Nuwara Eliya

A town known for its British colonial past and layered, rolling tea plantations.

Known as Sri Lanka’s ‘Little England’ and filled with relics from its British colonial past, Nuwara Eliya can be a good place to break up your journey through the Hill Country. Have afternoon tea at The Grand Hotel, visit the quaint little post office to send a postcard home, and take a stroll through one of the pretty parks or gardens. There’s not as much to do here as Kandy or Ella, but it’s within an hour’s drive of Horton Plains National Park and a handful of beautiful hikes including the Pekoe Trail – Sri Lanka’s first long distance hiking trail.

This area is a popular spot, especially with domestic tourists, so it can be crowded at times. But there’s plenty of countryside to go around, and you don’t need to be a hiker to enjoy it. Walk through the forest and tea plantations, if you like, or simply sit back on your sun lounger with a cup of Ceylon tea and take in the views from there.