Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya (නුවර එළිය) lies at around 1,870 metres in the heart of Sri Lanka's central highlands and is the centre of one of the island's most famous tea growing regions. Founded as a cool retreat during British rule, it is often called Little England.

The town keeps colonial era buildings such as the red brick post office, the Grand Hotel and old bungalows, along with manicured gardens, a racecourse and a golf course. Gregory Lake offers boating and lakeside walks, Victoria Park is full of flowers, and the Hakgala Botanical Garden, linked by legend with the Ramayana, lies a short drive away near the Seetha Amman Temple. Show more

Rolling tea estates surround the town on every side. Factories such as Pedro and the tea centres along the road to Kandy explain how leaves are plucked, withered, rolled and dried, and visitors can taste fresh high grown tea. Waterfalls such as Lover's Leap, viewpoints such as Single Tree Hill and the vegetable farms and dairy of Ambewela shape the surrounding landscape. Nuwara Eliya is also a base for Horton Plains National Park.

The town is reached by road or by the hill country railway at Nanu Oya station nearby. Two or three days suit tea, gardens and walks. Nights are cool all year, and April is a popular holiday season for Sri Lankans, when the town is busy.