The historic city of Kandy is perfectly perched amidst the central hills, and the great Mahaweli River, whilst the beautiful Kandy lake stands proudly as one of the landmarks in the city centre. Kandy is considered as the most visited and most popular destination in the island. The last bastion of the Kandyan kings, which fell to the British forces in 1815, after several battles, still continues to retain its old world charm, its culture, traditions, arts & crafts, the typical way of life of Sri Lankans. It was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1988. Some of the major highlights of Kandy are the Dalada Maligawa which houses the Tooth relic of Buddha, the Annual perahera pageant  with hundreds of elephants parading the streets of Kandy and the Royal botanical gardens.