Established in 1638, this venerable garden became a repository for tropical seeds and plants brought in (read: smuggled out of other countries) by Dutch trading ships. From here, coffee, pineapple, cinnamon and palm-oil plants were distributed throughout the world. The 4000-plus species are kept in wonderful structures, including the colonial-era seed house and a three-climate glasshouse.
The butterfly house is a hit with kids in particular. Free one-hour guided tours take place at 2pm on Sunday year-round – pick up a ticket from the entrance and give it to the guide. On Sunday afternoons in July and August from 4pm, you can listen to Latin, jazz, tango, pop music or blues in idyllic tropical surrounds.
