Temple of the Tooth, Kandy
Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa) · Kandy, Sri Lanka
The sacred home of the tooth relic that guards the nation, the holiest temple of Theravada Buddhism.
Antes de ir · Know before you go
- Visitors in revealing clothes will be asked to rent a sarong
- don't touch monks (especially female visitors)
- crowds are huge during the Perahera, so watch your belongings.
Este artículo está «Sin verificar». Consulte los avisos oficiales sobre precios, horarios y fechas.
Culture
Cultura y costumbres
Contexto cultural
The Temple of the Tooth holds a tooth relic of the Buddha and is the holiest site of Sri Lanka's Theravada Buddhism — historically 'whoever holds the tooth holds the country', and the relic was a symbol of royal legitimacy. The temple stands beside Kandy Lake, its white walls and golden roof solemn above the water. Every July–August the Esala Perahera brings a procession of richly decorated elephants, Sri Lanka's greatest religious festival. The Sacred City of Kandy became a World Heritage Site in 1988.
Costumbres locales
- There are three rituals a day, and the evening one, with drums and music, is the most stirring
- visitors can go in to watch. You queue to view the inner shrine where the tooth is kept (the relic itself is not displayed).
Religión y creencias
- A Theravada Buddhist holy site: cover shoulders and knees and remove shoes to enter
- keep silent in the halls, and don't pose with your back to Buddha images.
Etiquette
Normas y tabúes
Normas que se aplican aquí
Sri Lanka: don't pose with your back to a Buddha statue
- Respect Buddha statues and religious objects
- Standing with your back to a Buddha statue for a photo
- Making offensive remarks about religion
Disrespecting Buddha images is a serious offence and can lead to arrest; people with visible Buddha tattoos may be refused entry or deported.
Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: GOV.UK: Sri Lanka travel advice
Sri Lanka: cover legs and shoulders and remove shoes and hats at Buddhist temples
- Cover your legs and shoulders, and take off your shoes and hat before entering a shrine
- Nude or topless sunbathing
At Buddhist temples you must cover your legs and shoulders and remove shoes and hats, or you will offend worshippers; nude or topless sunbathing is not allowed.
Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: GOV.UK: Sri Lanka travel advice
No lo haga DON'T
- Visitors in revealing clothes will be asked to rent a sarong
- don't touch monks (especially female visitors)
- crowds are huge during the Perahera, so watch your belongings.
Lo que aprecian los locales DO
The people of Kandy are proud of the Perahera, and the whole city starts preparing floats and dancers weeks in advance.
Plan your visit
Información práctica
Consejos de viaje
- The evening ritual starts at about 6:30 p.m. (check the official website), so arrive early for a good spot
- book accommodation months ahead for the Perahera
- a walk around Kandy Lake is a wonderful free experience.
Eat nearby
Qué comer cerca
Imprescindible
- Rice & Curry
- Kottu Roti
- Hoppers
Rice and curry, kottu roti (chopped flatbread stir-fried on a griddle — follow the clatter to find a stall), hoppers, watalappan (coconut-milk jaggery pudding), Ceylon black tea
| Dónde comer | Restaurants around Kandy Lake and in the centre, snacks at the central market, simple meals on the shopping street outside the Temple of the Tooth |
|---|---|
| Normas en la mesa | The Temple of the Tooth has a strict dress code (shoulders covered, below the knee, preferably clean white), shoes off and security checks; don't eat or drink inside |
| Precio orientativo por persona | LKR 2,500–4,500 ≈ CNY 60–108 |
| Consejos | Restaurants are busiest before and after the evening puja, so eat early; kottu is tastiest at night stalls. |
Los precios son orientativos a octubre de 2026, no presupuestos exactos; en zonas con tipos de cambio muy variables solo se da un intervalo aproximado en yuanes.
Lankan Foodie · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photos
Fotos
Rashod Korala · CC BY-SA 4.0
Sachin Kaveesha Fernando · CC BY-SA 4.0
Hayas ahamed · CC BY-SA 4.0
Fuentes y notas de verificación
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