Walks · 8 of the best in Sri Lanka
Kandy Lake
Walk the shore
About Kandy Lake
Kandy Lake, the Kiri Muhuda or “sea of milk”, was created in 1807 by Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe, the last king of Kandy, on paddy fields in front of his palace. A path runs all round it, about 3 kilometres, with views of the Temple of the Tooth and the hills. Along part of the shore runs the Walakulu Bamma, a decorative “clouds wall” with triangular openings for oil lamps, left unfinished when the kingdom fell in 1815. The small island in the middle was once a royal summer house. Walk it in the early morning or at dusk, when the temple lights come on.
Why it's on our list
- Lakeside walk
- Temple views
- Evening
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Kandy Lake before you go.
What’s nearby
Distances from Kandy Lake are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 15 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Key sights
- Temple of the Tooth, Kandy1.1 kmWalk 14 minCycle 5 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Peradeniya Botanic Gardens5.3 kmCycle 21 minCar or taxi 19 min
- Lake Gregory, Nuwara Eliya41 kmCar or taxi 127 min
- Horton Plains59 kmCar or taxi 179 min