The Perfect Family Spot in Kandy, Sri Lanka: Royal Botanic Gardens Peradeniya

Take the whole family out of your hotel in Kandy, Sri Lanka and invite them to a place where they can enjoy and learn at the same time: Royal Botanic Gardens Peradeniya. In Kandy, a city declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the garden stands out because of its biological and historical relevance to the community. Here are some of the things you can look forward to during your visit.

1. Historical Relevance
The site, which was founded in 1371 by King Wickramabahu III, was first used as the king's court and temple grounds. After the British took control of Kandy, Alexander Moon laid out the groundwork for a botanical garden in 1821. By 1843, Peradeniya had begun accepting plants from Kew Garden, Slave Island, Colombo, and the Kalutara Garden in Kalutara. One of the trees in the garden was planted by King George V and Queen Mary of the United Kingdom in 1901. And in World War II, the location was used by Lord Louis Mountbatten as the headquarters of the South East Asia Command.

2. A Collection of Gardens
Peradeniya has 30 different sections and more than half of this house their plant collections. The tree planted by King George V and Queen Mary at the Avenue of Palms stands to this day. The botanical garden also has a famous orchid house as well as a medicinal garden, spice garden, and themed gardens.

3. Home to Many Animal Species
Aside from taking pictures and admiring the scenery, you can while the time away by birdwatching. More than 80 species of birds live in the garden, and of these, 10 are endemic. If you're lucky, you might even spot raptor birds, including the rare Black Eagle. There are also about 80 species of butterflies and a big colony of flying foxes in the arboretum. You don't have to keep looking up to see colorful creatures because 20 species of reptiles, 15 species of amphibians, and 18 species of mammals also live in the grounds.

After a Fun Day Out
A whole day of touring the different gardens and spotting birds and crawling critters from trees and crevices will be enough to drain anyone's energy. You can get a quick recharge by heading to one of the many shops and canteens in Peradeniya. You can also go to nearby restaurants operated by hotels in Kandy, Sri Lanka, such as Raswasala Restaurant in Amaya Hills, if you want a more relaxing atmosphere.