Joanna James
Nestled in the central hills of Sri Lanka Nuwara Eliya is also known as Little England due to cooler weather and the picture-perfect beauty of the lush greenery, vibrant flora and vistas of tea plantations.
Complementing this backdrop is the bounty of shimmering waterfalls to delight you.
Named after the British coffee planter by the same name, Devon falls has a triple cascade from a height of 97 metres providing a clear view to passers-by on the Colombo, Hatton to Nuwara Eliya main road. The viewpoint at Dimbula about 10 minutes from it gives the best view of the picturesque waterfall and can be easily reached from your Nuwara Eliya family bungalow.
A shimmering curtain of water down a ragged rockface framed by emerald green forests makes this waterfall an awesome sight. Visitors from hotels such as Stafford Bungalow linger to not only witness the middle section of the falls easily from the Nuwara Eliya to Kandy Road, they sometimes do a hike to the top of the falls to experience the breathtaking panoramic views.
An enchanting waterfall dropping from a height of 98 metres is named Aberdeen after the tea plantation in proximity to the falls. Surging from a tributary of the widest river on the island Kelani Ganga, it cascades into an inviting rock pool at the bottom, however as the area is not monitored it is wise to be cautious or have a local guide with you.
Bordering the town of Nuwara Eliya, this waterfall is just opposite a vast tea estate, namely Pedro Estate. Do the short drive to the fall and hike it uphill as it is a beautiful walk, not strenuous passing through well-maintained tea bushes. Although the folklore is a tragic one of two lovers ending their lives here, the trail, the beautiful waterfall and the view from the top will be a great memory.
Just a 10-minute drive away from Nuwara Eliya town, this wide scenic waterfall is a favourite site for those who admire waterfalls as well as those wishing to picnic close to the falls. Cascading from a height of 10 metres it is now a seasonal waterfall adding beauty and drawing visitors to admire the shimmering curtains of water.
About an hour's drive from Nuwara Eliya Baker's Falls is located at Horton's Plains National Park. Dropping from a height of 20 metres, this magnificent waterfall had been named after the British explorer Sir Samuel Baker, it is worth the hike one has to do preferably with a guide to view its charm and graceful beauty against a backdrop of lush forests, ferns and shrub.
Famed as the Little Niagara of Sri Lanka, this cascading beauty draws much admiration from those taking the main road through Hatton to Nuwara Eliya. Make sure you take time to have a fill of it from the observation deck on the main road. A sight not to be missed.
Cascading down against a wildly scenic backdrop this waterfall is usually coupled with a mini sightseeing hike which is an awesome experience. The power of the gushing water will make you feel in awe just as much as the scenery will delight you.
In the top ten waterfalls in Sri Lanka, beautiful Kirindi Ella drops from a height of 116 metres and fills a deep pool at the bottom named Diyagathwala. The observation platform is usually not crowded giving you a full view of the graceful beauty.
Famed as one of the widest waterfalls in Sri Lanka, Ravana Falls drops from a height of 82 metres from the misty mountains and is at its best view during the rainy season. There are many intriguing legends associated with this beautiful waterfall as you would discover on the visit to the falls.
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