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Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya — Kandy

Cover photo: Cornelia Pettersson (Unsplash)

District

Kandy

Province

Central

Best for

Nature lovers and families; stroll palm avenues, orchid house and riverside lawns

Map

See it on the map

About this place

At Peradeniya, about 5 km west of Kandy on the Mahaweli river; one of Asia's largest gardens. Open daily roughly 7:30 AM-5 PM; allow 2-3 hours and go early to avoid heat. Foreign adult ticket around LKR 3,500 (about 9 euros); tuk-tuk or bus from Kandy.

Visitor brief

Good to know before you go

• Open daily roughly 7:30 AM-5 PM; allow 2-3 hours and arrive early to avoid midday heat.
• Foreign adult ticket applies (order of ~USD 10-13; confirm at gate as rates change).
• Highlights: giant palm avenues, orchid house, cannonball tree lawn and riverside paths; maps at the entrance.
• Monkeys and giant squirrels are common; do not feed them and watch bags.
• Battery-cart tours suit visitors with limited mobility.

How to travel there

At Peradeniya ~5 km west of Kandy on the Colombo road; reach by tuk-tuk (~15 min), local bus from Kandy clock tower, or taxi. Colombo-Kandy trains stop at Peradeniya station nearby.

Where to stay

Stay in Kandy (all tiers) for a half-day visit, or Peradeniya guesthouses (budget-mid) next to the gates.

Nearby places

Kandy city and Temple of the Tooth, Hanthana mountain and Ceylon Tea Museum, Udawatta Kele Sanctuary, Kandy Lake

Scams to watch for

• Tuk-tuk drivers offering 'free' garden routing that ends at commission spice/gem shops; fix the destination and fare first.

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