The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, the Kandyan dance tradition and the Esala Perahera in July and August combine to give Kandy a weight the island’s other cities don’t quite match. The evening puja ceremony, when the inner shrine opens and the drums begin, is worth planning an entire day around. Kandy earns its place in every serious Sri Lanka itinerary, whether the trip is four nights or fourteen.