Kandy Lake

Kandy's last king made this lake in 1807 by flooding paddy fields below his palace, and it is still the centre of the city. A path of roughly 3 kilometres circles it, past the temple complex and the white 'cloud wall' along the bank, with the hills close behind. Egrets, herons and kingfishers work the edges, and monitor lizards are common on the banks. It sits below the headline sights but earns its place on a longer visit to Kandy, especially paired with nearby National Museum of Kandy. Entry is free and 1-2 hours gives you a thorough visit.

Walk the paved lakeside path watching cormorants and egrets, pause at the bank to photograph the golden temple roofs reflected in still water, and follow the low cloud wall as it curves round the shore. Early morning is when locals walk and the birds are busiest; by evening the temple is lit and the path fills with families.

Take a peaceful walk around the city's historic centerpiece with temple and mountain views. It is not the first thing you should see in Kandy, but with two or more days it fills a gap the major sights leave. It pairs naturally with National Museum of Kandy and Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic - together they fill a solid half-day. Mornings are quieter if you want to take your time.

It is one entry in our list of things to do in Kandy. The Kandy guide covers transport, costs and when to go.

We plan trips to Kandy and the rest of Sri Lanka. Tell us your dates and we will put a route together. Our routes are on the tours page.