What's on in Kandy (Nuwara Eliya), Sri Lanka through the year

Peak crowds — Hill-country high season, Year-end break in Sri Lanka

• Rule

  Poya days

  1 Jan – 31 DecClosures

  Every full moon is a civil holiday: shops shut and the sale of alcohol and meat is prohibited islandwide. There are thirteen or fourteen a year, and the temple is at its fullest on each of them. Source ↗

• Rule

  Temple of the Tooth entry rules

  1 Jan – 31 DecBook early

  Shoulders and knees covered, shoes and hats off at the gate, and white is what locals wear. The relic chamber opens only for the three daily pujas, and the queue for the evening one starts well before it. Source ↗

Still on: Hill-country high season (15 Dec – 31 Mar)

Peak crowds — Hill-country high season, February break in Sri Lanka

Nothing new starts in February.

Still on: Poya days (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Temple of the Tooth entry rules (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Hill-country high season (15 Dec – 31 Mar)

Peak crowds — Hill-country high season, February break in Sri Lanka

Nothing new starts in March.

Still on: Poya days (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Temple of the Tooth entry rules (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Hill-country high season (15 Dec – 31 Mar)

Peak crowds — Sinhala and Tamil New Year, Sinhala & Tamil New Year break in Sri Lanka

• Holiday

  Sinhala and Tamil New Year

  13–16 AprNational holidayClosuresCrowded

  The country stops for several days and families travel to be together. Trains and long-distance buses cannot be booked, shops close, and the temple gets a domestic crowd rather than a foreign one. Source ↗

Still on: Poya days (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Temple of the Tooth entry rules (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Quiet — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

Nothing new starts in May.

Still on: Poya days (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Temple of the Tooth entry rules (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Busy — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

Nothing new starts in June.

Still on: Poya days (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Temple of the Tooth entry rules (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Busy — Esala Perahera, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Esala Perahera

  15 Jul – 25 Aug · usuallyMajor festivalCrowdedBook early

  Ten nights of processions building to the Nikini full moon, with tuskers, whip-crackers, drummers and fire dancers on a route the town hands over entirely. Grandstand seats are sold and rooms go months ahead. Source ↗

Still on: Poya days (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Temple of the Tooth entry rules (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Peak crowds — Esala Perahera, August break in Sri Lanka

Nothing new starts in August.

Still on: Poya days (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Temple of the Tooth entry rules (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Esala Perahera (15 Jul – 25 Aug (usually))

Busy — August break in Sri Lanka, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in September.

Still on: Poya days (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Temple of the Tooth entry rules (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Quiet — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

Nothing new starts in October.

Still on: Poya days (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Temple of the Tooth entry rules (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Quiet — one of its worst months for weather

Nothing new starts in November.

Still on: Poya days (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Temple of the Tooth entry rules (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Peak crowds — Hill-country high season, Year-end break in Sri Lanka

• Season

  Hill-country high season

  15 Dec – 31 MarDry seasonCrowded

  The driest stretch inland and the one the hill country is booked for. Kandy is the staging post, so the lake circuit, the trains up to Ella and the good rooms all fill at the same time.

Still on: Poya days (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Temple of the Tooth entry rules (1 Jan – 31 Dec)