Quick answer
The best free things to do in Kandy are walking the 3.4 kilometre circuit of Kandy Lake, climbing to Arthur's Seat viewpoint, visiting the Natha, Vishnu, Pattini and Kataragama devales, exploring the central market, and seeing the British Garrison Cemetery and the Commonwealth War Cemetery, where donations are optional. The Malwatta and Asgiriya monasteries, St Paul's Church and the temple square at dusk also cost nothing. Paid sights such as the temple, the botanic gardens and a dance show total roughly US$25 to US$30.
Key takeaways
- Walking around Kandy Lake, about 3.4 kilometres, is free at any hour.
- The four devales of Kandy, including the fourteenth-century Natha Devale, charge no entrance fee.
- The British Garrison Cemetery and the Commonwealth War Cemetery are free to enter, with donations welcome at the former.
- The three main paid sights in Kandy cost foreign adults roughly US$25 to US$30 in total.
- A local rice-and-curry lunch in Kandy costs about US$2 to US$4, and a short tuk-tuk ride about a dollar.
The free list
Free things to do in Kandy are concentrated in the centre, which keeps transport costs down too. Everything below is within about two kilometres of the lake, except the war cemetery, and can be reached on foot or by a cheap bus.
The free sights of Kandy are not second-rate. The oldest building in the city, its best viewpoint and its most atmospheric walk are all on the list. What you pay for elsewhere is mostly the temple interior and the botanic gardens.
- →Kandy Lake circuit: 45 to 60 minutes.
- →Arthur's Seat viewpoint: 20 minutes' climb from the south shore.
- →Natha, Pattini and Vishnu devales: opposite the temple.
- →Kataragama Devale: on Kotugodella Veediya.
- →Kandy Central Market: best from 7 to 10 in the morning.
- →British Garrison Cemetery: behind the National Museum.
- →Commonwealth War Cemetery: on the Peradeniya road.
- →Malwatta and Asgiriya monasteries: courtyards open to visitors.
- →St Paul's Church: beside the temple square.
- →The royal Audience Hall exterior and the temple walls from the public esplanade.
Walks and views that cost nothing
Kandy Lake is the best free experience in the city. Go at dawn for mist and at dusk for the lit cloud wall. The path passes the queens' bathing pavilion, gives views of the temple from every angle and is lined with birds.
Arthur's Seat is the free viewpoint of Kandy. Lanes and steps climb from the southern shore of the lake in about 15 minutes. Rajapihilla Mawatha, the road along the hillside, makes a pleasant onward walk with more glimpses of the water.
Free culture: shrines, monasteries and cemeteries
Free culture in Kandy begins with the devales. The Natha Devale's fourteenth-century stone shrine stands a minute from the temple gate, and worshippers bring offerings to Pattini and Vishnu throughout the day. Nobody will ask for a ticket.
The monasteries and cemeteries of Kandy are equally open. Malwatta, on the lake's southern shore, lets visitors walk its courtyards quietly. The Garrison Cemetery's caretaker gives short tours for a tip, and the terraces of the war cemetery are immaculate and silent.
- →Dress modestly for shrines and monasteries.
- →Leave a small donation where there is a box.
- →Tip the Garrison Cemetery caretaker if he shows you around.
Seeing the temple area without a ticket
The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic charges foreign visitors for entry, but its setting is free. The public esplanade in front, the moat, the octagonal tower and the white walls can all be seen from outside the ticketed area after passing security.
Dusk at the temple gate is a spectacle in itself. Flower sellers line the approach, families in white stream towards the entrance and the drums of the evening puja carry over the wall. If your budget allows only one paid sight in Kandy, though, make it this one.
Nearly free: worthwhile small fees
Several sights in Kandy cost very little. Bahirawakanda asks foreign visitors for the equivalent of a dollar or two. Udawattakele Forest Sanctuary charges a few dollars for a morning's walking. The National Museum and the Ceylon Tea Museum are similarly modest.
Transport in Kandy is cheap if you use it as locals do. Buses to Peradeniya, Katugastota and Pilimathalawa cost a few cents and leave constantly from the stands near the clock tower. Tuk-tuks for short hops are about a dollar when the fare is agreed first.
- →Bahirawakanda: US$1 to US$2.
- →Udawattakele: about US$3 to US$5.
- →National Museum: a few US dollars.
- →Bus to Peradeniya: well under a dollar.
A no-cost day in Kandy
A no-cost day in Kandy is easy to put together. Start with the lake at sunrise, walk through the market, visit the devales and the Garrison Cemetery before the heat, and spend the afternoon at Malwatta and on Arthur's Seat.
The honest advice on budget travel in Kandy is to spend selectively, not to spend nothing. Lankan Stays & Trails suggests paying for the temple at a puja and, if you can, the botanic gardens, and filling the rest of your time from the free list.
- →6.00: lake circuit.
- →7.30: central market and a bakery breakfast.
- →9.00: devales, St Paul's Church and the Garrison Cemetery.
- →12.30: rice and curry.
- →4.00: Malwatta monastery, then Arthur's Seat for sunset.
- →6.15: the temple gate at puja time.
Frequently asked questions
What can you do in Kandy for free?
In Kandy you can walk around the lake, climb to Arthur's Seat viewpoint, visit the four devales, the central market, St Paul's Church, the Malwatta and Asgiriya monasteries, the British Garrison Cemetery and the Commonwealth War Cemetery, all without paying an entrance fee.
Is Kandy expensive for tourists?
Kandy is not expensive by international standards. The main costs are entrance fees for foreigners at the temple and botanic gardens, roughly US$17 to US$20 together, and accommodation. Food and local transport are cheap, and many sights are free.
How much is the Temple of the Tooth entrance fee?
Foreign adults pay roughly US$7 to US$10 to enter the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, with reductions for visitors from South Asian countries and free entry for young children. The fee is set in rupees and revised periodically, so check the current rate.
Can you see the Temple of the Tooth without paying?
You can see the exterior of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, its moat and octagonal tower from the public esplanade without a ticket, after passing the security check. Entry to the temple buildings, the shrine and the museums requires the foreign visitor ticket.
How much money do I need per day in Kandy on a budget?
A budget traveller in Kandy can manage on roughly US$25 to US$40 a day, covering a guesthouse bed or simple room, local meals, buses and one paid sight. Adding the botanic gardens and a dance show on the same day raises that by about US$20.
Is the Kandy View Point free?
The Kandy View Point at Arthur's Seat is free and open at all hours. It is a public terrace on Rajapihilla Mawatha above the lake. Sellers and unofficial guides may approach you, but there is no charge and no obligation to buy.