Explore the Best Places in Sri Lanka
The ancient kingdom of Kandy is home to the Temple of the Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha as well as Edwardian buildings, a king-made lake, a nature reserve and exciting shops.
As the second largest city of the island and the capital of the Central Province, Kandy has grown from being a medieval kingdom to a friendly, busy city set in forested hills and surrounded by tea plantations and close to the Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya. As well as the Temple of the Tooth, there are many Buddhist monasteries and Hindu places of worship to visit, and cultural dance performances to watch.
Kandy is a convenient base to stay for a few days while exploring the Cultural Triangle as there are comfortable hotels to suit every budget. The city is easily accessible from Colombo by rail, road and float plane
At an altitude of over 1,800m above sea level the picturesque landscape of Nuwara Eliya is known as “Little England” because of the resemblance of its homesteads to English bungalows, and it’s cool climate (there are even log fires in some hotels).
Nuwara Eliya is overlooked by Piduruthalagala, the highest mountain in Sri Lanka. In colonial days it was the retreat from the coastal heat for British residents and even today rituals like horse racing, boating on the lake, beautiful flower garden competitions and golf tournaments are held during the local holiday season months of April and August.
Most of Sri Lanka’s fresh flowers, fruits and vegetables are grown in the area and there are also dairy and strawberry farms. The Hakgala Botanical Gardens near the town is a prime attraction, as is a trek across Horton Plains.
Ella is a small hill country village now much developed with independent guesthouses, bordered by mountains, estates and waterfalls, with spectacular views and a history of dramatic legend. In the great Indian epic, Ramanaya, dating from more than 1,000 years before Christ, it is written that Sita Cave, 2km from Ella, was used by Ravana, king of Lanka, to conceal Sita, the beautiful wife of Rama. This attracts many visitors from India who are following the Ramanaya story. Equally appealing is the view through Ella Gap as well as Ravana Falls.
Ella is also a popular stop on the backpackers’ trail from west to east Sri Lanka and many small cafés and low budget guesthouses have opened up beside the main road through the village to cater for them. The quaint hamlet, at 204km from Colombo, is best reached by train.
