>Kandy is the capital of the Central Highlands and one of Sri Lanka's most picturesque cities. This venerated Buddhist site, with an interesting history and in a beautiful setting, is a real highlight to any tailor made Sri Lanka holiday. Set at an altitude of 500 metres, Kandy has a pleasant climate and is surrounded by tropical tea plantations - where row upon row of clipped tea bushes line the hillsides. This is the heartland of Sri Lanka's tea-growing industry and tours of the plantation are a popular excursion from Kandy.

The city is also Sri Lanka's cultural epicentre and was the last capital of the Sinhala Kings until the occupation of Sri Lanka by the British in 1815. Kandy is therefore an important symbol of Sinhalese national identity and Kandy's Sacred City is one of Sri Lanka's eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The city's best-known attraction is the Temple of the Tooth, built between 1687 and 1707 by King Vimala Dharma Suriya II. It houses a relic of the tooth of Buddha and is therefore, like Anuradhapura to the north, one of Sri Lanka's most important pilgrimage sites.