Sights in Nuwara Eliya
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Hakgala Gardens
The Hakgala Gardens, 10km southeast of Nuwara Eliya (and about 200m lower), was originally a plantation of cinchona, the plant from which the antimalarial drug quinine is extracted. Later, the gardens were used for experiments in acclimatising temperate-zone plants to life in the tropics. The gardens were run by the same family for three generations until the 1940s. Today Hakgala sprawls across 27 hectares and is famed for its roses, ferns and medicinal plants.
Legend has it that Hanuman, the monkey god, was sent by Rama to the Himalayas to find a particular medicinal herb. He forgot which herb he was looking for and decided to bring a chunk of the Himalayas back in his j…
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Seetha Amman Temple
On the way to the Hakgala Gardens, near the 83km post, stop at the colourful Hindu Seetha Amman Temple at Sita Eliya. It’s said to mark the spot where Sita was held captive by the demon king Rawana, and where she prayed daily for Rama to come and rescue her. On the rock face across the stream are circular depressions said to be the footprints of Rawana’s elephant. Tamil wedding parties make it a point to stop here for pujas.
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Victoria Park
The lovely Victoria Park at the centre of town comes alive with flowers around March to May, and August and September. It’s also home to quite a number of Hill Country bird species, including the Kashmir flycatcher, Indian pitta and grey tit.
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