The cool Kandy of Sri Lanka
Kandy is the English name for the city of Maha Nuvara which is located in the centre of Sri Lanka, in the Kandy Valley, surrounded by tea plantations and hills. At 500m above sea level, the city is relatively cool, and popular for that very reason, as a retreat from the worst excesses of the hot Sri Lankan summers.
The city itself has an interesting layout, having been developed around three open spaces, a long square at the end of which are the public administration buildings, an artificial, square lake and a public park – these features give Kandy a very open, green and spacious feel.
On the north shore of the lake, you will find city’s official religious monuments, including the Royal Palace and the rather interestingly named Temple of the Tooth, which is purported to contain a relic of the tooth of Buddha.
Although Kandy started small, like most cities it has now grown outwards considerably from its original boundaries, and now encompasses Peradeniya, with its University of Peradeniya and beautiful Botanical Gardens.
Kandy offers a variety of shopping, including interesting markets, and beautiful boutiques.
There is a range of cuisine available including Chinese, European, Indian and, of course, Sri Lankan.
The city offers a modest nightlife, with a selection of bars and pubs in the city which appeal to local people and tourists alike, and some nightclubs in the hotels that cater mainly to the tourists.
So, if you are in Sri Lanka, and feel like escaping from the heat, Kandy could be your ideal destination.