Neighborhood guide
Where to Stay in Kandy
The 3 areas worth basing yourself in Kandy, Sri Lanka — ranked by our editors, with walking distances from the center. First-timers: start with Kandy Lake.
City centerNeighborhoodsClick the map to enable scroll zoom
Top pick
Kandy Lake
The Temple of the Tooth, Queen's Hotel, and the walking path around the water.
16 min walk from center
#2
Peradeniya
Botanical gardens + university campus — 6km southwest, easy tuk-tuk.
5.6 km from center
#3
Bahirawakanda
Hillside above the town — 26m concrete Buddha with panoramic lake views.
6 min walk from center
Getting around
Trains from Colombo Fort take 2.5-3h — book a 1st-class observation-car seat for the scenic curves. Tuk-tuks around Kandy town are cheap (agree on fare first).
Kandy-to-Ella train (7 hours) is one of Asia's great rail journeys — book at least a week ahead for the reserved-seat carriages.