Kandy and the Hill Country
The Sri Lanka's Hill-Country offers the most scenic, mist-wrapped sceneries of dramatic mountain peaks and rolling hillsides, carpeted with tea plantations. A world away from the tropical beaches and sweltering cities in the lowlands, the peaceful highlands with emerald green landscapes and the cool climate are a nature lover's paradise.
The northern part of the Hill-Country has been shaped by strong Sinhalese traditions, that live on in music, dance and architecture. The historic city of Kandy, Sri Lanka’s last independent kingdom, is home to the famous Temple of the Tooth, the country's most revered Buddhist relic, and the spectacular Perahera festival.
In contrast, the southern region preserves the British heritage of the colonial era, when the production of tea was introduced to Sri Lanka. Especially Nuwara Eliya, set in the heart of the Tea Country, still retains the feel of the ‘old world’ in its grandiose colonial style buildings.
The sleepy little towns and villages like Ella, Hatton and Haputale, offer a perfect base for relaxing with lots of fantastic walks through forests and tea plantations to temples and waterfalls. And the more adventurous may hike up to the summit of the Adam's Peak, go for trekking in the Knuckles Mountain Range or head to the Horton Plains National Park, known for an astounding 1,200-meter-high cliff called the World's End.
Kandy
Kandy, the capital of the Central province is home to the Temple of the Tooth Relic, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Strategically nestled amidst three mountain ranges and known as the gateway to the hill country, Kandy was initially built in this location as a natural fortress against attack as it was not an easy target for the foreign invaders. Nowadays, the city of Kandy is well known as one of Sri Lanka’s best attractions among both local and international visitors.
Famously known worldwide as The Temple of the Tooth, Sri Dalada Maligawa dates back to the 16th century, though most of the present buildings were built in the 19th century. The Sacred Relic of the Tooth of Buddha is kept in a gold casket and stored amidst great security in the Inner Chamber. The impressive temple complex is made up of numerous buildings, decorated with paintings and carvings depicting Buddha. Rich in history and tradition, the Sri Dalada Maligawa is a religious centre where daily worship is a colourful and joyful way of everyday life.
Royal Botanical Gardens, situated in Peradeniya 6 km from the centre of Kandy, were once reserved exclusively for Kandyan royalty. Today the stunning, 60-hectare gardens with its fine collection of orchids and spice gardens are open to public. Among the greatest highlights are a stately avenue of royal palms, the extraordinary, aptly named cannonball fruit tree and 40m-high Burma bamboo. In the gardens, you can see also the giant Javan fig tree on the great lawn, with its colossal central trunk and umbrella-like canopy of branches.
