Central Highlands
Nuwara Eliya
Cool mountain air, tea estates, and a strange colonial hangover.
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At close to 2,000 metres, Nuwara Eliya is noticeably cold in the evenings — locals call it 'Little England' for the old bungalows, the golf course, and the tea rolling out over every hillside as far as you can see.
Most visitors combine a working tea factory tour (you'll walk the same floors the pluckers do) with a slow drive through the estates themselves, where the roads run right along the edge of the tea rows.
Worth knowing
- Working tea factories open for tours
- Cool climate — a genuine break from the lowland heat
- Gregory Lake and colonial-era architecture
Best time to visitYear-round, though April is busiest (and priciest) for the Sri Lankan New Year holidays.
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