Kandy

It is a religious complex comprised of numerous civil buildings, such as the royal palace, museums, and a library; and sacred buildings, most notably the Temple of the Tooth Relic. The exquisite nature of the complex demonstrates the wealth and power of the ancient kings of Kandy, who spared no expense in constructing palaces and temples from noble materials such as granite, limestone, wood, ivory, and marble.

It is one of the most sacred places of worship in the Buddhist world. It was built around 1600 and few vestiges remain of the original temple, which has been replaced over the years by amazing and luxurious ornamentation, especially in the golden ceilings and statues of Buddha. The current temple was built between 1867 and 1707 to honor this sacred relic. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. According to legend, Buddha's tooth arrived on the island in the 4th century after being rescued from Buddha's funeral pyre in 500 BC. 900 years later, it was brought to Sri Lanka, hidden in the hair of a princess. It is the most sacred relic of Sri Lanka, its possession served to legitimize the authority of the King, uniting religious power with political power. Inside the temple there is a small room with a gold chest that, according to Buddhist beliefs, guards Buddha's tooth. Visitors come from all over the world to make offerings and see the tooth, especially on days of worship such as the Esala Perahera festival, when thousands of pilgrims wait their turn to see the relic. On those days of the Tooth Festival, the chest is paraded through the city accompanied by 65 elephants.

Located 5 kilometers southwest of the city of Kandy, it is the largest botanical garden in Sri Lanka and the second largest botanical garden in Asia (ranked second only to Bogor Botanical Garden in Indonesia). The earliest history of Peradeniya Botanical Gardens dates back to the feudal dynasty of Sri Lanka in 1371. It was once the royal garden of the Kandy king. The foundation of Peradeniya Garden was created in 1821 and was officially completed in 1843, covering an area of 60 hectares. The east, west and north sides of Peradeniya Botanical Gardens are surrounded by the Mahaweli River, with beautiful landscapes. It is one of the best tropical botanical gardens in the world. Today, more than 4,000 types of plants native to Sri Lanka are planted and collected in the park, as well as plants brought from other countries, some of which are very rare and precious tropical plants. The seasons are like spring, the plants are lush and flowers bloom everywhere.The terrain at Peradeniya Botanical Gardens is undulating, with an average elevation of over 460 metres. The annual rain supply of more than 200 days makes various exotic tropical grasses at Peradeniya Botanical Gardens grow vigorously all year round. Thousands of tropical and subtropical plants from all over the world are grown here. There is a tree called upas tree, which is strictly protected, it is said to emit poisonous gases and can cause death. In ancient times, people used to use its juices to make poisonous arrows, etc. Peradeniya Botanical Garden has such a large number of plant varieties that they can provide scientific and technological information for biological engineering, ecology, etc.

In this craft industry, a few skilled craftsmen, usually women, and a few apprentices participate. On this visit you can observe the expensive manufacturing process of this garment.

Sri Lanka is famous for producing the largest and best blue sapphires in the world, and also has the largest variety of gemstones in the world, ranking among the top 5 gem producing nations in the world. Visiting a workshop carving these stones is an unforgettable experience.