Sri Dalada Maligawa, in the old royal palace complex of the Kandyan kings, holds the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha, the most venerated object in Sri Lankan Buddhism. For centuries whoever kept the relic held the right to rule, which is why the temple stands beside the palace. The relic is kept in a gold casket in an inner shrine room and is worshipped through daily pujas (thevava) by the monks of the Malwatte and Asgiriya chapters; it is very rarely shown in public. For Sri Lankan Buddhists a visit to the Dalada Maligawa is a pilgrimage, and the annual Esala Perahera carries a replica casket through Kandy's streets.
Step 2 of 8Next: Visiting rules↓Visiting rules
Visiting with respect
- Walk round slowly and quietly, keep to the side of devotees making offerings of flowers, and do not turn your back to a Buddha image for a photo.
- Sit with your feet tucked away, never pointing at a Buddha image or at monks, and keep your voice low during the puja.
- Disrespect to the Buddha or to Buddhist images is a criminal offence in Sri Lanka, so treat every statue and painting with care.
Hours and rules can change for festivals and services. Check the official site on the day.
Step 3 of 8Next: Getting there↓The route, stop by stop
The whole route first. Tap any stop and the map zooms to just that place.
Route
Stops
Sri Dalada Maligawa (shrine room and puja) → Alut Maligawa and Sri Dalada Museum → Kandy Lake (Kiri Muhuda) → Natha Devale and Pattini Devale · Directions in Google Maps ↗
- 1Bus from Colombo to Kandy (no train into Kandy itself in Oct 2026, see below): AC bus about LKR 740 (about ₹190), roughly 4 hours; the temple is a 10-15 minute walk from Kandy's Goods Shed bus stand. Foreign visitor ticket LKR 3,000 (about ₹780), LKR 2,500 for SAARC, Thailand and Myanmar visitors Map ↗
- 2Inside and beside the temple complex, after the main shrine; the Alut Maligawa hall has rows of seated Buddha statues donated from Thailand Map ↗
- 3Directly in front of the temple; the walk round the lake is about 3.5 km and free Map ↗
- 4Short walk north of the temple, inside the same sacred area; devales (shrines) to the guardian deities linked to the relic and the Perahera Map ↗
Travel legs add up to about ₹970 per person.
Step 4 of 8Next: Cost↓What it costs
Ballpark ranges, not live quotes. Page updated 18 October 2026. Prices move with season and demand, so check live fares before you book.
A do-it-yourself budget for the visit: local transport and any entry fee. Donations and guided tours are extra.
What to book ahead
Where to stay and eat
Stay
Kandy has plenty of family guesthouses on the hills around the lake and along Peradeniya Road. Snapshot listings in 2026 start from about US$16-30 a night for a simple guesthouse double (about ₹1,400-2,600), with mid-range hotels around £30-80 (about ₹3,300-8,700). Book ahead for the Esala Perahera, when prices rise sharply.
Food
Rice and curry is the everyday meal, with several vegetable curries, dhal and sambol; small local cafés near the clock tower and the market serve it cheaply at lunch, and many places do vegetarian versions. Short eats (rolls, patties, vadai) from bakeries make an easy breakfast before the early puja. Flowers for offering are sold outside the temple gate.
Photos
Questions people ask
How many days do you need for Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic?
2 days · 1 night, starting from Colombo (Bandaranaike International Airport, CMB; bus to Kandy).
What is the best time for Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic?
Any time of year; Kandy sits in the hills and stays milder than Colombo. Be inside for a puja (thevava): the early one at 5:30-7:00, the middle one at 9:30-11:00 or the evening one at 18:30-20:00, when drummers play and the shrine room door opens. Poya (full moon) days are the busiest, with many devotees in white. The great festival is the Esala Perahera in July or August, ten nights of processions with elephants, dancers and drummers, ending on the Nikini full moon (in 2026 the final Randoli Perahera was on 27 August); the 2027 dates had not been announced when checked. Kandy fills up and room prices rise during the Perahera.
How much does Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic cost?
From about ₹1,300 per person doing it yourself, with the travel legs adding up to roughly ₹970.
What needs to be booked in advance?
Ticket only at the temple (must book): Foreign visitors pay LKR 3,000 (LKR 2,500 from SAARC countries, Thailand and Myanmar) from 1 July 2026. The temple says tickets come only from its official machines at the temple; tickets or fees from anyone else are not valid. Sri Lankans enter free. Dress and shoes (must book): Cover shoulders and knees (long trousers or a long skirt), take off hats, and leave shoes at the shoe room before entering; a small donation is usual. White or light clothes are the custom but not a rule. Do not rely on borrowing a sarong at the gate. Visible Buddha tattoos can get you refused entry. Getting there in 2026 (must book): Cyclone Ditwah broke the Colombo-Kandy railway in late 2025. Trains restarted only as far as Peradeniya in early October 2026 and were suspended again after a derailment on 5 October; the Peradeniya-Kandy bridges were still being rebuilt. Take the bus and check rail news before planning on the train. Puja times: The temple is open 5:30-20:00. Pujas are at 5:30-7:00, 9:30-11:00 and 18:30-20:00; the Nanumura Mangallaya (ritual bathing) is every Wednesday at 9:30. Arrive early for the evening puja, the busiest.
Where do pilgrims stay?
Kandy has plenty of family guesthouses on the hills around the lake and along Peradeniya Road. Snapshot listings in 2026 start from about US$16-30 a night for a simple guesthouse double (about ₹1,400-2,600), with mid-range hotels around £30-80 (about ₹3,300-8,700). Book ahead for the Esala Perahera, when prices rise sharply.
What about food?
Rice and curry is the everyday meal, with several vegetable curries, dhal and sambol; small local cafés near the clock tower and the market serve it cheaply at lunch, and many places do vegetarian versions. Short eats (rolls, patties, vadai) from bakeries make an easy breakfast before the early puja. Flowers for offering are sold outside the temple gate.
Sources and last check
Checked 16 October 2026. Fees, hours and rules change, so confirm on the official site before you pay.
- sridaladamaligawa.lk OfficialOpen 5:30-20:00; puja times 5:30-7:00, 9:30-11:00, 18:30-20:00; Nanumura Mangallaya Wednesdays 9:30; foreign ticket LKR 3,000 / LKR 2,500 (SAARC, Thailand, Myanmar) from 1 July 2026; tickets only from official machines (read via search snippets; page returned 502 on direct fetch)
- gov.uk OfficialTerrorism cannot be ruled out (places of worship, crowds); temple dress: legs and shoulders covered, shoes and hats off; no posing with Buddha statues; Buddha tattoos can lead to refusal or deportation; no advise-against areas
- pickyourtrail.comForeign entry fee LKR 3,000 matches the new official fee
- tamilguardian.comApril 2025 relic exposition: phones, bags banned, photography prohibited, CID investigated leaked photo
- newsfirst.lkColombo-Peradeniya rail to resume October 2026 after Cyclone Ditwah; Kandy section bridges still under repair
- themorning.lkUpcountry trains resumed 2 Oct 2026 to Peradeniya/Gampola, then suspended after 5 Oct derailment
- geckoroutes.comColombo-Kandy AC bus about LKR 740, about 4 hours; trains not running after Cyclone Ditwah
- kandyesalaperahera.comEsala Perahera 2026 dates (Kumbal from 18 Aug, final Randoli 27 Aug); dates follow the lunar calendar
- amazinglanka.comShoe room, long trousers or skirts required, white clothing customary
- travelocity.comKandy guesthouse listings from about US$16-30 a night
- hotelscombined.co.ukKandy average hotel rates about £30-81 a night
More sacred places and routes
Costs are indicative ballparks for doing it yourself and change with season and demand. Always check live fares, rates and opening rules before you book. Trip Under is not a travel agency: we sell nothing, take no commission, and every booking link goes straight to the provider. Photographs come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; see credits.
By Gokul · Updated 18 October 2026 · Photo: Bergentroll · CC0 · source · Photo: Niranjan Ramamurthy · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Bergentroll · CC0 · source · Photo: Jorge Láscar from Australia · CC BY 2.0 · source · Photo: Arian Zwegers · CC BY 2.0 · source
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