Overview
Kandyan dance, developed during the Kandyan kingdom era (15th-19th centuries), is Sri Lanka's most iconic traditional dance form, marked by elaborate costumes, ornate headdresses, and driving drum rhythms. The Kandyan Art Association Hall and Mahanama Culture Center stage nightly hour-long shows of 8-10 dances and acrobatics, ending with a fire-walking ritual where dancers stride barefoot over hot coals. Admission LKR 1,500-2,000. Performance halls in central Kandy.
Opening Hours
Show times 17:30-19:30 (daily)
Travel Tips
Shows typically start at 5:30 or 6:30 pm. Photography is usually allowed but flash may be banned at some venues.
Hotels near Kandyan Dance Performance
Hotels and guesthouses in Kandy, Kandy City Centre, Kandy
Other attractions in Kandy
Temple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa)
Sri Lanka's holiest Buddhist site, enshrining a relic tooth of the Buddha. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Royal Botanical Gardens (Peradeniya)
A 60-hectare tropical botanical garden especially renowned for its orchid collection.
Kandy Lake
A man-made lake at the heart of the city, perfect for strolls and quiet reflection.
Bahirawakanda Vihara Buddha Statue
A 27 m white Buddha statue overlooking Kandy city.
Udawattakele Forest Reserve
A tropical rainforest reserve right behind the Temple of the Tooth.
Kandy Municipal Market
Kandy's traditional market brimming with Sri Lankan spices and tropical fruit.
Embekka Devalaya
A 14th-century Hindu-Buddhist shrine famous for its intricate wood carvings.