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Koslanda
Du nhinda Falls. The best time to see them
is June and July, but they’re worth a visit at
any time. From the entrance gate the falls are
about 1.5km along a clearly defined, but mud-
dy, path.
There are many snack places along the trail.
A three-wheeler from Badulla costs Rs 300
on e-way. Buses leave every 30 minutes from
Badulla (Rs 30).
4 leeping & EatingS
V ery few tourists stay overnight in Badulla
and in recent years the town’s cheaper guest-
houses have developed a reputation for being
hire-by-the-hour kinds of places. Pricier plac-
es tend to be used as wedding-reception ven-
ue s and can be noisy. A few cheaper places
hover around the train station if you’re really
counting your rupees. There are many local
ea teries along Lower St, near the intersec-
tion with Bazaar St.
Hotel Onix HOTEl $$
(%222 2426; 69 Bandaranayake mawatha; d with/
wi thout air-con, incl breakfast Rs 4500/3500;
aWs) This popular wedding-venue place
ha s spacious rooms that are about the best
Ba dulla has to offer – which frankly isn’t
much!
8 Getting There & Away
BUS
Colombo Rs 320 to 465 depending on bus type
Ella Rs 53
Kandy Rs 170 to 240 depending on bus type
Monaragala Rs 113
Nuwara Eliya Rs 120
TRAIN
Observation class is Rs 1000 to anywhere be-
tween Badulla and Nanu Oya and Rs 1250 for
anywhere beyond Nanu Oya. Reserved 2nd-class
tickets are Rs 600. Trains head to Colombo
(2nd/3rd class, Rs 370/205) and Kandy (2nd/3rd
class, Rs 270/145).
Koslanda
% 057
K oslanda is a blink-and-it’s-gone village. It’s
on the road between Bandarawela and Wel-
la waya and is situated at the point where
you’ve dropped far enough out of the hills to
see the vegetation turn outrageously tropical.
1 Sights
Diyaluma Falls WATERFAll
Fi ve kilometres east of Koslanda the road
passes the 171m-high Diyaluma Falls, Sri Lan-
ka’s third-highest waterfall. Cascading down
an escarpment of the Koslanda Plateau, the
stream is fairly small, but it quickly escalates
af ter a downpour. The falls leap over a cliff
face and fall in one clear drop to a pool below.
4 Sleeping
Living Heritage
Koslanda BOUTiQUE HOTEl $$$
(%077 935 5785; http://www.koslanda.com; Koslanda;
r incl breakfast US$250-300; Ws) Set within
80 acres of grounds that include manicured
lawns, tangled forest and even a waterfall, the
im itation planters-style bungalows here are
cool, calm and impeccably decorated. To this
you can add open-air bathrooms (for three of
th e rooms), private jacuzzis in the shade of
ba nana trees and an infinity pool we’re still
fantasising about.
Th ere’s an array of activities on offer and
go od western and eastern meals. It’s imper-
at ive that you call ahead to let them know
you’re coming and for instructions on how to
find the place (it’s very well hidden and there
are no sign boards), but it’s just 600m west of
the waterfalls.
Wellawaya
% 055
B y Wellawaya you have left the Hill Coun-
tr y and descended to the dry plains that
we re once home to the ancient Sinhalese
RAKKHITHTHAKANDA LEN
VIHARAYA CAVE TEMPLE
When travelling between Ella and Wella-
waya a fun side-trip can take you to the
Rakkhiththakanda Len Viharaya
Cave Temple (off Wellawaya Rd). The
outside of this remote and little-visited
cave temple, which is signed off the
road to Wellawaya, is covered in faded
Kandyan-era paintings including one of
the British Royal coat of arms. Inside,
the paintings are in far better condition
and completely cover all the walls.
There’s also a reclining Buddha. On
poya (full moon) days, a large number
of monks and villagers come here to
meditate but outside these times it’s
very quiet with just one monk in resi-
dence. Entrance is by donation.