While Kandy, Sri Lanka is not as crazy busy as many other Asian cities, it shares the “might is right” attitude of some of its neighbors. Bus trumps car trumps motorcycle trumps bicycle. And if you’re a pedestrian, you better not relax, lest you be run over. Americans like me have the added pressure of remembering that Sri Lankans drive on the opposite side of the street. I never did quite get this straight so I’d keep whipping my head back and forth to be on the safe side.
If you’re craving a walk where you can let your mind wander, you need a protected place to stroll. Here are three good places in or near Kandy that you can roam without worrying about getting run over.
Kandy Lake
Kandy Lake, with Temple of the Tooth in the distance
This is not a quiet place, as a bazillion buses, cars and tuk tuks circle the lake. But stay on the sidewalk all the way around and you’ll be safe. The best thing about the lake, and why I visited it at least three times, is the wildlife. Because it’s close to the Temple of the Tooth, it’s considered a sacred lake and people aren’t supposed to fish in it. This means the lake is teeming with fish, which attract lots of birds like cormorants and herons. And I had the huge thrill of watching water monitors here. As a lifelong lizard lover, I’d always wanted to see monitors in the wild. And at Kandy Lake, I got my chance.
Water monitor!
Royal Botanical Garden at Peradeniya
Royal botanical garden
Take a short and very cheap bus ride 5.5 kilometers west of Kandy and you’ll come to the Royal Botanical Garden at Peradeniya. Giant bamboo, canariums, a fernery and an orchid house are some of the highlights. You might encounter a roving gang of monkeys, babies clamped to mamas’ bellies.
At one point, a man beckoned me over, saying, “They’re sleeping.” I didn’t know what he was talking about but when I finally figured out where he was pointing, I saw a dozen fox-faced fruit bats hanging from a tree. Be forewarned that a fee is expected for services like fruit bat spotting, even if the guidance was unsolicited.
Fruit bats hanging out
Udawattakele Forest Reserve in Kandy, Sri Lanka
This forest reserve has more than five kilometers of trails and provides a nice break from the diesel fumes on the roads. Morning is supposed to be the best time for birdwatching here. I went late in the day and heard a billion bugs chirping and buzzing, but not so many birds. The dense forest is full of creeping vines. There are a couple of hermit caves you can visit.
Crazy growths!
I found it difficult to keep up my usual fitness routine while traveling in Sri Lanka, mostly because it was so much hotter and more humid than I was used to. But at least I found some good places to stay active by walking.
