Kandy is the venue of the Esela Perahera, the most colorful pageant in Asia, held every year in July/August in honour of the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha. As the pageantry of the Asela Perahera unfolds through ten nights and ends with a day pageant which concludes the festival. Each year the city takes on the air of a torch-lit dreamland, complete with a hundred or more colorfully caparisoned elephants, drummers and over three thousand dancers, Chieftains in the rare colorful trappings of the old kingdom.

KANDY- The last capital of the Sinhala kings, is the most visited place in the island. Situated 488 meters above sea level, kandy is the most popular destination for foreigners as well as for locals. It’s main attraction is the Dalada Maligawa, which houses the sacred tooth relic of lord Buddha. The high light of the year is the annual perahera, held in July/august every year, when a replica of the relic casket is taken in procession for ten glittering nights accompanied by exotically costumed dancers, drummers & over 100 elephants. There are numerous shrines & temples in and around Kandy with rare paintings, frescoes & stone carvings. Visit the royal botanical gardens at peradeniya, which houses over 4000 species of plants. An excursion could be arranged to visit the elephant orphanage at Pinnawala, where abandoned baby elephants are housed & fed. Kandy is an exciting place for shopping, with souvenirs in ebony, silver, brass, bronze, lacquer works, handlooms, gemstones & batiks.