Kandy

Known locally as Maha Nuvara, Kandy in the central region of Sri Lanka is an enticing destination offering a rich combination of cultural heritage and scenic mountain scenery. Listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site, the city is home to a whole host of fascinating historic sites and provides an essential stop on the travel itinerary of anyone seeking more than just a taste of Sri Lanka’s beach resorts.

Sri Dalada Maligawa (the Temple of the Tooth) is the holiest shrine in the Buddhist world. According to tradition, the Tooth Relic of the Lord Buddha was brought to Sri Lanka in the 4th century AD by an Indian princess called Hemamali. Fearful that the relic would be stolen, Hemamali hid the tooth within the tresses of her hair.
The temple is famous for its traditional Sinhalese architecture and is visited by thousands of devotees every day. The most dominant feature of the building is the Octagon (Pattirippuwa) which was where the Kandyan kings addressed the public on important occasions.