Kandy Stay

A walauwa is a manor house built for the old Kandyan aristocracy. The one you stay in dates from the mid-1800s and sits about 15 minutes outside Kandy, far enough from the traffic to feel quiet. This two-night break mixes the house, a home-cooked meal and a day in the city dressed the way locals dress for the temple.

Where you stay

Your base is Ceylon Boutique Home Stay or a similar property, furnished in a vintage Ceylon style. Breakfast is included each morning.

Day two with your host

Cooking and lunch

Your host shows you how a traditional meal is prepared, from tempering spices to grating coconut, and then you eat it together at the house.

Dressing like a local

In the afternoon you head into Kandy and stop at a silk shop, where women are dressed in a saree and men in a sarong. It is fun, and it is also the right dress for the visit that follows.

The Temple of the Tooth

The day ends at the Temple of the Tooth Relic, the most important Buddhist shrine in Sri Lanka, where you offer lotus flowers as local worshippers do. Your guide explains the rituals and the history of the relic, which became a symbol of royal power in the Kandyan kingdom.

What is included

• Two nights at the walauwa homestay with breakfast
• Cooking demonstration and lunch
• A guided day in Kandy with transfers, the silk shop visit and the temple visit

Make more of it

With an extra day you could see the Royal Botanical Gardens, walk around Kandy Lake or catch a cultural dance show. See our full guide to Kandy.

Temple etiquette

At the Temple of the Tooth, shoulders and knees must be covered, shoes and hats come off at the entrance, and you should never pose with your back to a Buddha image. The saree or sarong you wear on the tour takes care of the dress code.