In our previous guide we wrote about what to see in the Kandy and the Central Area. In this article we’ll have a look at the Central Hill Country, Nuwara Eliya and the various things to see and do in that region. The complete list of Sri Lankan and regions is as follows:
North – The Cultural Triangle
Central – Kandy
Central – Hills & Tea Country
South – A Giant Nature Reserve
South West – Tourists & Beaches
Nuwara Eliya
The Central Highlands of Sri Lanka have a temperate climate which is almost English in nature and provides hot tourists with a rare breath of cool air if they make the worthwhile trip to this region. In the middle of this lofty plain is the town of Nuwara Eliya (which means ‘city on the plain’). It’s altitude is 1868 metres and Sri Lanka’s highest mountain at 2524 metres, Pidurutalagala, is not too far away.
Nuwara Eliya - Little England
This, you may have already guessed, is tea country and anyone who has visited, for example, the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia will know what to expect. Originally founded by the British sometime in the 19th century, it was an obvious region for the production of tea. The British influence is also still noticeable in the architecture, new and old, and for a long time it was known as ‘Little England’.
What To See
Hakgala Botanical Gardens
The Hakgala Botanical Gardens are well worth a visit; established by the British Nock family in 1860 it contains many species which are well over a century old including the English Oak, the Monetary Cypress and Japanese Cedars.
Hakgala Botanical Gardens
One of Hakgala Botanical Gardens’s claims is that it’s the highest such place in the world, between 1500m and 1800m. It’s similarity to the Himalayas means local legends have sprung up regarding the land’s origin.
Waterfalls & Trekking
Because of it’s altitude and landscape the city is surrounded by numerous spectacular
Ramboda Ella Falls
waterfalls. Some are within easy walking distance of Nuwara Eliya but others involve transport and perhaps an overnight camping trip if that’s your thing. The waterfalls are also a good reason to undertake some of the trekking opportunities in that area and more information is available about hiking locally.
Lovers Leap falls are notable for the legend surrounding the suicide of the King’s son and his fiancee but other falls such as Glen falls and Laksapana falls are just as spectacular.
The Tea Industry
So the countryside and the flora and fauna is fantastic but the main reason to come here for most tourists is to visit some aspects of the tea industry. Sri Lanka is the world’s fourth biggest tea producer and employs more than two hundred thousand people. More of the British influence can be spotted here – the first producer was James Taylor who began planting here in 1852. Earlier planting for non-commercial purposes was undertaken by British colonists in the preceding thirty years or so.
Tea plantations which are set up for visits are well worth a look and you can find more information about these locations in Nuwara Eliya. The town itself of course has an abundance of cheap, good quality teashops.