Kandy

Kandy, one of the former capitals of Sri Lanka and the 2nd largest city was our next stop. We did not really know what to expect from this city as we heard good and bad opinions, but decided to stay for 3 nights.
As we checked-in to our room we understood why our hostel is called “Mountain view Homestay”… the view was stunning 😍

Kandy has an artificial lake right in the city center surrounded by lots of nature and one of the most famous temple in Sri Lanka: the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.

Approximately 70% of the Sri Lankan population is Buddhist, there are plenty of temples everywhere, but this one is particular as Buddha’s tooth relic is located there. It is a must visit for every Buddhist, at least once in a lifetime. For those who are wondering, the tooth itself is not visible. It is supposed to be under a big golden casket that is permanently guarded by monks.
We visited the temple and could attend one of the morning ceremony, it was very beautiful and interesting, but also very crowded. There is also a museum next to the temple so we could learn more about the Buddhism religion.

Kandy is nationally famous for the Esala Perahera festival, usually happening in July/August and lasting 10 days, and during which lots of traditional dances are being performed in the streets. The festival is held to worship Buddha’s holy tooth.
Different cultural centers offer shows all around the year for tourists who are not coming during summer. We attended a one hour show where we could see traditional dances with colorful costumes and listen to local music. It was a lot of fun!

Besides the temple, we went to central market to see all the fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, and spices sold locally.

One evening, we found a great food court where only women are working (an initiative supported by the government). The food was delicious, it was possible to try a lot of different specialities and we could sit together with locals for some time and exchange a bit with them.

After a short Tuktuk drive to one of the view points around the city on another day, we had a stop at the big Buddha temple, located on a small hill and could enjoy a beautiful sunset 🌅

We really liked our stay in Kandy, the mix of tradition and culture, the nice atmosphere around the lake and the numerous local restaurants made our stay memorable 😊Baca lagi