Introduction
Nuwaraeliya is located about 180 km from Colombo, at an altitude of about 2000 meters above sea level in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. The town was founded by Samuel Baker as a retreat for the European planters and is still very much an English town. You can see distinctly the English influence with many colonial-style bungalows and buildings within the district.
Nuwaraeliya is also an important centre of the tea production industry in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is the world’s fourth largest producer of tea and the industry is one of the country’s main sources of foreign exchange. If you like the world’s famous Ceylon tea, why not pay a visit to one of the local tea plantations.
The topography of Nuwaraeliya area is filled with dense tropical forests, grassy meadows, lakes, waterfalls and steep hills. The highest mountain peak in Sri Lanka “Pidurutalagala” is 2, 524 meters high and is situated near Nuwaraeliya. It is such a gift of nature; here you can find several varieties of fauna and flora.
Nuwaraeliya is a great place for anyone looking to escape the stressful fast pace of city life. Especially if looking for a scenic train ride in Sri Lanka, then this part of the hill country is the place to go! Not only does Nuwaraeliya offer many activities for tourists such as lakeside chalets, mountain trails, spa resorts, visits to tea plantations, golfing at 18-hole golf course, horse riding, boating, hiking but also exploring the beauty of the landscaped gardens, waterfalls and plateaus.
Climate
Nuwaraeliya has a spring like weather all year-round and is a perfect reprise from the humidity and heat of the coast. The average temperature is 15’C (60F). February and March has much cooler temperature where it could drop up to 8’C (46F).
Rainfall can happen at any time all year round and wet weather in Nuwaraeliya adds up to a total average rainfall of 2164.00mm (85.20in) per annum.
Places to visit
- The natural beauty of Nuwaraeliya with lush green tea plantations all around is the main attraction. A visit to a tea-factory can be interesting too. Also there are lots of tea-selling outlets attached to the various plantations. Nuwaraeliya town itself is a mixture of old British style houses and new constructions.
- Gregory Lake near the Nuwaraeliya town.
- Sita Eliya, 2 km’s from Nuwaraeliya town. This has a temple dedicated to Lord Rama and Sita. According to legend, this is the spot where Ravana had kept Sita imprisoned in the epic Ramayana
