Elephants and opulent temples in Sri Lanka

The historic and much fought over Sri Lankan city of Kandy, has long been considered one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in the world.

The Temple of the Tooth, home to the relic of the Buddha's tooth, is a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists, who come to worship at what is now regarded as a symbolic representation of the living Buddha.

Brought to Sri Lanka in the 4th century, the tooth was a symbol of sovereignty for the country's rulers until its takeover by the British in 1815.

Today the result is a sprawling, opulent temple covered in decorative engravings, turrets and gold domes, which have been continually added to and restored for centuries.

Pilgrims and tourists alike flock to the temple every day to make offerings of lotus flowers and watch the ceremonies and rituals which take place in the evening, dawn and midday.

The experience is a fascinating one, especially for western visitors unfamiliar with Buddhist customs. Everyone is welcome in the temple, so there is no need to feel uncomfortable or out of place.

As long as you dress and behave in a respectable way, everything should be fine.

For holidaymakers in the area around July and August, there is a chance to take part in the famous Esala Perahera festival which attracts thousands of visitors every year.

People come to watch the epic spectacle of the tooth paraded through the streets of the town accompanied by 50 elephants, countless dancers, flag bearers and drummers.

A short distance from Kandy is the elephant sanctuary in Pinnawala, home to over 65 elephants, the largest captive herd of the animals in the world.

Set over 24 acres, the sanctuary was established in 1975 to care for the many baby elephants found in the wild whose mothers had died or been killed. There are also blind and injured elephants at the site, including one whose leg has been blown off by a landmine.

Twice a day the elephants make the trip to the Maha Oya River to bathe and play together, and visitors can sometimes help scrub them down with old coconut husks, although beware, you do get very wet!

It is a pleasure to watch and help feed the baby elephants, and the orphanage is one of the most popular destinations for holidaymakers in Sri Lanka.

It is funded by government and tourist donations, and raises money through a diverse range of products made from elephant dung, which is not as unpleasant as it sounds, mostly selling items such as writing paper and notebooks.

Francesca Elliott