Quick answer
Arthur's Seat, also signposted as Kandy View Point, is a free roadside terrace on Rajapihilla Mawatha, on the hill directly south of Kandy Lake. It gives the classic view over the lake, the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and Udawattakele forest. The walk up from the lakeside takes 15 to 20 minutes and is steep; a tuk-tuk takes five. Early morning gives soft light and mist, and the hour before sunset gives the warmest colour on the town.
Key takeaways
- Arthur's Seat lies on Rajapihilla Mawatha, roughly 550 metres above sea level and about 60 metres above Kandy Lake.
- The walk from the southern shore of Kandy Lake to Arthur's Seat takes 15 to 20 minutes uphill.
- Entry to the Kandy View Point is free and the terrace is open at all hours.
- The view from Arthur's Seat faces north, so the scene is side-lit in both morning and evening.
- Touts and souvenir sellers gather at Arthur's Seat from mid-morning, when tour vehicles arrive.
Where Arthur's Seat is
Arthur's Seat is a paved lay-by with a railing on Rajapihilla Mawatha, the road that contours the hill above the southern shore of Kandy Lake. The name is a colonial borrowing from the hill in Edinburgh. Local signs and tuk-tuk drivers more often say Kandy View Point.
The hill behind Arthur's Seat carries some of the city's older villas and small hotels, and the road itself is a pleasant, leafy walk. From the terrace the ground drops away sharply, so the whole basin of the old city is in front of you with nothing in the way.
What you can see
The view from Arthur's Seat takes in the royal and sacred quarter of Kandy in one frame. The lake fills the foreground, with its island and the white cloud wall. Behind it sit the red roofs of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and the golden canopy over the shrine, backed by Udawattakele forest.
Arthur's Seat also shows how the modern city has grown. To the left are the clock tower, the market and the commercial streets, with the Bahirawakanda Buddha on the skyline beyond. On a clear day the Knuckles Range and the pyramid of Hunnasgiriya are visible to the north-east.
- →Foreground: Kandy Lake, the island and the cloud wall.
- →Centre: the temple roofs, the palace buildings and the queen's bathing pavilion.
- →Background: Udawattakele forest and, in clear air, the Knuckles Range.
- →Left: the town centre and the Bahirawakanda Buddha.
Walking or riding up
Walking to Arthur's Seat starts from the southern shore of Kandy Lake. Lanes and flights of steps climb from Sangaraja Mawatha to Rajapihilla Mawatha in about 15 minutes. The gradient is stiff, and the steps can be slippery after rain.
A tuk-tuk to Arthur's Seat from the temple side of the lake takes about five minutes and costs very little. Most half-day tuk-tuk tours of Kandy include the stop. If you walk up, continue west along Rajapihilla Mawatha afterwards for a quieter descent with more glimpses of the lake.
- →From the lake's south shore: 15 to 20 minutes on foot.
- →From the temple gate: 25 to 30 minutes on foot, or five minutes by tuk-tuk.
- →Footwear: trainers or sandals with grip.
The best time for the view
The best time to visit Arthur's Seat is either very early or late. Between about 6 and 7.30 in the morning the lake often holds a layer of mist and the terrace is empty. From about 5 in the afternoon the low sun warms the temple roofs and the hills turn blue behind them.
Midday at Arthur's Seat is flat, hot and crowded with vehicles. After dark the view becomes a scatter of lights around a black lake, with the temple and the cloud wall illuminated. During the Esala Perahera the terrace gives a distant view of the torchlit procession, although the sound carries better than the sight.
Touts, monkeys and other cautions
Arthur's Seat attracts a small trade that visitors should know about. Sellers of postcards and wood carvings are harmless. Men offering to guide you to a "better viewpoint", a gem workshop or a batik factory are working for commission, and following them wastes an hour.
Macaques at Arthur's Seat have learned that bags contain food. Keep snacks out of sight and do not feed them. The road has fast traffic on a blind bend, so stay inside the railed area when taking photographs. Lankan Stays & Trails times this stop for the late afternoon, on the way down from hill hotels to the evening puja.
- →Decline offers of guiding, gems and "free" factory visits.
- →Keep food zipped away from the monkeys.
- →Stand inside the railing; the bend is blind for drivers.
Other viewpoints nearby
Kandy has several viewpoints besides Arthur's Seat, and each gives a different picture. Bahirawakanda, across the valley, is higher and looks back towards the lake from the west. The Kodimale spur inside Udawattakele gives a forest-framed view. The Hantana ridge, further south, looks over the whole district.
Choosing between Kandy's viewpoints comes down to time and energy. Arthur's Seat needs 20 minutes and no fitness. Bahirawakanda needs 45 minutes and a temple visit. Hantana needs half a day and walking boots. For a first visit, Arthur's Seat is enough.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called Arthur's Seat?
The viewpoint is named after Arthur's Seat, the hill above Edinburgh, a reminder of the many Scots among the planters and officials of British Ceylon. There is no local Arthur attached to the story. Most Kandyans simply call the place the View Point.
Is the Kandy View Point free?
The Kandy View Point at Arthur's Seat is free and has no gate or opening hours. It is a public terrace beside the road. You may be approached by sellers and would-be guides, and you are under no obligation to buy or to tip anyone.
How do you get to Arthur's Seat from Kandy Lake?
From the southern shore of Kandy Lake, take one of the lanes or stairways that climb to Rajapihilla Mawatha and turn along the road to the railed terrace. The walk takes 15 to 20 minutes. Tuk-tuks from the temple end cover it in about five minutes.
What is the best time to visit Arthur's Seat in Kandy?
Early morning from about 6 to 7.30 gives mist and solitude, and the hour before sunset gives the richest colour. Avoid 10 in the morning to 3 in the afternoon, when tour vehicles arrive, the light is harsh and the terrace is hot.
Can you see the Temple of the Tooth from Arthur's Seat?
The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is clearly visible from Arthur's Seat, on the far shore of the lake. You can pick out its octagonal tower, the red tiled roofs and the golden canopy above the shrine. A small zoom lens or binoculars help.
Is Arthur's Seat safe after dark?
Arthur's Seat is on a residential road with street lighting and passing traffic, and is reasonably safe in the early evening. The stairways down to the lake are dark and uneven, so return by tuk-tuk or along the road if you stay past sunset.