A couple’s guideto ‘Little England’
The town of Nuwara Eliya is an ideal mountain resort town for you and your partner to escape the fast-paced life of the city. With lush green mountains and a cool climate, Sri Lanka’s own ‘Little England’ offers many wonderful experiences for couples. Read on to find out more about things to do in Nuwara Eliya.
Quiet Time Together
Enjoy the lush beauty of the mountain town with visits to Victoria Park, Hakgala Botanical Garden and Lake Gregory. Take a romantic stroll along the paths of Victoria Park, surrounded by vividly colourful flowers, and the sweet sound of singing birds. Paddle out to the middle of Lake Gregory or get the adrenaline pumping with a jet ski ride on the lake. You can also enjoy a lovely picnic together by the lake.
English Tea Experience
Enjoy a delectable afternoon high tea at one of the heritage hotels, while you gaze out at the stunning mountain vistas. Scones and cream, along with a pot of delicately brewed Ceylon Tea, makes for an incredibly English experience. You can also tour one of the local strawberry farms and pick up some delicious goodies to take back home, or just indulge in the English summer favourite of strawberries and cream.
Explore Tea Country
Nuwara Eliya is renowned for producing some of the world’s best tea, therefore a tea experience is something you should definitely add to your vacation itinerary. Many of the tea estates offer tea tours that allow you to wander through the plantations, learn about tea cultivation, visit the tea manufacturing factory and finally enjoy a cup or two of delicious Ceylon Tea. You can also purchase tea packs to take home as gifts.
Many of the tea estates in Nuwara Eliya are situated in landscapes that are simply breathtaking. The lush green mountains carpeted in tea bushes are dotted with cascading waterfalls. A truly romantic setting to spend some quality time with your partner.
A Walk Through Colonial Heritage Sites
Although the British colonial rulers left Sri Lanka over 70 years ago, a great many colonial architectural edifices still remain in many parts of the island. A number of colonial era buildings are still used today, mainly as hotels and tourist attractions. The Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya, Jetwing St. Andrew’s, the Post Office, the Hill Club, and the Holy Trinity Church are just some of the brick and mortar institutions that pay homage to Nuwara Eliya’s past as a popular British resort town. Other institutions, such as the Royal Turf Club and the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club are also vestiges of the old colonial masters. Check out the lush green courses and enjoy a meal at the club restaurant.
Enjoy the Rustic Splendour of the Mountainside
Nuwara Eliya contains some of the more popular nature reserves in the country such as the Horton Plains National Park, the Galway’s Land National Park and Moon Plains. A hike at any one of these nature reserves guarantees not only adventure and stunning views, but also plenty of awesome pictures for the gram!