Sri Lanka's Hill Country — Tuljak! Travel Blog

Sri Lanka has been in the news quite a lot lately. Years of financial mismanagement by the national government and pandemic-related challenges plunged the island into an unprecedented economic crisis. Looking at the news footage of people lining up for gas for days, it was almost unthinkable that it had only been about three years since our wonderful visit in 2019. One major source of foreign reserve Sri Lanka traditionally counts on is tourism dollars. Since the end of the brutal civil war in 2009, the island nation has established itself as a major tourist destination. While it may not have the same visitor figures as Thailand or Indonesia, it has become one of the most popular holiday spots in South/Southeast Asia.

Buddha statue at the summit of Little Adam Peak.

Sri Lanka may not be a big place by land mass, but the country is often divided into different zones regarding tourism. The country's tourism potential is boundless, from the coastal city of Galle to the Cultural Triangle in the center of the island. Perhaps it was my own misconception, but I was surprised to discover that over-tourism was already a reality on the ground there. In particular, I found this to be the case in the Hill Country of Sri Lanka. Rather than the peaceful oasis many promised, our experience was quite different. I wonder whether we were alone in having this melancholic feeling during our visit.

Ella

I originally intended to rely only on public transport for this trip. But after our miserable train ride from Colombo to Galle a few days prior, we hired a driver for the rest of our time in the country. Common in this part of the world, travelers often arrange cars or drivers for hire through local hotels at the very last minute. As someone who tends to over-plan, leaving critical travel arrangements on the fly stressed me out. Luckily, the hotel staff at Galle referred us to Pula, who could chaperone us anywhere in the country. Pula turned out to be not only an excellent driver but also a great “temporary friend.”

We arrived at the town of Ella after a four-hour drive from the colonial town of Galle, stopping along the way at a so-called turtle “sanctuary” and a tea plantation. It was already pitch dark when we arrived at our accommodation. The hotel staff was very nice to feed us dinner even after their kitchen closed. Our hotel room was great, and we could enjoy the relative peace and tranquility of the countryside. Just as I was plugging my phone charger into the wall socket, the power of the whole neighborhood went out in that split second. I thought I singlehandedly brought down the whole power grid for a moment. “Fortunately,” it turned out that rolling power blackouts are not uncommonly in Ella, despite the influx of tourism.

The next morning, we finally got to enjoy the beautiful vistas that Ella is known for. Ella attracts many backpackers because of the plethora of hiking opportunities. Since we only had one day here, we were eager to hit some of its greatest hits. The first major attraction of the area is Ravana Falls, which is just minutes out of town. Bears the name of Hindu King Ravanna, a mythical ruler of ancient Sri Lanka, this 82-foot waterfall is handily located on the side of the main road and is a perfect picture stop. Unfortunately, the hiking trail along the cascade was closed to visitors for quite some time, so there wasn’t much to do other than gawk at the water for a minute or two.

According to the popular legend, King Ravana kidnapped a process and hid her in a cave behind the water to avenge a dispute with her kin. There is a footpath that leads to this mythical cave. The hike to the cave was much more fun than the waterfall. While small, the cave is quite dramatic and nicely framed out of the surrounding hill. Funny enough, the highlight of our visit that morning was a rambunctious toque macaque. Watching him tear into a brown coconut was fun for those not used to having monkeys around. They are somehow entertaining and terrifying at the same time. Well, this wasn’t our only encounter with wild monkeys on this trip.

Hiking up to the Ravana Pre-historic Cave.

I must admit that our first morning in the Hill Country was a little letdown. While Ella is beautiful, I do get this feeling that Ella's outsized reputation among foreign visitors is somewhat misplaced. The popularity of this town is clear. Cafe Chill in the center of the village is a good testament to that fact. The massive restaurant has all the hallmarks of a backpacker’s haven; this was one behemoth of a restaurant. The oversized thatched roof and cheap alcoholic are enticing. While the food and drinks are good, I am bothered by this note on the margin of their menu: “We guarantee consistently high quality, European standard of degustation. You can watch your meal being prepared in our open kitchen. Our team will be happy to show you through each careful step.” I don’t know if that says more about Sri Lanka or the clientele there.

Cafe Chill is probably Ella’s most popular eatery.

After a leisurely lunch, we made our way to Ella’s star attraction: the Nine Arch Bridge. In case you haven’t heard of it, it is probably the most famous bridge in Sri Lanka, according to travel influencers. It seems like everyone needs to pay a pilgrimage here to Ella to get a selfie here. I am convinced that if it were not for the bridge, Ella would not have anywhere close to half the foreign visitors. I must admit that I was among those looking forward to some good pictures. Honestly, this stone bridge is indeed beautiful. The photos seem to invoke the imagination akin to Indiana Jones or Harry Potter. It is romantic, if not majestic.

It surprised us that Pula had never visited the bridge before, so he was eager to tag along. From the center of Ella, it was a half an hour hike. We trusted Pula and followed his lead through the forest and private tea fields. I was convinced that we were inadvertently trespassing on private property. Just as we thought we were lost, the bridge suddenly appeared behind the shrub. It is indeed magnificent and photo-worthy. The number of tourists still surprised us because there is no mention of this bridge in my Lonely Planet Guidebook. It is a real testament to the power of social media.

You definitely won’t be alone at Nine Arch Bridge.

The British colonial government constructed the Nine Arch Bridge a hundred years ago. I couldn’t find much information about its history. According to popular legend, the railway authority asked engineers to avoid using any steel in construction to preserve critical resources for war efforts. It is a tale retold in so many places that I don’t know whether there is any truth. At the end of the day, it is about that precious selfie for most visitors. It was fun to see how many photos one takes of themselves from the same spot. This is one of those places where you see travel influencers would do an outfit change. We saw women changing from hiking shorts to flowy gowns immediately. It certainly reminds me of the Instagram account Influencers In The Wild.

Everyone is overjoyed with the passing train.

For most visitors, us included, the one question people would have is just when the train might be rolling down the track. I thought I read somewhere that there were a total of five or six trains passing through here. So, by my own estimation, the train frequency would likely be somewhere between every two or three hours. It was a real dilemma whether it was worth the wait. After a short discussion, we decided to wait it out. What else was there to do except for waiting around? Ultimately, we counted ourselves lucky to catch two separate trains in half an hour: one for passenger service and another for postal delivery. This afternoon turned out to be pretty nice after all.

To round up our day, we took on Ella’s other star attraction: Little Adam Peak. Allegedly, it got its name due to the similar conical shape to Adam’s Peak, a famous pilgrimage site a couple of hours away. Having climbed both, I don’t see any physical resemblance; the real Adam Peak is easily ten times more imposing and awe-spiring. But despite its diminutive stature, this hike is extremely pleasant. The trail began with a casual stroll through a beautiful tea plantation and went through a wooded area. The trail's slope was gentle and doable for hikers of all ages and physical agility. It has a little of everything for everyone, from hilltop Buddha statues to panoramic views; considering how easy it is, Little Adam Peak is a very worthwhile trek for an hour or two.

We felt at peace as we watched the sunset at the ridge of the peak. On the other side of the valley was a much higher Ella Rock, a popular day hike for anyone staying in Ella longer. Even though we could understand the appeal of Ella, I genuinely think one day should be enough to experience the best the town offers. But for many travelers, Ella is considered a place of contemplation or unplugged. Perhaps this is why there are disproportionately great numbers of luxury accommodations like the 98 Acres Resort and Spa. For those who want it, you definitely could live very well in this bohemian little town.

The Main Line of Sri Lanka Railways

Aside from everything Ella offers, its location on the railroad route helps bring in many visitors. The rail line through the hill country of Sri Lanka is considered to be particularly scenic. The ride between Kandy and Ella was even rated as one of the most scenic train rides in the world by Travel and Leisure Magazine in 2019. Initially constructed to transport timber and tea, the rail line is now a vital mode of transport for locals and visitors. But with more of the national economy shifting from raw materials to industry, Sri Lanka’s rail network has deteriorated greatly since the 1990s. A journey by rail may be scenic and affordable, but it doesn’t make it a time saver.

Given that we have hired Pula for all our transportation needs, I felt a little guilty about taking the train. He would drive all our luggage to wait for our arrival at Nuwara Eliya. When I asked him whether we might have to wait a while for him once he arrived at the destination, he just chuckled. He explained that Sri Lankans would only take the train if they were short on money. I suspect most locals are surprised that so many tourists make this a bucket list item.

The third-class fare cost us less than $0.50 USD for a trip lasting two and a half hours. In comparison, first-class tickets cost around $3 USD. The tickets were so affordable that the conductor did not even check anybody’s tickets. Prior reservations for reserved seats could be booked online or through a local agency. In our attempt to experience the train ride “authentically,” we were happy to settle for third-class tickets. From what I could tell, there was no limit to how many third-class tickets were issued for a particular journey. So, don’t expect to have much personal space.

When we arrived at Ella’s train station, I was amazed by how crowded the platform was. By my visual estimation, nine out of ten were Westerners. If not for the signs in Sinhalese, you would have thought we were somewhere in Europe. I wondered out loud as to whether we were about to board a specially designated tourist train. As the train arrived, it became an absolute mob scheme. Everybody jostled for a seat by the windows or the train’s open carriage doors. Tourists had no issue in elbowing locals aside for the best spots. Amid the chaos, we managed to grab an open spot by the doors, facing out to the inner side of the track.

It was all hands on deck when it comes to boarding.

Once everyone appeared half settled in, the train rolled down the track. Brian and I had a front-row seat to the moving image of the Sri Lankan landscape. The train winded through forest and terraced fields. Like elsewhere in South Asia, safety precautions were nearly non-existent. Passengers were able to dangle out of the carriage without care. It was an exhilarating experience and could be a shock for some Westerners. We felt a sense of freedom as we dangled our feet out the door and caught the breeze on our faces.

A sense of adventure is definitely in the air, which means some tourists could take things too far. In the bid to get the all-important glamour shots, people often dangled out of the doors way too far and risked bodily injuries. Some travel influencers got into some hot water online for their irresponsible behaviors. I don’t know whether I am more dismayed by the dangerous behaviors or how many of these supposed influencers attempted to propagate such behavior as somehow normal. Well, it is not, and such behaviors only give a bad rap to this overt “glamourization” of developing countries.

Officially, there are about ten stops between Ella and Nuwara Eliya. But fortunately, our train didn’t call all those stations. There was a lot of commotion with each stop, and it was up to us to stake a claim on our prized location by the carriage doors. Many locals boarded the train from the track-side and were very experienced in navigating a crowded train, as expected. At some point, I felt guilty for taking a spot on an overcrowded train. Would the locals be annoyed with our presence or happy that tourists inject much-needed cash into the local economy?

Despite all the chaos, I was sad to see the journey to an end. The two and half hours flew by in an instant. So the question is whether I would recommend the rail journey in Sri Lanka’s Hill Country. Well, I now have had a few years to reflect on this train journey. I would recommend it, but perhaps not for the section between Ella and Nuwara Eliya. Instead, I would recommend starting your journey in Badulla, just the next stop from Ella and the terminus of this line. The journey would be less touristy, and you would also experience riding on the Nine Arch Bridge as a passenger.

Nuwara Eliya - The British Town of Sri Lanka

As I mentioned in my previous post, our trip to Sri Lanka was partially inspired by an episode of an Australian TV show, Travel Guides. The town of Nuwara Eliya was one place the cast members visited in this part of the country. Being such massive fans of the show, we naturally wanted to visit many of the same places featured on the show. Nuwara Eliya was the first place they visited and the oddest town featured in the episode. A center of the country’s tea production, the city gained great prominence because of its temperate climate. Homesick British colonists selected this town as their home away from home, making it the most British town in Sri Lanka.

Nuwara Eliya’s Grand Hotel is a good window into colonial British Ceylon.

Our first stop in town was the Grand Hotel. Originally constructed as a holiday home for the fifth British governor of Ceylan, the hotel was the most celebrated lodging in central Sri Lanka and attracted celebrity guests such as Lord Mountbatten and Sir James Lipton. This was also where the cast members of Travel Guides stayed, so naturally, we also wanted to try it out ourselves. From the outside, the hotel looks like an import from England and seems out of place in Sri Lanka. The beautifully landscaped garden and the warm wood paneling add a dose of old-fashioned formality.

Although far from being a five-star property, the Grand Hotel is a wonderful viewport into British Ceylon. Just like the United Kindom herself, the property is grander in style than substance. The rooms certainly could use some refresh and financial investment; the term “faded glory” is a good fit. We probably would not have stayed there if it had not been for the TV episode. That said, the service at the hotel was top-notch. The buffet dinner at Barnes Hall, their main restaurant named after the former governor, was magnificent. Our only regret was not being able to try out their famous afternoon tea service on the front lawn.

The Tudor-style Nuwara Eliya Post Office.

Today’s Nuwara Eliya has a split personality. For visitors like ourselves, the novelty of British architecture is definitely why we were here. I have to be honest and admit that I was a little bit disappointed that British heritage today is relatively limited. While many colonial-era structures are preserved, the local Sinhalese city has sprung up to create an interesting juxtaposition. In this era of social justice, I was curious about how today’s Sri Lankans perceive the relic of colonization, so I put that question to Pula. Surprisingly, he thinks most Sri Lankans celebrated their colonial history. For him, the British brought economic development and the basic institutions upon which the modern republic is now based. In Nuwara Eliya, the colonial-era heritage is big business and a source of pride. Many public buildings, such as the town’s post office, retain their original functions. The pink Tudor-style building is one of the most recognized colonial offices in the country. We certainly took this opportunity to send friends and families postcards.

A stone’s throw away from the post office is the town’s main potential garden: Victoria Park. This former research garden is now a 27-acre public park and one of the best European gardens in the country. The garden was named in 1897 in honor of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. While it is not the most amazing garden in the world, seeing such a landscape garden in the middle of a small Sri Lankan city is striking. For 200 LKR, one could spend a leisurely afternoon surveying a good collection of local floras. Our visit in January was not the best time to enjoy the full bloom. The optimal time for a visit would be in March or April. While visiting a garden like this is typically not our thing, its ubnique “Britishness” makes it a worthwhile destination.

A leisure lunch by Lake Gregory is definitely a very “English” experience.

If a botanical garden is not your cup of tea, I might suggest visiting Nuwara Eliya’s racetrack or the nearby Lake Gregory. The lake was a reservoir constructed in 1873 by Governor General William Henry Gregory. On a sunny day, the lake reminds me of England’s famous Lake District. Along the lake are numerous mansions and lodges; some have been converted into public restaurants and boutique hotels. We spent a leisurely lunch at Calamander Lake Gregory and enjoyed the serene view. What I love most about this lake is the city’s commitment to public access to the water. No matter how fancy the waterfront property is, no one is entitled to a private beach.

Of course, we could not leave the Hill Country without visiting one or two tea factories. After all, tea was and has always been the driving force behind this region’s economy. According to my guidebook, tea production was a second choice with the British. The first crop of choice was coffee, but the soil conditions in Sri Lanka were just not quite right. Sri Lanka is currently the fourth largest tea producer in the world. Today, Ceylon Tea is a world-recognized “brand” internationally and is recognized by its unique lion logo. What was truly surprising was that no local tea producers have individual consumer brands for export. Instead, all the tea was exported as a commodity, like the cocoa trades in Côte d'Ivoire. In other words, the producers are really under the thumb of the exporters.

Following the itinerary from Travel Guides, we opted to visit Blue Field Tea Factory, a scenic 45-minute drive from Nuwara Eliya. Although that may seem like a long drive, this is indeed one of the most beautiful corners of Sri Lanka. However, the traffic along this road is quite hectic, so we were happy to leave all the driving to Pula. There must have been four or five tea factories along the way. This was our second tea factory visit on this trip, and we looked forward to seeing how the two compare.

The factory visit is free and seems to follow a well-rehearsed format. Visitors are led through two levels of factor floors and have a quick overview of different stages: withering, rolling, oxidation, and drying. Even with the number of tourists coming, this still appears to be a working factory. The tour was quite underwhelming, and we preferred the tour we did near Galle.

As expected, the tour ended in their tea-tasing room and gift shop. I am not a tea expert, but I am absolutely certain that the markup is huge. It is true that once you visited one tea factory, you visited them all. For visitors interested in the tea industry, many tea factories also offer a chance to go to the tea field and pick your own tea. But given the inclement weather, we decided to skip it. But I could foresee that it would have been an interesting experience, especially for those with children.

Different types and grades of Ceylon tea.

After our two-day visit, what was our final assessment of Sri Lanka’s Hill Country? I think we would have enjoyed our visit more if we had a few days more. Given our limited time, we naturally visited only the highlights, which are far more touristy than we imagined. Rather than experiencing the local culture, we felt like part of the tourism economy. Of course, we can’t blame anybody but ourselves since we contribute to over-tourism. So, with the right expectations and planning, Sri Lanka’s Hill Country is a calming and culturally rich destination.

▲

The Melancholy of Sri Lanka’s Hill Country

Ella

The Main Line of Sri Lanka Railways

Nuwara Eliya - The British Town of Sri Lanka

Sigiriya - The Rock of Sri Lanka

The Majesty of Riga