If you’re looking for an activity-packed trip to Sri Lanka’s Hill Country, many flock to Ella or nearby Bandarawela for convenience, easy access, and its dramatic, mountainous landscape. Here, you’re just a tuk-tuk away from hill hikes, tea plantations and panoramic pool bars. Crowded with shops, restaurants and cafés, both Ella and Bandarawela’s main strips are undeniably tourist-centric and can feel cramped and congested. However, far-reaching green vistas and spots that feel a little more local are never far away. Travelers hoping for a bit of a quiet base themselves in the cooler, quieter surrounding slopes.

If you like days filled with adventure, you can climb Little Adam’s Peak or Lipton’s Seat, hike a section of The Pekoe Trail, bathe in one of the nearby waterfalls, or even zipline across Ella’s deep valleys. Horton Plains National Park isn’t far, especially if you’re staying in Bandarawela. If you’re in it for the local culture, there are cooking classes, tea tours and a visit to the Nine Arches Bridge. You can hop on the train running between Ella and Kandy for beautiful countryside views, then spend the afternoon being pampered at a spa. Whatever you’re craving, this area serves it up with dramatic scenery that’s easy to access.