Nuwara Eliya
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 prayed daily for Rama to come and rescue her. On the rock face across the stream are circular depressions said to be the footprints of Rawana’s elephant.
Tamil wedding parties make it a point to stop here for puja (8am, 1pm, 2pm and 6pm). It's located near the 83km post on the A5 Hwy.
10.58 MILES
The Horton Plains plateau comes to a sudden end at World’s End, a stunning escarpment that plunges 880m. The walk here is 4km, but the trail then loops…
25.13 MILES
The beautiful, 1000-year-old, rock-cut Buddha figures of Buduruwagala are the region's biggest attraction. The gigantic standing Buddha (at 15m, it is the…
27.58 MILES
These stunning gardens were once reserved exclusively for Kandyan royalty. Today, even commoners are allowed in to enjoy the most impressive and largest …
14.26 MILES
This beautiful Benedictine monastery once belonged to tea planter Sir Thomas Lester Villiers. To recreate his English lifestyle, he developed some English…
Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
27.37 MILES
The golden-roofed Temple of the Sacred Tooth houses Sri Lanka’s most important Buddhist relic – a tooth of the Buddha. During puja…
8.92 MILES
Horton Plains is a beautiful, stark world with excellent hikes in the shadows of Sri Lanka’s second- and third-highest mountains, Kirigalpotta (2395m) and…
26.73 MILES
This impressive 14th-century temple, mounted on a rocky bluff, is the most imposing in the region. It's divided into two halves – one half Buddhist and…
16.79 MILES
This popular tea factory was built in 1890 by Sir Thomas Lipton, one of the most famous figures in tea history. The tour through the works is an education…
1.31 MILES
These attractive gardens, 10km southeast of Nuwara Eliya, are a peaceful retreat. Highlights include a fine rose garden, a Japanese garden, an orchid…
2.49 MILES
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…
2.73 MILES
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…
4. Galway's Land National Park
3.19 MILES
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…
3.46 MILES
From the Pedro Tea Estate, take a very enjoyable 5km (round-trip) walk to Lovers Leap, an impressive waterfall.
3.69 MILES
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…
3.77 MILES
Located just south of Victoria Park, this temple has a small white stupa.
8. Mackwoods Labookellie Tea Factory
8.26 MILES
On the A5, 11km northwest of Nuwara Eliya, the Labookellie Tea Factory is a convenient factory to visit as it’s right on the roadside. Its tours are very…