Unwind / Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Hill Country, Tea and Quiet
Hill Country · 7 min read
Most visitors to Sri Lanka rush the middle of the island on the way to the coast. The hill country deserves a week on its own: cool nights, walking, tea and a train ride that is genuinely one of the best in the world.
It is where the island slows down.
The train
The Kandy to Ella line takes around seven hours and climbs through tea estates, tunnels and cloud forest. Book second class reserved rather than first, since the windows open.
Board at Kandy or Nanu Oya. Reserved seats sell out well ahead in season, so book as soon as the window opens.
Where to stay
Ella is the backpacker centre and now quite busy. Haputale, Ohiya and the estates around Dickoya and Hatton are calmer, with tea planter bungalows converted into small hotels.
A bungalow with a fire, a cook and a view over the valley is one of the best value luxury experiences in Asia.
Walking
Horton Plains and World's End is the well known walk, best started at dawn before the cloud closes in. Adam's Peak, climbed overnight in season, is a pilgrimage as much as a hike.
Estate paths around Haputale and Lipton's Seat give you the same scenery with no ticket and no crowd.
The case for doing nothing
Cool air, a fire in the evening and tea in the morning is a rhythm that resets people quickly.
Bring a jumper. Everyone forgets that the hills get cold at night.
