Six kilometres west of Kandy, on a broad bend of the Mahaweli River, the Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya are among the finest in Asia. The 147-acre site contains over 4,000 species of plants, including a spectacular avenue of royal palms, a giant Java fig tree whose aerial roots span over 2,500 square metres, and impressive collections of orchids, spice plants, and medicinal herbs.
The gardens are best visited in the morning before the tour buses arrive. The orchid house is outstanding, the bamboo collection is the largest in Sri Lanka, and the double coconut — Lodoicea maldivica, which produces the largest seed of any plant on Earth — is well worth finding. Allow two to three hours for a thorough visit.