually include a service charge; small tips for guides and drivers are customary.
🍜FoodHill-country food: rice and curry, hoppers, fresh vegetables and fruit, and of course Ceylon tea.+
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What to eat
Rice and curry — rice with several curries; kottu; hoppers (appa) and string hoppers; Kandy's sweet kavum cakes; freshly made tea at the estates. Say 'less spicy' if you want it milder.
Tip: Kottu, chicken with rice and fried rice usually suit children.
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Where and how much
In a simple eatery, rice and curry or kottu costs around LKR 1,000–1,500 per person. There are plenty of lakeside restaurants and tea shops along Dalada Veediya. Don't drink tap water — buy bottled.
Every full-moon (poya) day is a public holiday: alcohol and meat sales are banned and some restaurants close. The Temple of the Tooth fills with white-clad worshippers — a good chance to see Buddhist rituals.
🛡️Safety and health+
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Emergency numbers
Police 119, ambulance 1990 (Suwa Seriya, free). The 1912 tourist hotline runs 24 hours, gives information and connects you to the tourist police.
Around the Temple of the Tooth, turn down strangers saying 'it's closed today' or 'I'll buy your ticket' — buy tickets only from the official automatic machines. Buy valuables only from licensed shops.
In the monsoon, landslides hit hill roads — avoid driving after dark and follow the news. Watch for leeches and monkeys in the forests. For serious illness or accidents, private hospitals such as Asiri Hospital Kandy serve in English; call your insurer's assistance line first.
Cover shoulders and knees and remove shoes and hats; white clothing is traditional. Never pose with your back to a Buddha image or the relic chamber, or point your feet at them. Women should not touch monks.
Tip: Tourists showing Buddha tattoos have been turned back at the border — keep them covered.
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Buddhism — close to Mongolians
Sri Lanka is a centre of Theravada Buddhism, different from the Mongolian Mahayana tradition, yet the Buddha, relics and full-moon worship mean the same. At the Temple of the Tooth you can offer flowers and lamps and worship with everyone to the puja drums. Flowers are sold outside the temple.
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General manners
Use your right hand to give, receive and eat. Hugging and kissing in public is frowned upon. During the Perahera, never step into the path of elephants or dancers, and don't use flash.
📱Useful apps+
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Rides
PickMe — Sri Lanka's main app for tuk-tuks, taxis and intercity cars; Uber — easy to pay with a foreign card. Install both and compare prices.
Book reserved seats through Sri Lanka Railways' online booking. Google Maps shows roads and bus routes well; download the hill country for offline use.
eta.gov.lk — ETA and extensions. The Temple of the Tooth's official site — puja and Perahera schedules. Sri Lanka Travel (SLTDA) — festivals, poya days, the 1912 hotline.
Kandy to Bandaranaike takes 3.5–4 hours by car, longer in traffic or rain. Plan to be at the airport 3 hours before an international flight, and for an early-morning departure spend the night before in Negombo.
Rupees are hard to exchange outside Sri Lanka, so change what's left into dollars at the airport or spend it. If you stayed beyond 30 days you must have extended your ETA — overstays are fined at the border.
AI answer: double-check anything beyond our researched facts with an official source.
24 hours
The lake in the centre of town, built in 1807 by the last Kandyan king: a shady ~3.4 km loop walk and great views of the Temple of the Tooth. In the evening worshippers light lamps and fruit bats fly over — fun for children.
NatureForeign adults LKR 3,540, children (5–12) LKR 1,7707:30–18:00 (365 days a year)
Six km from Kandy, 60 hectares and one of Asia's finest botanic gardens: the orchid house, royal palm avenue, a giant fig tree and a suspension bridge. Families can picnic on the lawns and easily spend half a day.
A 26 m white Buddha on the hill above town — the best spot to watch the sunset over Kandy, the lake and the hills. Go up by tuk-tuk or walk up the steps in ~15 minutes. Remove shoes and cover shoulders and knees.
A former royal forest reserve right behind the Temple of the Tooth, in the middle of town: giant trees, birds, monkeys and several km of trails. A calm walk to escape the heat; watch for leeches after rain and keep food out of monkeys' sight.
Founded in 1975, with over 80 elephants: the twice-daily walk to the river to bathe thrills children. But it is criticised for chaining elephants and overcrowding — skip rides and feeding; for a more ethical option look at the Elephant Transit Home at Udawalawe National Park. About 1.5 h from Kandy.
Culture≈LKR 1,500–2,000 (Kandyan Art Association), Lake Club ≈LKR 4,500Daily ≈17:00–18:00
A one-hour show of drums, masks and acrobatic dances, ending with fire walking. Fits neatly before the evening puja at the Temple of the Tooth. Arrive 20 minutes early for front-row seats.
UNESCO World Heritage: a 5th-century royal fortress on a 200 m rock — the lion's paws, the 'Sigiriya maidens' frescoes and palace ruins on top; ~1,200 steps. Climb early or face heat and queues. From neighbouring Pidurangala rock you watch the sunrise over Sigiriya (the last bit is a scramble over boulders). ~2.5–3 h by car from Kandy.
CultureForeigners ≈LKR 2,000–3,000≈7:00–19:00 (tickets until ≈17:00)
UNESCO World Heritage: five cave temples dating from the 1st century BC with over 150 Buddha statues and murals covering every wall and ceiling. The natural partner to Sigiriya on one day for Buddhist travellers. Leave shoes at the stand and cover shoulders and knees.
NatureDamro Labookellie factory tour free; Pedro ≈LKR 1,500≈8:00–18:00
A cool hill town at 1,900 m nicknamed 'Little England', surrounded by green tea estates. At the Damro Labookellie factory see tea plucked, withered and graded, then taste Ceylon tea. Nights drop to 10°C — bring warm clothes. ~2.5–3 h by car from Kandy.
The hill village of Ella: watch a train cross the 1921 nine-arched stone railway bridge and walk ~45 minutes up Little Adam's Peak. The scenic Nanu Oya–Ella train has run again since 18 Jul 2026, but the Kandy–Nanu Oya section is under repair (until the end of 2026) — drive from Kandy to Nanu Oya.
NatureEntry permit ≈LKR 1,000–2,500 + guideStart early (full day)
Part of UNESCO's Central Highlands, north of Kandy: cloud forest, waterfalls and village trails on half- or full-day routes. Trails are poorly marked, so go with a licensed guide; in wet weather protect your legs from leeches with leech socks.
