Vidya Balachander is a food and travel writer based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Formerly the features editor of BBC Good Food India, her work has also featured in Mint Lounge, Vogue India, National Geographic Traveller India, Time Out Mumbai and the 2010 edition of Fodor’s Essential India guidebook.
Despite its growing reputation as a hipster haven, the hill town of Ella has far more mystique than Nuwara Eliya. Surrounded by terraced tea gardens, valleys and waterfalls, this sleepy village is the perfect launching pad for easy and moderately difficult hikes and treks.
According to local legend, Ravana, the 10-headed demon king of Hindu mythology, kidnapped the princess Sita and held her captive in this area – which is why many of its natural attractions are named after him. Of these, the Ravana caves, a network of tunnels connected to the nearby Ravana waterfalls, are arguably the most popular.
If you’d rather get off the tourist trail entirely, hire a tuk-tuk from Ella and make the 45-minute trip to Wellawaya, a town unremarkable in itself, but one which offers access to many secluded waterfalls. These include Ella Wala, a rock pool hidden from view by jungle, and the Diyaluma Falls, which has the distinction of being Sri Lanka’s third highest waterfall.
The most enjoyable – if time-consuming – way of getting to Ella is by train from Colombo. The 10-hour journey offers views of tea gardens and mist-engulfed towns and is considered one of the world’s most scenic train routes. Make sure you reserve seats in advance in the first-class observation cars that have large windows. Although you cannot book tickets online, a quality tour operator can arrange tickets for you.
Since getting to Ella takes the better part of a day – and delays are common – spending at least three nights is advisable.
At a glance
Destinations
Ella
Activity
Nature & Wildlife
Season
January - December
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