Around Kandy
Kandy beyond the show: temple, lake, tea and hills
The dance show is one evening of a bigger hill-country trip. Here's how it fits with the Temple of the Tooth, the tea country, the train and the gardens.
See Kandy cultural dance show tickets on GetYourGuide ↗The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
Kandy's essential sight is the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, which houses a tooth said to be the Buddha's and is among the most sacred Buddhist sites anywhere. Its daily puja ceremonies, with drumming and the opening of the relic chamber, are the atmospheric heart of a Kandy visit, and its closeness to the dance venue makes temple-and-show the classic Kandy evening. Modest dress is required.
Kandy Lake and the old town
The city centres on Kandy Lake, an artificial lake built by the last Kandyan king, ringed by a walkable path and overlooked by the temple. The compact old town around it — markets, colonial-era buildings, viewpoints over the city — rewards a slow wander, and the lakeside is a pleasant place to bookend an evening at the show or the temple.
Tea country and the hill-country train
Kandy is the doorway to Sri Lanka's tea country. From here the famous hill-country railway climbs through Nuwara Eliya to Ella, past emerald plantations and waterfalls, on what's often called one of the world's most scenic train rides. Many travellers use Kandy as the start of that upland journey, with the dance show and temple as the city portion before heading higher into the hills.
Gardens and elephants nearby
Just outside the city, the Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya are among Asia's finest, and the surrounding region offers elephant experiences and spice gardens. These make easy daytime pairings with an evening show in town, rounding out a Kandy stop with a mix of nature, culture and the city's sacred core.
Building a trip around it
A common shape is a couple of days in and around Kandy — the temple, the lake, the dance show, the gardens — before taking the train up into the tea country. The show, being central, early and nightly, slots into whichever evening suits without dictating the rest of the plan. Each of these — the show, city tours, day trips — is bookable as its own GetYourGuide experience, with live prices and free cancellation shown before you pay.
More things to do nearby
Still deciding which night to book?
Leave your email and roughly when you're in Kandy, and I'll send a short rundown — what the dance show involves, how the fire-walking finale works, and how to fit it around the Temple of the Tooth.