Joanna James
Nuwara Eliya is located at Sri Lanka's highest altitude; the town was developed by the British colonists who found the place to be quite similar to home; in fact, Nuwara Eliya is nicknamed 'Little England'. Here's a list of top things to do in Nuwara Eliya.
Dinner at the Hill Club is a very traditional affair, with a host of English dishes such as roast beef and puddings on offer. Your best chance to dress up and enjoy a sumptuous meal, the pretty surroundings and chilly ambience is highly conducive to transporting you to a cosy little English village. If you love cosy surroundings look for hotels in Nuwara Eliya located amidst the rolling hills of the area. Many like Heritance Tea Factory offer the ultimate experience being located within a refurbished tea factory and surrounded by the iconic tea plantations of Nuwara Eliya.
Head over to the Pedro Tea Estate in Kandapola, just 35kms from the Nuwara Eliya town centre and be a part of the tea producing process. You can walk around the warm, sweet smelling factory, first built in 1885 and observe the entire process of turning the freshly plucked tea leaves into the packets of aromatic tea you love. When done with the tour, which takes around 20 minutes, head over to the café and enjoys a freshly brewed cup of Ceylon tea.
The Hakgala Gardens are home to a huge variety of foliage and even an English oak. The lush surroundings are ideal for spending your leisure time relaxing and taking in the colouful sights. Mind you, the gardens do get crowded during the April season, but are expansive enough to accommodate large crowds. Still, nothing can dampen the crisp, clear and chilly environs within the gardens.
About a 5km hike from the Pedro Tea Estate you will come across the famous Lovers Leap waterfall, thus named after a local prince and his lover. Legend says the prince fell in love with a village damsel, angering the king who forbade the affair; helpless the couple then leaped to their deaths in a desperate attempt to be together. Ask villagers for directions in getting to the mini waterfall which despite its sad tale is still a lovely place to visit.
Located on the southeast side of Nuwara Eliya, the iconic Seetha Amman Temple is 5kms from the main town centre. The site is steeped in legend and is believed to be the place the Indian Princess Seetha was held captive by King Ravana. The colourful Hindu temple's front façade is enhanced with large statues and sits at the side of a road tapering down to a culvert.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a pas...
