Bahirawakanda Buddha Statue, Sri Lanka

Look up from almost anywhere in central Kandy and you will see a huge white Buddha seated on a hilltop. This is the Sri Maha Bodhi Viharaya at Bahirawakanda. The statue is about 27 metres (88 feet) high and was completed in the early 1990s. The temple itself is modern, but the visit is worth making for one reason above all: the view.

The view

From the terrace at the foot of the statue, the whole of Kandy lies below you: the lake, the Temple of the Tooth, the old town and the ring of hills around it. A stairway inside the structure behind the statue lets you climb higher, level with the Buddha's shoulders, for an even wider view.

The name

Bahirawakanda means "hill of Bahirawa", after a fearsome spirit of local folklore. Legend says that in the time of the Kandyan kings, young women were sacrificed on this hill to keep the spirit content, until one was rescued by her lover and the practice ended. The peaceful white Buddha makes a strong contrast with that story.

Visiting

• Entrance: foreign visitors pay a small entrance fee at the top.
• Dress: cover your shoulders and knees, and remove your shoes and hat before going onto the terrace. The floor can be hot in the middle of the day, so bring socks.
• Photos: don't pose with your back to the Buddha. Our etiquette guide explains why this matters.
• Time: 30 to 45 minutes is enough.

When to go

Late afternoon is the most popular time, for the sunset light and the cooler air. The statue is floodlit after dark, and Kandy's lights spread out below. Early morning is quieter, and it often has the clearest air. The hill country's driest months are January to April.

Getting there

The temple is only about 1.5 km from the centre of Kandy, but the road is very steep. A tuk-tuk takes about 10 minutes from the lake, and the driver will usually wait. You can also walk up in 20 to 30 minutes from the town side, near the railway station, which is good exercise in the cool of the morning.

Bahirawakanda fits easily into a day in Kandy with the Temple of the Tooth, the lake and Udawattakele forest. If you have longer, see our day trips from Kandy.