The
h
i
ll Coun
T
r
y
The
h
i
ll Coun
T
r
y
Sl
EEP
iN
g
& E
A
T
iN
g
The
h
i
ll Coun
T
r
y
K
AN
DY
(^) TO
Nuwara Eliya
catch the bus to Hatton and get off at Kitulgala
(Rs 180). When you’re over Kitulgala, flag a bus
on to Hatton from the main road (Rs 70).K andy to Nuwara Eliya
The road from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya climbs
nearly 1400m as it winds through jade-green
tea plantations and past crystalline reser-
voirs. The 80km of asphalt allow for plenty
of stops at waterfalls and tea outlets.
Kothmale Reservoir (also known as Puna
Oya Reservoir) can be seen further up the
road. It’s part of the Mahaweli Development
Project and blamed by some locals for cli-
matic quirks in recent years. Ramboda Falls
(108m), about 1.5km from the road, is a spec-
tacular double waterfall.
On the A5, 5km before Nuwara Eliya, the
Labookellie Tea Factory (h8am-6.30pm) is a
convenient factory to visit as it’s right on the
roadside. Its tours are brief in the extreme and
while it’s worth stopping if you’re passing by
it’s not worth the effort of a special visit. It is,
though, a good place to buy well-priced quali-
ty teas and enjoy a cuppa with a slice of choc-
olate cake. Nearby the Glenloch (%052-225
9646; http://www.glentea.com) and Blue Field (www.
bluefieldteagardens.com) tea estates offer a fairly
similar deal, but with slightly fewer visitors.
Approaching Nuwara Eliya, roadside stalls
overflow with all sorts of vegies – a legacy ofSamuel Baker, who arrived in 1846 and made
Nuwara Eliya his summer retreat. The veg-
gie-loving Baker introduced many different
varieties, including quite a few you vowed
not to eat once you reached adulthood. On
the steep roadside approach to Nuwara Eliya
watch out for children selling flowers. If
you’re travelling with a loved one, you know
what to do.4 leeping & EatingS
oLavender House BUN gAlOW $$$
(%052-225 9928; http://www.thelavenderhouseceylon.
com; Hellboda Estate, Katukitula; s/d incl half-
board from US$360/420; Ws) With grand old
four-poster beds and portraits of Churchill
hanging above the open log fire there’s no
doubt that this old planter’s bungalow has
got the colonial thing down to a tee, but it
mixes this with fresh modern art, puffed-up
pillows and an infinity pool with a view you
won’t forget.
It’s not far from the Kothmale Reservoir.
Advance bookings are essential.Nuwara Eliya
%052 / POPULATION 25,966 / ELEVATION 1889M
Nuwara Eliya is often referred to by the Sri
Lankan tourist industry as ‘Little England’.
While most British visitors struggle to recog-
nise modern England in Nuwara Eliya, theA TEA PLANTER’S LIFE
After ascending Adam’s Peak most people take their strained leg muscles straight off for a
well-deserved rest, and what better place to do so than in one of the delightful tea-estate
bungalows that can be founded dotted about the beautiful countryside near Adam’s Peak.
Castlereigh Family Cottages (%051-222 3607; http://www.castlereighcottages.com; Norton
Bridge Rd, Dikoya; half-board small cottage US$100 per person, big cottage US$45 per person)
Two nicely decorated, and secluded, cottages in a lovely spot under eucalyptus trees on
the edge of the Castlereigh Reservoir. The smaller cottage sleeps four and the bigger one
will handle between six and twelve people (minimum six people). Resident staff prepare
meals and are always on hand with a drink at just the right moment.
oTea Trails (%Colombo 011-774 5700; http://www.teatrails.com; Dikoya; s/d full board from
US$437/600; aWs) comprises a collection of four colonial-style bungalows built for
British tea-estate managers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Completely refur-
bished, and the very definition of the words ‘colonial luxury’, the bungalows each have four
to six large bedrooms, spacious dining and living areas, and verandahs and gardens with
views over rolling tea estates. Rates include Western and Sri Lankan meals prepared by
a resident chef, along with complimentary wines and single-estate teas. Also on staff are
an experienced guide who leads interesting hikes, and a resident tea expert. If tea’s not
your tipple, have a single malt whisky or end-of-day gin and tonic around your bungalow’s
roaring fire. The Tea Trails bungalows are one of Sri Lanka’s finest places to savour the
luxury and leisure of the British colonial experience.