Often referred to as the ‘Little England’ of Sri Lanka, this bustling hill station is nestled in the heart of the central highlands in the shadow of the island's tallest mountain, Pidurutalagala.
Nuwara Eliya, which means ‘City of Light’, once served as a cool-climate escape for the British and Scottish pioneers of Sri Lanka’s tea industry. Today the town is a favourite holiday destination among local tourists who seek out the cooler temperatures, especially during the warmer months of April and May.
The aesthetic of this once charming hill station is changing as the town is developing rapidly. Despite these recent developments, there is still a living heritage in Nuwara Eliya worth exploring. Colonial - era bungalows, tea plantations, manicured gardens, and carefully tended vegetable plots make it an interesting stopover town.
There’s an abundance of places to visit for sightseeing in Nuwara Eliya. Nature lovers and bird watchers will find some of the best hikes in Nuwara Eliya in the nearby Galway Lands National Park, Moon Plains, and Hakgala Botanical Gardens ideal for spotting endemic and migrant birds, as well as smaller mammals like the barking deer.
