At the head of the Kandy Lake lies the old Katupulle Village, where in olden times, 22 man held land for the service of conveying the orders of the king or of the adigars. The silpenkandura flows in to the lake; and once supplied a spout reserved the king’s use.

All around, grew coffee and cinchona, then rice and tea. This is the Ampitiya we know today; the place where, near the Dalukgala Vihara, the body of Weliwita Sangha Raja was cremated and where stands the old “Divarum Bogaha”- a place of peculiar sanctity at which the ordeal by hot oil was administered.

Also at the head of the Kandy lake today stands the Hotel Devon, quite the finest hotel Ampitiya can boast of, standing in a truly rustic setting of green rice fields, the reaches of Udawattakelle, the sweep of verdancy that carries the eye upward to the hills of Matanpatana Pittiyalkelakanda, Velikanda, Hapugollaelakanda,

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Kandy known as the last Capital of the Sinhala kings is a living record to magnificent past. There are many places one could visit from the hotel.
 
During the month of August the ancient Capital becomes the venue for one of the most legendary festivals in Asia. Kandy becomes the setting for the festival of the August Moon. For ten days the old cannon booms in to the dusk to signal the start of the Perahera. Flaming torches blaze a trail for the glittering procession. Trumpets, conches, oboes and drums beat out a ritual rhythm for the dancers. Rank upon rank of elephants-bedecked with golden caparisons-precede the lofted Sacred Casket as, late in to the night, the holiest of festivals is transformed in to an unforgettable event.
This is also known as the Royal Botanical gardens which is situated 6km away from Kandy on the Colombo – Kandy road were the pleasure gardens of Kandyan Queen. The motorable, gardens 150 acres, with seats, gazebos, pavilion and a restaurant at the entrance, are a paradise of tropical foliage. Highlights are the Great Palm Avenue, the Orchid House, the Pergola, the Octagon House the flower – beds of hibiscus, canas, bougainvilleas and croton.
Pinnawala, which is situated in Rambukkana, close to Kandy is especially famous for the elephant orphanage, which is under the Great care of the Zoological department of Sri Lanka. There are nearly 63 elephant living in this unique location. The utilized area for this place is approximately 23 acres of cultivated land, which is carefully designed to the desirable ways required by the elephants. The place creates a natural habitat for the orphaned elephants. For those who desire to watch or feed the elephants or even watch them have a bath could visit the place during the following hours :
 
Feeding Hours : 9.15 A.M. / 1.15 P.M. / 5.00 P.M.
Bathing Hours : 10 A.M.-12P.M. / 2 P.M. – 4 P.M.