2221 photos on Flickr

Nuwara Eliya (Tamil: நுவரேலியா) (pronounced IPA: [nuːrɛliːjə]) meaning "city on the plain (table land)" or "city of light", is a town in Sri Lanka. It is located at an altitude of 1,868 m (6,128 ft) in the central highlands, and is overlooked by Pidurutalagala, the highest mountain in Sri Lanka.

The town was founded by Samuel Baker as a hill retreat for the British during the colonial era, where typical English pastimes including fox hunting, polo and cricket were played.

Although the town was founded in the 19th century by Englishmen, the site was frequently visited by native Sinhalese travellers. It has also been an area of pre-historic human beings as recent archaeological findings confirm.[citation needed]

Many of the buildings retain features from the colonial period, and even new hotels are often built and furnished in the colonial style. The Hill Club is one of the best preserved hotels, and charges admission for non-residents who wish to wallow in its nostalgia. Many private homes still maintain their old English-style lawns and gardens.

The town's attractions include the golf course, trout streams, Victoria Park, and boating or fishing on Lake Gregory. Victoria Park is an attractive and well-used oasis. It is popular with birdwatchers at quieter times because of the good opportunities it gives to see various species, particularly the Indian Blue Robin, Pied Thrush or Scaly Thrush lurking in the denser undergrowth. The Kashmir Flycatcher is another attractive bird species found in the park. Galway's Land Bird Sanctuary, close to Lake Gregory, is another wildlife site of 0.6 km².

The town is a base for visits to Horton Plains National Park. This is a key wildlife area of open grassy woodland. Species found here include the Leopard, Sambar, and the endemic Purple-faced Langur. Endemic highland birds include the Dull-blue Flycatcher, Sri Lanka White-eye, and Yellow-eared Bulbul. The plains also has a well-visited tourist attraction at World's End, a sheer precipice with a 1050 m drop. The return walk passes the scenic Baker Falls. Early morning visits are best, both to see the wildlife, and to view World's End before mists close in during the later part of the morning.

One of the distinctive features of Nuwara Eliya's countryside is the widespread growing of vegetables, fruit and flowers usually associated with temperate Europe. This "Little England" is covered with terraces growing potatoes, carrots, leeks, and roses, interspersed with tea bushes on the steeper slopes.

The slow-growing tea bushes of this highland region produce some of the world's finest Orange Pekoe tea, and several tea factories around Nuwara Eliya offer guided tours and the opportunity to sample or purchase their products.

Although not strictly an attraction, the Grand Hotel (Nuwara Eliya) is the former British governor's mansion, now in the ownership of Tangerine Hotels and one of the most prestigious hotels outside of Colombo. The charming colonial era building is over a 100 years old.

IMG_2221 by pascal baron