Nuwara Eliya Srilanka

Mini England or Nuwara Eliya, located 175 km from Sri Lanka's capital Colombo, is a favorite place for tourists. Tourists flock to this city, known as the country of tea, to stay in a pleasant environment away from the dusty cities of Sri Lanka. The English and Scots started the first tea plantations here because of the beautiful cool climate.

Surrounded by natural beauty, the green tea plantations of Nuwara Eliya, high and low hills are enough to impress any tourist. You can explore on foot some beautiful bungalows built by the British, royal style hotels, rows of bushes, flower and fruit gardens. All in all, this village looks as beautiful as a picture.

Some recent structural changes have enhanced the beauty here. Places worth visiting here include Haratan Plains National Park, Lake Gregory, Lover's Leap Waterfall, Victoria Park, Pedro Tea Factory, Hakgala Botanical Garden, Rambada Jharna and Seetha Amman Temple.

There are tourist guides for tea garden tours. If you want you can see all the steps of tea processing. The tea produced here is recognized worldwide for its quality and flavor. So don't go without buying tea when visiting here.

Here is a golden opportunity for trekking fanatics. But those who are afraid of trekking can also easily trek here, because the slopes of the hills here are quite smooth. Most of the tourists prefer trekking through the hilly tea plantations. And at that time, the beautiful scene of picking tea leaves will be seen and the sweet smell of tea leaves is very nice.

A variety of flora and fauna can be found in Victoria Park. It is basically a botanical garden, where there are almost 100 years old trees. Some different species of birds are also seen at the same time.

If you have time and desire, you can go hiking on the mountain. There are several waterfalls here and the experience of hiking over these waterfalls is one to remember for a lifetime. Some of the notable fountains are – Lover's Leap, Aberdeen Fountain, St. Clair's Fountain. If you want, you can also go boating in the lake.

The Grand Hotel is the oldest building in Nuwara Eliya. And the architecture of the Grand Hotel is just like catching the attention of tourists. So if you have time, don't miss the chance to stay at this hotel for one night. Also, don't make the mistake of having tea at the Grand Hotel. There is an opportunity to play golf and billiards, the favorite sports of the British.

Also from here you can go to Hakgala Botanical Garden. Different types of roses, ferns, badar and blue doils can be seen. One can also visit the Hindu Seetha Amman Temple, which houses various religious idols. You can also go to densely populated sanctuaries like Galway National Park. There will be opportunities to see many guest birds and near-endangered animals, including bulbuls and flycatchers.

Basically, the weather here and the surrounding environment are so charming that if you spend the whole day, you will not understand how the time will pass. Many people come here to have a picnic with the whole family. And especially during the rainy season, there is an opportunity to see the diverse natural beauty here.

From Bangladesh, the plane must first land at the Sri Lankan capital Colombo Bandaranaya airport. Then from there you can choose either rail or road to reach Nuwara Eliya.

There is no direct train to Nuwara Eliya, so first take the train from Colombo to Nanu Wa. Nanu Wa, 10 km from Nuwara Eliya. It takes about 6-7 hours to travel from Colombo to Nanu Wa by train. You can get a taxi to Nuwara from Nanu Wa for 250-300 Sri Lankan Rupees (120-145 Bangladeshi Taka).

If you want to go at a lower cost, you can take a bus. In that case, the rent will be about 30-35 Sri Lankan rupees! To get to the By Road, you have to take a taxi, car or bus from Colombo to Nuwara Eliya via Kandy or Hatton town. It takes about 6 hours to get to Nuwara Eliya by bus, but the road is bumpy.

Travel costs and hotel fares to Nuara Elia will be slightly higher during peak season. Sri Lankan Airlines from Bangladesh to Colombo costs Tk 28,000 to Tk 30,000 per person. And going from Colombo to Nuwara Eliya will cost 1,500 to 3,500 taka. Apart from this, a total stay of two nights and three days including hotel accommodation will cost 50,000 to 60,000 taka per person.

Also Read: Sigiriya, Sri Lanka Travel Guide

There are several good quality hotels and home stays to stay in Nuwara Eliya. For example, in places like Fairy Hostel, Hill View Guest Inn, Moon Plain Inn, Beck Packers Nest Nuwara Eliya, Mangala Flora, Country Lodge, Peach Villa, Sydney Rest, you can get a good room for two people for 700-1500. Again an overnight stay at the Colonial Hotel in Nuwara Eliya will add a different dimension to the experience.

Feature Image: Booking.com