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Australian Cricket In Kandy

'Welcome To Kandy' Painted On A Wall Sign Outside The City Whilst A Local Man Is Enjoying An Afternoon Sit In The Sun On Top Of The Wall | Kandy | Sri Lanka | Australian Cricket Tours

Australian Cricket Tour To Sri Lanka 2025 | Cricket In Kandy

CONFIRMED SCHEDULE COMING

Tour: Kandy ONLY
When: February 2025
Dates: 8 Nights
Hotel: Radisson Hotel Kandy
Double | Twin Room*: A$2900pp
Single Room*: A$4300pp
Deposit Booking:
Visit: Sri Lanka Tourism

*Pricing is land only, based on 2024 hotel rates, 2022 match ticket prices, and 1 test in Galle. 2025 Hotels subject to availability. No flights included.

Australian Cricket In Kandy

We have fond memories of watching cricket in Kandy, going back to our first Australian Cricket Tour to Sri Lanka 1999. We lost that test, won a thriller in 2004, were washed out in 2011, smashed in 2016, and forgotten about in 2022.

We have seen every result (bar a tie) in Kandy. 2022 could've been the 'tie', if fixtured to play. The Australian Cricket Tour to Sri Lanka 2022 was reduced to a pitiful 2 tests, both played in Galle so maybe Kandy will get a look in 2025.

Your Kandy ONLY Tour Includes:

  • Airport Meet & Transfer
  • 8 Nights 4 Star Hotel*
  • Breakfast Daily
  • Dinner Nightly
  • Match Tickets To All 5-Days
  • Match Day Transfers
  • Day-0 Dinner Party With Drinks
  • Day-5 Dinner Party With Drinks
  • Cool Sri Lanka 2025 Apparel
  • Return Airport Transfer
  • Our 30 Years Touring Experience

*We no longer offer twin-share unless you book to share a room with someone you know. If you are travelling alone, you must book SINGLE or phone a friend.

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Kandy Railway Station | Sri Lanka | Australian Cricket Tours

A visit after our Australian Cricket Tour to India 2023, sees our perennial Kandy hotel dropped. Convenient as Queen's Hotel is, she needs more than the lick of paint not seen since independence. Something our fresh from the showroom hotel doesn't need.

With the ubuiqitous Sri Lankan rooftop pool & bar overlooking Kandy Lake and a world vastly slower than Colombo, we have 8 nights at this lovely place.

View Of Kandy Lake From Radisson Hotel Kandy | Kandy | Sri Lanka | Australian Cricket Tours

If you join our hotel tour, we get you from Colombo's Bandaranaike Airport, or after the 1st test in Colombo or Galle, and deliver you to 'Royal Kandy'.

The new expressway from Colombo to Dambulla is under construction and though the 'spur' to Kandy may not be finished for 2025, completed sections will save much from the current 4+ hour drive from the airport. There is always something new for each tour, that being one, whilst some things stay the same.

Cinnamon Citadel Hotel | Cinnamon Hotels | Kandy | Sri Lanka | Australian Cricket Tours

The isolation of quality hotels means you can't pop-out somewhere new each night, which means dinner is included.

We still have tour dinners with drinks before and after the test, along with cool apparel, airport pick-ups, and match tickets. Match transfers are also included as we live 13km from Pallekele Intl. Cricket Stadium built in 2009 (below).

Pallekel International Cricket Stadium | Kandy | Sri Lanka | Australian Cricket Tours

Following the thrilling result in 2004, we were saddened to learn of the move from Asgiriya Stadium to Pallekele. Walk to Trinity College Ground (below) at the top of the city and you'll see why this is no longer a test cricket ground.

Asgiriya International Cricket Stadium | Trinity College Grounds | Kandy | Sri Lanka | Australian Cricket Tours

Speaking of walking, Kandy is small enough to see everything in a few hours depending on where you stop. If you need refreshment, park yourself on the balcony of the Royal Hotel & Bar for a step into yesteryear (below).

Royal Hotel And Bar | Kandy | Sri Lanka | Australian Cricket Tours

Your walk should take you up to Vihara Buddha Temple for nice views over the city, but if you prefer a flatter path, stroll 3.3km around the lake, along which is famed 'Temple of the Tooth'.

5.30am - 8pm every day, thousands pay Rs1500 for a processional glance at a gold box holding Buddha's Tooth, a gold box holding a replica of Buddha's Tooth or an empty gold box. No one knows, but belief is powerful.

Buddhist Monks Sitting On A Rock Near Embekke Temple | Kandy | Sri Lanka | Australian Cricket Tours

Away from the hubbub, we recommend the 3 Temple loop. A peaceful 7km walk that links Embekke, Lankathilake and Gadaladeniya Temples for solitude on a lazy day. Or you could reside in Queen's Hotel colonial bar (below).

Colonial Bar Of Queens Hotel Kandy | Kandy | Sri Lanka | Australian Cricket Tours

Equally tranquil, but closer to home, is Udawatta Kele Sanctuary. During the Kandyan Kingdom, this beautiful forest, on the city fringe (we drive around it to reach Pallekele), was known as 'the garden above the royal palace'.

Speaking of royalty, 90mins from Kandy, near Dambulla, Sigiriya Rock is one of Sri Lanka's most significant landmarks. The once forested area was chosen by King Kashyapa for a new capital, with his palace built on the 180m granite pillar.

Sigiriya Rock (Lion Rock) Fortress | Dambulla | Sri Lanka | Australian Cricket Tours

Abandoned after his death, we used to day trip to this UNESCO World Heritage Site and Dambulla Cave Temple but now leave this to you, as many coming to Kandy have been there, done that.

The same goes for Peradeniya Botanic Gardens, though I don't think you can visit Sri Lanka's most beautiful botanic gardens too often, nor the immaculate Commonwealth War Graves (below).

Commonwealth War Graves | Pitakanda | Kandy | Sri Lanka | Australian Cricket Tours

After what we trust will be a cool visit to this cool city, travel (by train TBC) from Kandy to Galle, Colombo, or the airport is included in our hotel tours.

Royal Viceroy Train Waiting At Kandy Railway Station | Kandy | Sri Lanka | Australian Cricket Tours

If you're coming with us for 4 nights on the Jaffna Peninsula, we could leave from Kandy, but this will be confirmed once we know the schedule.

If you've questions about our Australian Cricket Tour to Sri Lanka 2025, please ask.

 

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