Kandy – the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings – is my stand-out highlight in Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle, lying on its southern fringes amidst a rich cloak of emerald green forest.

The country’s second-largest city serves as Sri Lanka’s unofficial cultural capital. It’s a charming oasis set in the country’s Hill Country, which reclines around the sculpted Kiri Muhuda lake, and has a spirit and passion quite unlike Colombo.

Kandy's main attraction is the golden topped Temple of the Sacred Tooth, home to Buddha’s Tooth, which was brought to Sri Lanka back in the 16th century. It’s very much an active temple so make sure to check ahead in case it is closed for a ceremony or event.

The landmark temple lies at the heart of Kandy and is also known as Sri Dalada Maligawa. Architecturally it’s an eye-catching collage of slick marble, stark ivory and solid hardwoods, with plenty of gold woven in too. Buddha's Tooth (Sri Lanka’s most famous Buddhist relic) now stands as the fulcrum of the two-storey high shrine topped by a golden canopy. Today it is a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists from all over the world with daily worship and ceremonies, backed up by lavish special events.

Note you’ll be disappointed if you were hoping to actually see the tooth itself as it is hidden safely from public view in a gold casket. The site is well worth visiting, though, for its drama and Buddhist architecture. There are also a sprinkling of further temples dotted around the complex, as well as museums. It’s worth taking on the services of a guide to help you navigate the site efficiently, with guides available on the day.

One mistake visitors often make is spending too little time here before heading off to the surrounding sites in the rest of the Cultural Triangle. It’s an enjoyable city for just strolling around, I highly recommend you spend longer here.

If you have the time, don’t miss the vast Alut Maligawa shrine hall (built in 1956 to mark the 2,500th anniversary of Buddha’s death), with its array of Thai-style sitting Buddhas, and the Sri Dalada Museum. The latter houses many of the gifts given by various world leaders to the temple and also features information on the damage caused by the 1998 bombing. It also, of course, tells you everything and anything you could want to know about what is surely the world’s most celebrated tooth.

Other must-visit sights in Kandy include the Royal Palace. It houses the National Museum of Kandy, which features over 5,000 exhibits, many tying into Buddhism in the country. It was the last Royal Palace to be built on the island. Then there is the green lung of the Royal Palace Park and the even more impressive Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya, which lies a little out of Kandy, but is worth the journey to.

It's also worth heading out of Kandy to see a brace of key Buddhist sites – Lankatilaka Temple and the Gadaladeniya Temple. Further Buddhist attractions include the Malwatta Monastery, one of the most heralded in the country.

A word of caution on touts and street hassles too. This is arguably the worst place in Sri Lanka for this menace, but it’s not usually threatening. A few local words usually see off touts but employing a guide is even more effective.