Discover with Timothy
21st Anniversary as Content Creator

Nuwara Eliya නුවරඑළිය, Sri Lanka

Nuwara Eliya, Sri LankaNuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka (2 September 2005)


Nuwara Eliya (Sinhala: නුවරඑළිය; Tamil: நுவரேலியா), which means the City of Lights, is a major tea-planting town in the highlands in central Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya is located close to Pidurutalagala, the highest peak in Sri Lanka. I visited Nuwara Eliya, together with a small group of AsiaExplorers members, when we explored the sights in Sri Lanka.

I love the cool weather, even though it was rainy and windy when we visited. The road to Nuwara Eliya is winding - it reminds me of Cameron Highlands in Malaysia, but on a much bigger scale.

Hill road through the tea plantations at Nuwara EliyaHill road through the tea plantations at Nuwara Eliya (1 September 2005)


Like Cameron Highlands, Nuwara Eliya is a major tea producer. The hills as Nuwara Eliya are carved into undulating hillocks carperted by a thick blanket of tea shrubs. In Nuwara Eliya, we stayed at the Tea Factory, a former tea factory that has been restored and turned into a 5-star hotel. It won a prize from Unesco for heritage conservation.

Nuwara Eliya was founded by English explorer Sir Samuel White Baker, as a hill retreat during the British colonial era. some of the best and most luxurious hotels in Nuwara Eliya dates from the colonial era - they are a watering hole for those with fat wallets who want to indulge in a spot of nostalgia.

Hotel Glendower, Nuwara EliyaZubara Fort, now a museum in Qatar
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hotel_Glendower.jpg
Author: Bernard Gagnon
photo licensing


While in Nuwara Eliya, my group and I visited an actual tea plantation to learn how tea was processed. We also relaxed to an English tea, to the roar of the many waterfalls in Nuwara Eliya. Our stay here is far too short and I look forward to coming back. It is truly a most relaxing destination.

But what I like best about Nuwara Eliya was the hotel that we stayed in. It is called Heritance Tea Factory Hotel, and it was indeed a former tea factory.

Inside the Tea Factory Hotel, Nuwara EliyaInside the Tea Factory Hotel, Nuwara Eliya (1 September 2005)

Visiting Nuwara Eliya

You can reach Nuwara Eliya by road or by train from Colombo and Kandy. Either way, you are in for a scenic ride taking you past sweeping vistas of tea plantations. If you wish, you can also take the bus from Colombo or Kandy. Due to the poor condition of roads, you may expect the journey to take over half a day.

Sights in Nuwara Eliya

  1. Bandarawela

  2. Hakgala

  3. Hakgala Botanical Gardens

  4. Haputale

  5. Horton Plains

  6. Mirahawatte

  7. Mount Pidurutalagala

  8. Peak Wilderness Sanctuary

Sights Around Nuwara Eliya

  1. Adam's Peak

  2. Avissawella

  3. Balangoda

  4. Bambarakanda Falls

  5. Belihul Oya

  6. Buduruwagala

  7. Diyaluma Falls

  8. Glassaugh

  9. Hanguranketa

  10. Hituwalena Cave

  11. Kurundu Oya Falls

  12. Lover's Leap

  13. Potgul Magila Vihara

  14. Pusselawa

  15. Ramboda Falls

  16. Ratnapura

  17. Rikillagaskada

  18. Saman Devala

 Latest updates on Penang Travel Tips

Destination Sri Lanka

Major Tourist Attractions of Sri Lanka

Songs about Penang

About this website



Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.
Copyright © 2003-2024 Timothy Tye. All Rights Reserved.