The Hill Country
Five kilometres north of Badulla are the 63m-high Dunhinda Falls. The best time to see them is June and July, but they’re worth a visit at any time. From the entrance gate the falls are about 1.5km along a clearly defined, but muddy, path. There are usually vendors selling snacks along the trail.
A three-wheeler from Badulla costs Rs 300 one-way. Buses leave every 30 minutes from Badulla (Rs 20).
24.7 MILES
The Horton Plains plateau comes to a sudden end at World’s End, a stunning escarpment that plunges 880m. The walk here is 4km, but the trail then loops…
23.01 MILES
The beautiful, 1000-year-old, rock-cut Buddha figures of Buduruwagala are the region's biggest attraction. The gigantic standing Buddha (at 15m, it is the…
19.29 MILES
This beautiful Benedictine monastery once belonged to tea planter Sir Thomas Lester Villiers. To recreate his English lifestyle, he developed some English…
23.16 MILES
Horton Plains is a beautiful, stark world with excellent hikes in the shadows of Sri Lanka’s second- and third-highest mountains, Kirigalpotta (2395m) and…
16.74 MILES
This popular tea factory was built in 1890 by Sir Thomas Lipton, one of the most famous figures in tea history. The tour through the works is an education…
9.14 MILES
The Uva Halpewaththa Tea Factory, 5km north of Ella, runs some of the better tea plantation tours in Sri Lanka. After you've enriched yourself with…
20.68 MILES
Only the bottom third remains of this ruined dagoba, but the setting is evocative and your imagination can run riot with thoughts of how amazing it must…
18.61 MILES
To see where your morning cuppa originates, head to the Pedro Tea Estate, about 3.5km east of Nuwara Eliya on the way to Kandapola. You can take a 20…
2.06 MILES
If you’re a history buff, take a look through St Mark’s Church and peruse the old headstones. Inside is a plaque commemorating the elephant hunter Major…
2.26 MILES
The main objects of veneration here are statues of the gods Kataragama, Saman and Vishnu. Uniquely, the devale was constructed in Kandyan style rather…
2.44 MILES
A large Buddhist complex that includes a whitewashed dagoba in spacious grounds in the southeast of town. During festivals the resident elephant may be…
4. Uva Halpewaththa Tea Factory
9.14 MILES
The Uva Halpewaththa Tea Factory, 5km north of Ella, runs some of the better tea plantation tours in Sri Lanka. After you've enriched yourself with…
10.18 MILES
The tours at this green-tea factory are pretty rushed and the guide may or may not be informative – some are more intent on flogging leaves. Newburgh is…
10.69 MILES
This cave is associated with the Ramayana story. Located in a cleft in the mountain that rises to Ella Rock, the cave is reputed to be where the king of…