Kandy

Kandy is the 2nd largest city, 115 kilometers inland from Colombo, climatically a world away due to its 500-meter altitude. The hill capital of Kandy was the last stronghold of the ancient Sinhala Kings against the British Empire. The focus of Kandy is its lake with the Temple of the Tooth “Dalada Maligawa”. The surrounding hills are perched looking down on the town. The city of Kandy, which is also known as 'Senkadagala', features the most sacred of all Buddhist shrines - the Temple of the Tooth or the 'Dalada Maligawa'. The Dalada Maligawa holds the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Lord Buddha and is surrounded by the Bogambara Lake. Kandy is particularly famed for the great Kandy Esala Perehara (a Pageant of Elephants and Dancers), which is over ten days in the month of Esala (August) having many attractions to justify.