Kandy is the second city of Sri Lanka. Despite this, travellers don’t seem to spend a lot of time here and mostly come to take the fabled train to Ella. Whilst I don’t feel that you need a lot of time here, visiting the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kandy was a highlight. As a quick disclaimer, the gardens are technically in Peradeniya (just on the outskirts of the city), but most tourists – and tours for that matter – would include it as part of the city.
Either way, the Botanical Gardens in Kandy are a welcome break from seeing the temples of the city and visiting them is a must do. Here is my quick guide to help you plan your visit. Enjoy.
Visiting the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kandy
Getting to the Royal Botanical Gardens
As I said above, the Royal Botanical Gardens are technically in Peradeniya. This is a small suburb of the city and it is far more peaceful than the streets of Kandy.
Most people however will stay in Kandy and, to be honest, I’d advise you to. There aren’t too many hotels nearby and you’ll need to be central to ease your journey to the train station in the morning. One thing to note about Kandy is that the traffic is a little chaotic. Our guide, Malan, told us that the traffic is very hit-and-miss. Sometimes you have virtually nothing, whereas others you need to add on a good hour to the journey. If you are on a tight schedule, I would advise (where possible) the latter and to go at off-peak times (avoid morning rush hour and the 5pm rush).
Traffic aside, the journey is relatively straightforward. Many hotels offer taxi or tuk tuk services and, if you have a guide, they will include this as part of your itinerary. If you are travelling nomadically and are in an AirBnB / a hostel, there are plenty of tuk tuks for hire in the city centre which will take you here on a cheap price. In Sri Lanka, my advice would be to avoid the buses as they are vastly different to those in Europe or the States.
Entry Times and Prices
The Royal Botanical Gardens in Kandy is open from 07:30 to 17:00 every day. For foreign adults tickets costs 3,000 LKR, which is equivalent to about £7.50 depending on exchange rates. There are concessions for local people, as well as for foreign children and students.
Top Tip: The weather in Sri Lanka is typically tropical. This means that you have sunny spells in the morning and early afternoon, before a downpour and storm from 16:00. If you plan on an afternoon visit, make sure that you bring an umbrella. Malan said that he, as well as other Sri Lankans, enjoy watching the unprepared tourists get soaked!
What to See in the Royal Botanical Gardens
Perhaps my favourite thing about the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kandy is the variety of biomes in the 147 acres. The landscapes and textures change as you walk around, as do the colours and smells.
The entire park is challenging to cover at the best of times, let alone if it is extremely hot or if it is raining. If you only have a bit of time to spend, here are my top highlights.
- The Avenue of Royal Palms – This was made famous by Intstagram and you’ll find these easily. The avenue is long and vast and, at quieter times, you’ll probably be the only ones here, making it easy for that perfect picture.
- The Orchid House – I loved this part of the Botanical gardens. The Orchid House is home to over 300 different species of orchid. They come in every colour imaginable and have different shapes depending on the species. Keep your eyes out for the geckos here too!
- The Giant Javan Fig Tree – You can’t miss this – it is probably the most impressive tree in the gardens! From afar, you’ll be amazed at just how much space this tree occupies. If you go underneath the canopy you’ll be met by a beautiful pattern of elongated branches. At over 150 years old, you won’t want to miss this gorgeous plant.
- The Palm Collection & Cactus House – These are held next to each other and I just love the contrast here. You get the tropical and arid species sharing the space together and, whilst it shouldn’t really work, it does beautifully.
- The Spice Garden – When I think of Sri Lanka I think of vibrant spices rippling throughout their gorgeous curries. At the spice garden you can see all of the different staple spices and learn all about them. You’ll see the all-important cardamom and pepper, alongside the iconic Sri Lankan cinnamon, as well as many others.
Final Thoughts | Visiting the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kandy
The Royal Botanical Gardens in Kandy are a peaceful retreat within a somewhat-chaotic Kandy. I would go as far as saying that if you only do one thing during 24 hours in Kandy, it should be spending time here. You’ll be amazed at the immaculately-kept displays alongside the smells and colours that best represent the country. I hope that this quick guide has helped you plan your trip. If you have any questions, just let me know.
