Kandy Botanical Garden in Sri Lanka

The botanical garden in Kandy, Sri Lanka, is not only the best botanical garden in Sri Lanka but is also recognized as one of the best in all of Asia. The garden covers an area of 60 hectares and holds more than 4000 species of plants. Notably, several plants in Kandy Botanical Garden were planted by Nicholas II and Yuri Gagarin.

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya, in Kandy

The history of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kandy goes all the way back to 1371, when a Lankan king founded a settlement on the bank of a river and named it Peradeniya. Later, in 1821, the Peradeniya Botanic Gardens in Kandy itself was founded.

Calm pond and a gazebo among trees in Kandy Botanical Garden — Kandy Botanical Garden

Woman sitting on a liana among old trees in Kandy Botanical Garden — Kandy Botanical Garden

The Royal Botanic Gardens in Kandy holds a unique collection of ornamental orchids, more than 100 different species:

And centuries-old trees brought here from every continent on Earth:

Man lying on a thick branch of a huge tree in Kandy garden — Kandy Botanical Garden

The grounds are quite large, and walking around the whole garden will take you at least 3 hours.

Woman in front of vivid pink and orange bougainvillea, Kandy — Kandy Botanical Garden

Paths, lawns and a gazebo by the pond in Kandy Botanical Garden — Kandy Botanical Garden

Lily pond and trimmed bushes on a lawn in Kandy — Kandy Botanical Garden

Kandy Botanical Garden opening hours

Kandy Botanical Garden is open to visitors every day, with no days off and no holiday closures.

The garden is open from 7:30 in the morning to 18:00 in the evening; tickets are sold until 17:00 (as of October 2026).

We recommend coming here early, before 10:00 in the morning, to avoid the crowds and the midday heat.

Kandy Botanical Garden admission price

As is usual in Sri Lanka, the sights follow a policy of price racism.

The price of an admission ticket to Kandy Botanical Garden at the time of our visit was 1100 Rs; as of October 2026, an adult ticket for a foreigner costs 3540 Rs.

For visitors who looked Indian, the ticket price back then was 50 Rs — 22 times less than for rich tourists.

Photos of Kandy Botanical Garden

We can't help sharing our photos from our visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kandy:

Woman beside a blooming bougainvillea bush on a Kandy garden path — Kandy Botanical Garden

River with wooded banks and hills in the distance near Kandy — Kandy Botanical Garden

Round fountain in front of a red pavilion in Kandy Botanical Garden — Kandy Botanical Garden

Shady vine pergola over a circular path in Kandy garden — Kandy Botanical Garden

Greenhouse with orchids on shelves in Kandy Botanical Garden — Orchids in Kandy Botanical Garden

Lawn with a fan-shaped bed pattern and palms in Kandy Botanical Garden — Kandy Botanical Garden

Blooming orchids along a brick greenhouse wall in Kandy — Orchids in Kandy Botanical Garden

Cluster of magenta orchids against hanging moss, Kandy — Orchids in Kandy Botanical Garden

Magenta and orange orchids among foliage, Kandy Botanical Garden — Kandy Botanical Garden

Close-up of lilac and yellow orchids, Kandy garden — Kandy Botanical Garden

Potted orchids on green stands by greenhouse windows, Kandy — Kandy Botanical Garden

Kandy Botanical Garden: how to get there?

Kandy Botanical Garden is located 5 kilometers from Kandy, in the suburb of Peradeniya.

There are several easy ways to get here:

If you are traveling around the island by scooter, just use the map below and ride there.
If you don't have your own transport, bus No. 644 will take you from Kandy (from the clock tower) right to the entrance of the botanical garden for 15 Rs.
A rickshaw (tuk-tuk) will cost more — ~350 Rs one way. And a sightseeing minibus will cost about 1500 Rs.

Kandy Botanical Garden on the map

To show where Kandy Botanical Garden is located, here is a map with the coordinates and the spot marked:

The location of Kandy Botanical Garden on the map