Anuradha Silva
Nuwara Eliya is a much-loved destination for locals and foreign people alike. With its cool climes and colonial architecture, it is often referred to as "Little England". Here are more reasons why Nuwara Eliya is given its unique nickname.
The area surrounding Nuwara Eliya is covered with verdant tea gardens which make you think of beautiful illustrations of charming British villages, and as you may see in the countrysides of England. Sri Lanka is world-famous for its tea and the "Ceylon Tea" is the preferred brand of tea around the world. Initially, the British colonizers planted coffee as the primary crop grown in the hills. However, due to an infestation of a fungal disease, coffee cultivation was halted and tea replaced it as the primary crop. Lipton is one of the most famous tea brands in the world and the leaves are cultivated in Sri Lanka.
Solitude among green foliage and the crisp mountain air fills you with wonder, drawing you closer to that English country feeling. Nothing gives you that calm feeling like a peaceful walk through the serene tea plantations of Sri Lanka with their cool climate. The view of unending green hills is healing for the eyes and the soul, offering a much-needed rest from the hustle and bustle of daily life. A walk through the tea plantations will leave you feeling relaxed and at peace.
Nuwara Eliya has everything from an old brick post office, a country club, to many charming churches. It is easy to see why the British loved it and why it has an English appeal. The buildings all have that distinct touch of British colonisation which lends a very quaint air to the entire town. With red brick roofing and white wooden windowpanes, the romance exuded by the Nuwara Eliya town is unique and cannot be found anywhere else in Sri Lanka.
The town has many cottage-style dwellings with well-kept gardens, with rose, lily and geranium bushes blooming everywhere. During the colonial times, Nuwara Eliya gained its popularity as a wonderful holiday destination and to this date, the vintage Nuwara Eliya bungalows are a preferred type of accommodation in Sri Lanka.
Nuwara Eliya is undeniably the coldest city in the country. With heavenly cool weather, this was a favourite retreat of the British during colonial times, and the climate in this area is heavily reminiscent of Britain and England.
It is also a great point to catch the panoramic view of the curvy mountain roads, green valleys and many waterfalls. Nuwara Eliya is one of the highest places in the entire country. The roads leading up to many places are windy, mountainous and offer amazing views. Not for the faint of heart, many of these roads are bordered by high cliffs and rockfaces.
The exciting and timeless sport of horse racing with its glamour and prestige draws many visitors during April Season, giving the city an English appeal. Horse racing is not an active sport in Sri Lanka but the tradition is kept alive by the Turf Club, and people from around the country flock to Nuwara Eliya experience this dated and once-great practice. Although it was once considered a practice reserved for the high-class, the racing in Sri Lanka is open to everyone who wishes to catch this once-in-a-lifetime event.
