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…
Nuwara Eliya
Often referred to as ‘Little England’, this genteel highland community does have a rose-tinted, vaguely British-country-village feel to it, with its colonial-era bungalows, Tudor-style hotels, well-tended hedgerows and pretty gardens. Indeed, Nuwara Eliya was once was the favored cool-climate escape for the hard-working and hard-drinking English and Scottish pioneers of Sri Lanka’s tea industry.
A recent construction boom has blighted the scene to a degree, and the dusty and bustling centre is a thoroughly Sri Lankan urban tangle, but Nuwara Eliya still makes a fine base for a few days' relaxation. The verdant surrounding countryside of tea plantations, carefully tended vegetable plots and craggy hills is highly scenic. Treat yourself to a night in one of Nuwara Eliya’s colonial hotels, play a round of golf or a few frames of billiards, and soak up the town’s unique bygone heritage.
Explore Nuwara Eliya
- Pedro Tea Estate
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…
- HHakgala Gardens
These attractive gardens, 10km southeast of Nuwara Eliya, are a peaceful retreat. Highlights include a fine rose garden, a Japanese garden, an orchid…
- LLovers Leap
From the Pedro Tea Estate, take a very enjoyable 5km (round-trip) walk to Lovers Leap, an impressive waterfall.
- SSeetha Amman Temple
This colourful Hindu temple, 7km southeast of Nuwara Eliya, is said to mark the spot where Sita was held captive by the demon king Rawana, and where she…
- GGalway's Land National Park
One of Sri Lanka's newest (2006) and smallest (29 sq hectares) national parks, Galway's Land is a dense patch of montane forest a couple of kilometres…
- VVictoria Park
This is one of the country's most attractive, and best-maintained, town parks. A stroll around its paths, past manicured lawns, is a pleasure. The park…
- LLake Gregory
This lake is popular with domestic tourists who enjoy strolling the footpaths, taking out a swan-shaped pedal boat (30 minutes Rs 500) or trotting around…
- BBuddhist Temple
Located just south of Victoria Park, this temple has a small white stupa.
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Nuwara Eliya.
See
Pedro Tea Estate
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…
See
Hakgala Gardens
These attractive gardens, 10km southeast of Nuwara Eliya, are a peaceful retreat. Highlights include a fine rose garden, a Japanese garden, an orchid…
See
Lovers Leap
From the Pedro Tea Estate, take a very enjoyable 5km (round-trip) walk to Lovers Leap, an impressive waterfall.
See
Seetha Amman Temple
This colourful Hindu temple, 7km southeast of Nuwara Eliya, is said to mark the spot where Sita was held captive by the demon king Rawana, and where she…
See
Galway's Land National Park
One of Sri Lanka's newest (2006) and smallest (29 sq hectares) national parks, Galway's Land is a dense patch of montane forest a couple of kilometres…
See
Victoria Park
This is one of the country's most attractive, and best-maintained, town parks. A stroll around its paths, past manicured lawns, is a pleasure. The park…
See
Lake Gregory
This lake is popular with domestic tourists who enjoy strolling the footpaths, taking out a swan-shaped pedal boat (30 minutes Rs 500) or trotting around…
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