Kandy

Set beside a lake and surrounded by hills covered in spice and tea plantations, Kandy has a most scenic location. At its heart, in the old Royal Palace, is the Temple of the Tooth, the most sacred temple for the island’s Buddhist population. Kandyan dancers perform every evening and often finish with a display of firewalking. For a more serene experience, take a walk in the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. Nearby is the Millenium Elephant Foundation, a small project dedicated to caring for old or sick elephants. Two days will allow plenty of time to see all of these wonderful sites.

Rail between Kany and Nuwara Eliya

From Kandy you can continue to the coast or take the wonderful scenic rail jour ney into the tea growing highlands and Nuwara Eliya. Leaving from the station in Kandy which looks like the set of a period drama, you travel through tropical vegetation before climbing into the tea plantation region.

The train starts in Colombo but the section from Kandy to Nanu Oya alone makes the first class observation car on this four hour journey one of the highlights of any holiday in Sri Lanka. The final part of your journey from Nanu Oya is approximately an hour’s dr ive through the plantations on the way to your hotel. For those remaining on the train, the section of rolling hills between Haputale and Ella is one of the most scenic journeys in the world.

The coastal rail route from Colombo to Galle is an interesting option for those with plenty of time to enjoy the scenery, with the line and some of the trains recently improved. Please call for a tailor-made quotation.