By Paul Topping

Kandy is my least favourite city in Sri Lanka. Every visit confirms it: traffic, pollution, and a general sense that the place is a bit grubby. Yet here I am again, back in a van leading a group straight into it." 

There are three targets for the day out: the Royal Forest Park behind the main temple, Helga's Folly, a non-hotel, and the Royal Bar and Grill, where I always have lunch and order the hummus and pita bread. I have previously written about them all except the Royal Forest Park, Kandy. It is my second visit in three months, and I'm enthused to write about it.

First created in 1371 as property of the Kandyan Kings, it was used by the royals as a retreat or hideaway, sometimes providing free passage when fleeing foreign invasion. The park's biodiversity and intermediate climatic zone make it special.

At the entrance, the grumpy man in the ticket hut speaks little English. He can, however, smell the blood of an Englishman, which means I have to pay more to get in. A troop of small monkeys walk with us and plays as though they are a welcoming committee. They live around a historic large pond that was used by the royals. At one point, the Royals bathed in it.

Then came the fish and turtles, then the reptiles. There are a number of sites marked on the map given to us at the park entrance. The German Temple sounds exciting, but it's a let-down because we can't even get into the grounds. Eight monks live there, all Sri Lankan. One chats with us at the gate. Close by, there is a signpost to a cave. We walk down a treacherous slope to reach an underwhelming small cave. Not one bat.

The good news is that there are said to be over 80 bird species in the park. You certainly hear them, but in this dense woodland, you don't see many. The tall trees are amazing, but what really stands out are the prolific creeper trees. There is a two-hundred-year-old Ancient Liana climbing vine. The woodland has a magical, unkept feel, with old fallen trees decaying slowly. These ageing trees of yesteryear are like nature's statues.

In 1834, the British Governor Horton upgraded the site and created a road around the hillside dedicated to his wife. There is a stretch of the walk called "Lovers Leap". We pass a dozen couples cuddling on park benches around the trail, with Jezzabel jokingly asking them, "When are you getting married?"

It's our go-to place to escape the hectic Kandy streets. Poor, misleading signage and the one-page map do not assist our visit. There is a seating area in front of a water feature that looks like a great picnic spot. It is generally easy walking with only a slight gradient.

I'm sure we will be back with more visitors to this little paradise walk in the heart of Kandy