Travellers in search of a luxury Kandy hotel for their holiday in the hill capital will find no finer rest than The Secret Kandy. Located in a strategic position in the city this elegant hotel provides easy access to the Kandyan Kingdom’s most popular attractions.

Regarded as the island’s foremost botanical garden the Royal Botanical Garden of Peradeniya is a horticultural attraction of monumental scope and significance in Sri Lanka. Established as early as 1371 by King Kirti Sri Rajasinhe the venue was later transformed in to a botanical garden by Sir Edward Barnes.
Spread out across 147 acres the Peradeniya Botanical Garden occupies pride of place in the heart of hill capital Kandy where it is located. Towering above the surrounding landscapes at an awe-inspiring altitude of 460m the venue also holds the honour of being the largest botanical garden space of its kind in all of Sri Lanka. With cool weather conditions prevailing throughout most of the calendar year the scenic setting of this royally commissioned horticultural expanse could not be more appropriate.
Showcasing more than 4000 floral species within its confines the garden is lined with ferns, palm trees and screw pines that tower above the rolling lawns of the meticulously manicured grounds of the venue. Must-see points of interest within the garden include its Orchid House where rare species of the flower are housed while The Great Circle with plants planted by foreign rulers including Russian Tzars and British royalty is equally intriguing. The Spice Garden and the park’s own Arboretum and Herbarium are other highlights while the Ebony Collection, Cactus House, Medicinal Garden and the Octagon Conservatory are stunning corners of a garden that is a popular haunt for picnics and weekend getaways.
The Cycad Collection, Fiscus Collection and the Plant House with thorny plant genera are other intriguing quarters of Peradeniya which is also home to a large number of Sal Trees. Ideal for long walks and quiet evenings the flower beds that litter the park contain chrysanthemums, bougainvilleas and roses in full bloom.
A tranquil lake also occupies the centre of the garden and is laden with papyrus reeds and vibrant water lilies for all to see. A tributary monument to George Gardener is also located near the lake in the shape of a domed rotunda.

Nigel Walters is a travel writer, who writes under the pen name, Fritzjames Stephen. His content is based on the myriad of experiences and indulgences that the world has to offer travellers across all walks of life. Google+