Once the capital of the Kandyan Kingdom, the last indigenous state of the Sri Lankan kings, the bustling town of Kandy is surrounded by the Knuckles, Madulkele and Kotmale mountain ranges. Set at 500 metres above sea level, and accessible only by a series of steep road and rail passes, this historic city, still a focal point of Sri Lankan culture, and is renowned for the sacred Kandy Temple, where the it is said that Buddha’s tooth is enshrined. An evening visit to the temple coinciding with the rituals and prayers is highly atmospheric, and can be combined with a lively late afternoon cultural show to see traditional Kandyan drummers, jugglers, fire breathers and colourful dancers. At Peradeniya, near Kandy, the Botanical Gardens are home to an incredible collection of orchids, exotic plants and rare trees. One of the natural wonders of this botanical garden is the double lobed coconuts joined like Siamese twins, a strange palm, which is a native to the Seychelles. Kandy is also an excellent base from which to visit the Millennium Elephant Foundation, which provides a superb opportunity to feed and bathe these huge mammals and to learn about elephant behaviour. While in Kandy, a visit to a spice garden is not to be missed, and provides a fascinating insight into the variety of spices grown in the island, their role in Sri Lankan cuisine, and how the spices played a significant role in shaping the history of Sri Lanka.