Joanna James
Sri Lanka is a nation of tea drinkers and one of the world's top producers of quality tea. Dating back to the 1800's the tea industry has thrived over the years. The Central Highlands is a lush haven of rolling tea plantations and the real gems are the hidden organic tea estates listed below.
Another gem located in the lush Uva Province, the green and black tea produced at this estate is lauded for its rich aroma, citrusy flavour and deep colour. A certified bio-dynamic cultivation this is a fair trade estate run by the locals in the area, well experienced in the production of quality organic tea.
This bio plantation is located in the Uva Province of Sri Lanka, known for its lush environs and highly conducive climate. The tea cultivated here offers one a unique and refreshing flavour influenced by the fertile mountain soil, cool climate and trade winds which come in from the Indian Ocean. Famous for its production of Organic Life Teas, Greenfields is one of the country's top producers of high quality teas.
Dimbulla is located on the Hatton Road and about an hour's drive from hotels in Nuwara Eliya, which is the island's highest point and a city known as 'Little England' created by British tea planters. While Nuwara Eliya and its surroundings have its fair share of lush green hills of tea bushes, there are many hotels like Heritance Tea Factory, created to offer one the real vibes of being smack in the middle of a tea plantation. While you are enjoying the salubrious climes of Nuwara Eliya do pay a visit to Harrington Tea Estate where traditional harvesting methods are still practised, together with organic cultivation methods
As you may have guessed by now, the Uva Province is the most popular region for the island's best teas. This estate has been producing tea since the middle of the 20th century and started selling quality tea to the Fair Trade Market in 1998. By 1992 the plantation took on a 100% organic and biodynamic tea producing policy to offer some of the most aromatic and flavoursome teas to the market. Tea is not the only crop there, since spices, nuts; coffee and indigenous plants thrive within the Koslanda Gardens. A very rewarding experience for not just the tea-drinker or nature lover, this is one estate you will love exploring, yes, even all you coffee drinkers out there!
That's right Uva is the overall winner, and since it is a very rewarding drive from your hotel in Nuwara Eliya, you can look forward to enjoying the best of both worlds, Sri Lanka style. The Finlay's Nahavila Estate part of the Hali Ela Group specialises in the production of some pretty good organic tea. The Nahavila Orthodox Organic Black Tea, together with Nahavila Organic Green Tea are undisputed winners, while crops conforming to Japanese Agricultural Standards, United States Department of Agriculture and the European Economic Community certification are of the highest quality. Interested? Do ask your Nuwara Eliya Hotel for details of tours and enjoy this unique aspect of beautiful Sri Lanka, and who knows, even if you are not already, you just may turn out to be a tea drinker after all!
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