The Royal City of Kandy, Sri Lanka

The last capital of the Sinhalese Kings, the picturesque Royal City of Kandy is claimed by some to be the prettiest of all Sri lankan cities. Kandy is located in a valley, almost surrounded by the Mahaweli Gange river in the foothills of the 'Up Country' in the centre of the island.

Three hundred years before the birth of Christ, the relic of the tooth purported to be from Lord Bhudda, found its way to Sri Lanka from northern India. After being moved around the island as the centre of the administration moved, its final resting place is on the banks of the man-made lake in the centre of the city at the sacred Temple Dalada Maligawa, now a shrine for devotees of the Bhudest faith.

Throughout the year pilgrims flock to the most holy of places and each year in July or August, the exact date depends on the full moon, during the Esala Perahera festival the cask containing the tooth relic is carried on the back of a decorated elephant as part of a huge parade through the streets of Kandy.

Kandy is regarded as the cultural capital of Sri Lanka and is packed full of historical sites. It is this which accounts for the town being named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located in the central region of Sri Lanka, the hill resort of Kandy has an equable climate all year round

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