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The inner shrine of the Temple of the Tooth behind carved timber columns, with tusks and lotus offerings, Kandy, Sri Lanka

Culture · Kandy, Central Province

Temple of the Tooth
& evening puja

Sri Lanka's holiest Buddhist shrine, said to house a tooth relic of the Buddha himself. This guided visit times entry for the evening puja ceremony, when drummers and the temple come alive.

$25–60Typically · per person
All yearBest season
Half dayVisit length

The experience

Sri Lanka's most sacred shrine

The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic sits at the heart of Kandy, the last capital of the Sinhalese kings. Inside its gilded inner shrine, Buddhists believe a tooth relic of the Buddha himself is kept, making this one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the Buddhist world.

This guided visit is timed for the evening puja, when drummers and dancers perform as the inner chamber briefly opens, and the whole temple complex fills with candlelight and incense.

Best forCulture and history lovers
Meeting pointTemple entrance, late afternoon
Group sizeSmall group or private
Combine withRoyal Botanical Gardens
IncludesEntry fee, guide, puja access

What to expect

An evening at the temple

Sacred
The inner shrine
The gilded chamber housing the relic, briefly opened to view during the puja ceremony.
A Kandyan fire dancer and geta bera drummers performing outside the Temple of the Tooth at night, Kandy, Sri Lanka
Ceremony
Drummers and dancers
Traditional Kandyan drumming and dance accompany the evening puja, a genuinely moving spectacle.
Kandy Lake seen over the temple's white parapet wall, wooded hills beyond, Kandy, Sri Lanka
Setting
Kandy Lake
The temple sits directly on Kandy's tranquil lake, framed by hills, a striking evening backdrop.

Good to know

Before you book

Dress code
Modest, required
Cover shoulders and knees; sarongs are available to borrow at the entrance if needed.
Shoes off
Bring socks
Shoes are removed before entering, socks help on the warm stone floors.
Festival season
Esala Perahera
Each August, a ten-night festival with elephants and dancers processes around the temple.
Photography
Restricted inside
Photography of the relic chamber itself is not permitted; the outer complex is fine.

Kandy, in a route

The island's most sacred

A tooth, a temple, and ten nights of drums and fire each August.

Build a trip around Kandy

Read more

Ten nights of fire in KandyClimbing Sigiriya