sri-lanka-13-full-pdf-ebook.pdf

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Around Ella

TA XI

Private minibus taxis gather on the roadside

close to the Dream Cafe and charge the

following:

Galle Rs 14,500

Horton Plains Rs 8500

Mirissa Rs 12,500

Nuwara Eliya Rs 7500

Tangalla Rs 9500

Tissamaharama Rs 6500

i f you’re heading to Horton Plains you’re much

better off taking a van from Haputale or Nuwara

Eliya instead, both of which are considerably

closer.

TRAIN

Ella is an hour from Haputale and Badulla on the

Colombo–Badulla line. The stretch from Haputale

(through Bandarawela) has particularly lovely

scenery. Roughly 10km north of Ella, at Demod-

ara, the line performs a complete loop around

a hillside and tunnels under itself at a level 30m

lower.

Ella’s train station is so quaint it won the ‘Best

Kept Station’ award in 2013. The station manager,

m r Ashendria Disanayake, deserves mention

for winning the ‘most Helpful Station manager’

award. it’s like Thomas the Tank Engine come to

life. Fares and timetables are well posted. You’ll

probably be met by a few touts spinning fictional

tales; Ella’s guesthouse fraternity is perhaps the

most competitive in all of Sri lanka. Touts some-

times board the train a few stops before Ella. Ob-

servation class is Rs 1000 for anywhere between

Nanu Oya and Badulla and Rs 1250 to Kandy and

Colombo. A 2nd-class advance reservation is Rs

600 to any of the following destinations.

Eastbound trains to Badulla leave at 6.05am,

1.25pm and 3.15pm. Westbound trains to all other

stations are at 6.40am, 9.25am, 10.55am and

12.05pm.

Sample train fares:

DESTINATION FARE TIME

Badulla 2nd/3rd class,

Rs 40/20

1hr

Bandarawela 2nd/3rd class,

Rs 30/15

35min

Colombo 2nd/3rd class,

Rs 350/190

9hr

Haputale 2nd/3rd class,

Rs 50/25

1-1½hr

Kandy 2nd/3rd class,

Rs 240/130

6-10hr

Nanu Oya (for

Nuwara Eliya)

2nd/3rd class,

Rs 110/60

2½-3hr

Around Ella

There are a number of interesting sights and

activities in the vicinity of Ella. You can also

easily visit the Dowa Temple from Ella.

Uva Halpewaththa

Tea Factory TEA FACTORY

(adult/child Rs 200/100; htours 8am-4pm) The

Uva Halpewaththa Tea Factory, not far from

Ella, runs very informative tours. After you’ve

enriched yourself with knowledge, enrich

your taste buds by trying a sample of the es-

tate’s different teas. There’s also a small shop

(7.30am to 5pm) selling leaves and tea-related

paraphernalia. Tours take place throughout

the day but tour frequency times vary slightly

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Ella

Demodara

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Kumbawela

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Ella

Rock

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Temple

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Around Ella

Badulla D

(11km)

DBandarawela

(6km)

WellawayaD

(20.5km)

e#^0201 milekm

Around Ella

æ Sights

1 Dowa Temple.........................................A3

2 Newburgh Green Tea Factory.............B2

3 Ravanna Ella Temple ............................B2

ÿ Sleeping

4 98 Acres Resort ....................................B2

5 Chamodya Homestay..........................A 2

6 Ella Flower Garden Resort...................B2

7 Planters Bungalow................................B3

8 View Point Villa......................................B2

9 Waterfall Homestay..............................A 2