On the fringes of Kandy, nestled within a loop of Sri Lanka’s longest river the Mahaweli, the Peradeniya Royal Botanic Gardens offers hours of pleasure strolling through its 140 acres of meticulously landscaped grounds. Although its history goes back to the times of the Kings of Sri Lanka, when it was used as a pleasure garden, what exists today was mostly laid during the British colonial period.

The royal botanic gardens contain over 4,000 species of flora, with a fine collection of orchids, but the most popular are some of the larger species. A highlight of the gardens is the spectacular Javan fig tree, over a century old, spreading over 19,000 square feet, supported by tentacle-like roots growing down from its branches. Enormous stands of Burmese giant bamboo, with a diameter of over 10 inches, tower over 100 feet above pathways, and an imposing avenue lined with Royal Palms makes for a most picturesque setting. Other interesting species in the gardens include the double coconut palm, a native of the Seychelles, and the curios canon ball tree, which features large round brown fruit and beautiful pink flowers with a heady scent.

Written by Jonathan Roelofsz for Travel Lanka Compass