Nuwaraeliya is fondly referred to as “Little England” with its picturesque scenery, old fashioned country cottages and cool climate, it resembles a quaint country village from England. It is situated in the central hill country about xxx km from Colombo and stands at a height of 1890 meters above sea level. The city is surrounded by hills covered with mostly tea estates and lush jungles. The average temperature ranges from 14 C to 21 C during the year.

The are was discovered back in 1818 by a hunting party led by Dr John Davy and later established as the governor’s summer retreat in 1828 by the then governor Sir Edward Barnes. There are many old buildings and houses reminiscent of this bygone era.

The area is dotted with hotels and guest houses. Most of the larger hotels provide high quality accommodation and services at a higher price. But if you are looking for something cheaper there are many guest houses with very good facilities at cheaper rates. However they may also rise during the summer season which is from April to August. This is the time when the town comes alive. Horse races are held at the race course and is the main event of the season. It becomes a local Ascot with haute couture fashion and cocktail parties. There are also golf tournaments held at the golf course. The most colorful of all is the flower shows. Most home owners and hotels strive to grow the best and beautiful plants and vie for the honor of being judged as the best garden in town. It is truly delightful to stroll through these gardens and admire the wondrous foliage. The town itself is not a large one and everything is within walking distance.

There are many attractions to see around the area with easy access from Nuwaraeliya. Right next to the town the Pidurutalagala mountain, the highest peak in the country, can be seen. It stands 2524 meter tall. Unfortunately access is denied to the top for security reasons because there are transmission towers for various broadcasting institutions.

Another favorite attraction for the sports enthusiast is the Nuwaraeliya Golf Course. With a history of more than a century, this 18 hole course is spread over 90 acres. It is reputed to be the only Golf Course where all the holes are visible from the Club House or accessible by car. Opposite the golf course you will find the Nuwaraeliya gardens with many interesting plant life. It is an ideal place for a picnic and the children’s park has many activities to keep them occupied. To the south of the town there is the race course, where during the summer months horse races are held. Further southward the man made lake known as the Gregory’s Lake can be found. You can arrange to hire a boat or pedal boat and have a leisurely ride in it. It is also a very good place for a picnic.

About 10 km on the Badulla road there is another interesting attraction of note. The Haggala Botanical Gardens was founded in 1860 by the eminent British botanist Dr. G.H.K. Thwaites who was the superintendent of more famous gardens at Peradeniya. The site was initially started to conduct experiments on Cinchona, who’s bark yielded Quinine, the widely used medicine for Malaria. The cool, equable climate of Haggala area encouraged the introduction of suitable temperate zone plants, both ornamental and useful. These included conifers and cedars from Australia, Bermuda and Japan, and cypresses from the Himalayas, China and as far a field as Persia, Mexico and California. New Caledonia gave Haggala a special variety of pines and there are specimens of this genus from the canary Island as well.

An hour’s drive from Nuwaraelyia you’ll come to the most visited national park and the only mountain national park in Sri Lanka, the Horton Plains National Park. It is also the only park where visitors are allowed to walk through. It rises about 2300 meters above sea level and is a good example of tropical mountain cloud forests. There are a lot of endemic flora and fauna that can be found in the plains. The famous "World's End" and "Bakers Falls" are major attractions. The Kirigalpotta, second highest peak and the Thotapola, third highest peak of the country are also situated in the Horton plains.