Kandy & Temple of the Tooth

K andy is the cultural heart of Sri Lanka, a scenic highland city built around a tranquil lake and ringed by forested hills. At its core is the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa), a gilded roof temple that houses Sri Lanka's most important Buddhist relic - a tooth of Lord Buddha. Devotees file in to offer flowers and prayers, especially during the famous Esala Perahera festival when the relic's casket is paraded on elephant-back. Kandy's legacy as a former royal capital endures in its architecture, traditional dance performances, and botanical splendor.