Travel To
Sri Lanka
Discover Nuwara Eliya
We believe that we are most qualified to tell you all about Travel to Sri Lanka!
Why? – because Sri Lanka is our home!!!
Travel to Sri Lanka can be divided into 4 distinct areas or segments. They are; the vibrant City of Colombo, the Beaches, the Hill Country and the Cultural Triangle.
In this blog post we tell you all about Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka’s Hill Capital.
About Sri Lanka And Nuwara Eliya - Making A Case For Travel To Sri Lanka
Nuwara Eliya, meaning “city on the plain” or “city of light”, is a town in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. This town is situated at an elevation of approximately 1,900 meters or 6,100 feet. It is one of the major tea producing areas in the world. The tallest mountain in Sri Lanka “Pidurutalagala” oversees this beautiful city. Its unmatched beauty demands that if you Travel To Sri Lanka, Nuwara Eliya is almost a must visit location.
Nuwara Eliya is said to have been founded by a couple of British officers who apparently got lost while elephant hunting. The then British governor Sir Edward Barnes was notified about the town and he himself decided to reside at Nuwara Eliya. Subsequently, he made Nuwara Eliya a health resort that was internationally renowned.
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More About Nuwara Eliya
The town was later the ultimate destination for English pastimes such as golf, fox hunting, polo, etc. Nuwara Eliya also has an archeological importance as well. This is as a result of prehistoric human remains being found there. The city even now is a good reflection of the colonial period. Curiously, even new hotels are furnished to reflect its colonial past.
Interestingly, even today, this city in the Hill Country is rather colonial in its appearance. The temperate climate endeared itself to the Englishmen who colonized the island over a century ago. This ideal climate is what beckons all those who Travel to Sri Lanka to visit Nuwara Eliya. It is often referred to as ‘Little England.’
Facts that Make Travel to Sri Lanka Very Appealing
- Sri Lanka is nicknamed Pearl of the Indian Ocean and teardrop of India.
- It is packed with a large variety of animals.
- Tea is a big business in Sri Lanka – Ceylon Tea Is famous the world over.
- Sri Lanka is home of cinnamon.
- You’ll think of England in visiting the town of Nuwara Eliya.
- Adam’s Peak is the most sacred mountain in the country. The footprint of Lord Buddha is believed to have been left at its summit.
- Sri Lanka gave “serendipity” to the English language. Serendip was the old name of Sri Lanka.
- The Sri Lankan national flag is one of the oldest in the world.
Facts About Sri Lanka Continue
- One of Lord Buddha’s Teeth is housed in a temple in Kandy.
- It is the first country in the world to have a female prime minister.
- The country has the highest literacy rate in South Asia.
- In Sri Lanka, locals shake their head to agree.
- Not every hotel is for an overnight stay. Restaurants, cafes and bars are commonly referred to as hotels.
- Volleyball is the national sport of Sri Lanka
- It is home to the world’s oldest human-planted tree. It is a sacred bo-tree aged 2,300 years old and called Sri Maha Bodhiya.
Why We Travel To Nuwara Eliya Sri Lanka Often
My wife and I travel to Nuwara Eliya at least twice a year. There are many reasons for us to Travel to Nuwara Eliya.
Firstly, to escape from the heat in Colombo!! The weather in Nuwara Eliya is very mild. The average temperature there is 16.3C. However, there is significant rainfall in the hilly areas of Sri Lanka. By contrast, the average temperature in Colombo, our hometown and the capital of the country, is 27C.
Secondly, to enjoy the unbelievably beautiful countryside of this awesome country we live in. Thirdly, to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life and have a relaxing and peaceful time. Last but not least, to make use of the facilities of an exclusive club called the Hill Club that we are members of.
Having said all of the above, the truth is we travel quite extensively within the country. There are so many places to enjoy by traveling around Sri Lanka!!
Our Typical Itinerary When We Travel to Nuwara Eliya Sri Lanka
As I stated before, we travel to Nuwara Eliya, predominantly to relax. Hence our visits are quite different from when we visit other countries, where we pack a great deal of activities into each visit.
However, over the years we have seen all there is to see in Nuwara Eliya and its surrounding areas. In this blog post we will tell you about all of the places worth visiting.
One could either go by train or motor vehicle to Nuwara Eliya. Both options are very attractive, given the marvellous countryside on the way. In our opinion, going on the road is more attractive, as you could stop as many times as you need to take photos of the beautiful scenery.
The distance to Nuwara Eliya from Colombo is about 180kms. It usually takes us about 5 hours by car. The going is rather slow partly due to heavy traffic and partly due to the winding roads. If you go by train, you have to get off at the last station at Nanu Oya. It is only a very short distance from there to Nuwara Eliya by car.
We take advantage of our membership at the Hill Club and stay there all the time. Whilst the Hill Club is an exclusive club, it also doubles up as a regular hotel and admits anyone. The colonial trappings of this wonderful place is what makes it so special.
For starters, the furniture and decor at the Hill Club is straight out of the olden days. They have a formal dining room that requires you to be dressed up for dinner. They serve some excellent food, and the service is out of this world. For that matter, the service throughout the club is outstanding.
A really nice touch is that the housekeeping staff leave hot water bottles on beds that make the bed really warm and comfy!! By the way, all rooms are fitted with heaters as well!!
There are many other options for accomodations for the visitor. From luxurious hotels to hostels for backpackers. Check out your options at Booking.com, Tripadvsor and Expedia!!
One could easily spend a couple of days exploring the beautiful town of Nuwara Eliya. The attraction is that all the places of interest are within walking distance of one another.
Lake Gregory
The Golf Club
The Racecourse
The Victoria Park
The Bale Bazaar
The Historic Buildings
More On Travel To Sri Lanka - Excursions Out Of Nuwara Eliya
There are so many beautiful places to visit close to Nuwara Eliya. Just getting to and from these locations can be a real treat. The countryside in the hill country of Sri Lanka is so awesome to behold!! Driving around and checking out the sights throughout the country alone can be enough to warrant anyone to embark on a Travel to Sri Lanka adventure.
Hakgala Botanical Garden is one of the five botanical gardens in Sri Lanka. It is the second largest garden in Sri Lanka.
A trip to Nuwara Eliya in anyone’s Travel to Sri Lanka itinerary would best be crowned with a visit to the Hakgala Botanical Gardens. A hilly road that winds from Nuwara Eliya to Bandarawela, takes one to Hakgala. Two old green gates invite you to one of the most paradisiacal gardens Sri Lanka can offer. The gardens, thought to be the highest in the world, actually climb up a slope. It rests under the mighty blue shadow of the Hakgala rock peak.
The British landscaped gardens and made it a place of great beauty. Here, trees could be seen in their real green splendour of many moods. About 10,000 species of flowers flourish in the cool climate of Hakgala which is one of the most pleasant areas found in the island.
Bandarawela is a small town within an hours drive from Nuwara Eliya. It is located at an altitude of about 1200 meters above sea level. The town has a population of just 8 thousand people. It is the second largest town in the province of Badulla.
Although there isn’t too much of tourist infrastructure in the town, it is well worth visiting. As in most other cities in the mountain region of Sri Lanka, in Bandarawela tourists can enjoy wonderful views of the surrounding mountain scenery and tea plantations.
We recommend taking in a visit to this town after visiting the Hakgala Gardens, as it is on the way. We also highly recommend you visit the famous Bandarawela Hotel for some refreshments, drinks and/or a meal before heading back to Nuwara Eliya. The Bandarawela Hotel is a colonial bungalow, converted into a beautiful small hotel which is personalised to meet all your needs.
As you may be well aware, Ceylon Tea is world famous.
To see where your morning cup of tea originates, visit the Pedro Tea Estate. Situated about 3.5 kms east of Nuwara Eliya it is accessible by vehicle. At Pedro Estate factory you will be shown the full process of how tea is manufactured and then graded and packed for export to all corners of the world. The Pedro tea estate is located on a landscape with the often blue sky as the background with green pastures of tea and waterfalls cascading, which is a sight not to be missed.
Please check on visiting hours before you visit the Pedro Tea Estate.
A trip to Nuwara Eliya will give you an opportunity to explore stunning locations of Sri Lanka’s hill country. Sri Lanka is an ideal place for going on countless hikes. The hike to World’s End is one of them.
If you are looking forward to a trek which offers magnificent views along the way and finally take you to one of the most stunning destinations in Sri Lanka, then Horton’s Plains must definitely have a place in your travel itinerary.
Everything there is so peaceful and beautiful, your camera will not have a moment of rest. Walk through mist-covered grasslands, green forests and countless streams. The only sound to be heard is that of the wind or bird’s singing, and the environment will make you feel you never want to go out of this peaceful world.
The major attraction at Horton Plains is called “World’s End” This is where the trail will come to a sudden end. From where one can see the world stretch out below you to all eternity!!!
If you visit the place later than 10 AM all you may see is a white wall. The early morning (between 6am and 10am) is the best time to visit, before the clouds roll in. That’s when you’ll see towns as if they are toy towns, tea plantations, villages in the valley below, and a magical view towards the coast.
Food in Sri Lanka - Another Great Reason to Travel To Sri Lanka
Food in Sri Lanka is a subject by itself. To give it justice, we need a separate blog post to cover it. In this post we tell you all about the staple meal of all Sri Lankans – the good old rice and curry.
All About Rice And Curry
Sri Lanka’s national dish is unmistakably rice and curry. Rice and curry doesn’t simply include one type of curry, but several kinds. This meal is a great big platter made up of rice and at least three different curries around it. Rice and curry dishes are customarily eaten by hand, an art easy to master after a couple of tries.
Curry can be made of any meat, seafood and vegetable. My favorite is dhal curry. Curries made out of potato, beetroot, carrots, cabbage and beans are household favorites.
The other dishes that go with rice are referred to as mallums and sambols. A mallum usually consists of any type of green cooked with coconut. A sambol is kind of a ‘salad’, in that it is usually eaten raw. The coconut or pol sambol is the runaway favorite sambol of many.
There are many variations of the rice and curry dish such as biriyani, nasi goreng and fried rice. These dishes originated in other Asian countries and have become popular in Sri Lanka.
Best Time To Travel To Sri Lanka
In a nutshell, the best time to Travel to Sri Lanka’s west and south coasts and hill country is from December to March. Meanwhile the best weather on the east coast is from April/May to September. This is mainly due to the direction of the winds during these months.
However, in recent times, the weather patterns have become unpredictable, as is the case the world over!!! Hence, anytime is good to visit this paradise of an island!!!
Last Word On Travel To Sri Lanka
Words cannot describe how amazing Sri Lanka is. To many it is the most beautiful Island on Earth!!!
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