So Sri Lanka

Serenity reigns in Haputale

Nimanthi Bandaranayake discovers what this hill town offers to visitors

There’s something captivating about small towns – particularly the ones you can escape to, and get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Haputale is the perfect place to relax and take in peaceful moments while exploring the tranquil mountainous forests and enjoying the exquisite landscape of the town.

Haputale is a beautiful small town on the southern edge of the island’s hill country. It nestles amidst the green hills and tea plantations, and is rich in flora and fauna. A view of the distant southern coastline can be enjoyed on clear days through a gap in the mountain range.

On other days when a thick mist envelops these montane slopes however, one can enjoy the unique experience of being surrounded by clouds.

Fact File

LIPTON’S SEAT A journey to Haputale isn’t complete until you witness a breathtaking sunrise from Lipton’s Seat. This is a popular spot where Scottish planter Sir Thomas Lipton would sit with a cup of tea in his hand and look over the estate with pride. There you can experience some of the most surreal views when the rising sun turns the hues of the hills from a dusky blue to vivacious green, and transforms the sky into a gradient of colours that range from lilac, pastel pink and burnt orange to deep blue. It’s an experience you wouldn’t want to miss and won’t forget.

TEA FACTORIES When you’re on an estate in this region, you can watch women plucking tea leaves (you might even get to pluck ‘two leaves and a bud’ yourself) and then find out how the world-famous brew is made. You can even tour a factory, and witness the sophisticated process of manufacturing tea and how it has evolved over the years. Exploring one of the world renowned tea factories in the island will make you appreciate the value of your morning cuppa all the more.

ADISHAM HALL Inspired by Tudor style architecture and fashioned after Leeds Castle in Kent, this bungalow is one of the most scenic places in the region, and it’s located about three kilometres from Haputale town. Though access to Adisham Hall is limited to its library and the living room, most people visit to enjoy the wonderful view it offers of the Uva Province’s valleys, as well as its magnificent garden, which visitors can walk through. One thing you can’t miss is the kiosk that sells organic and local products – ranging from pickles and coffee liqueurs to homemade jams – that you can take back to memorialise this adventure.

RAILWAY HIKES If you’re feeling more adventurous, you can enjoy a hike of eight kilometres along the railway track – starting off at Idalgashinna, which offers an incredible view of the hills that is embellished by the deep green forests. It’s considered one of the most picturesque railway stations in the island, and is located between Haputale and Ohiya. This stretch of track also holds the record for the highest number of tunnels between two railway stations. You can walk through these and immerse yourself in the darkness – but always be mindful of when the next train will be passing through!

BIRD SANCTUARY Grab your hiking shoes and enjoy a walk that’s a little over four kilometres long through a wildlife sanctuary. As one of the lesser known reserves in the island, it is a less populated site and a trek through the Thangamale Bird Sanctuary allows you to experience the island’s avian bounty. The area is home to numerous species of endemic and migratory birds, including the yellow-eared bulbul, Sri Lankan hanging parrot and Ceylon jungle fowl. A diverse range of fauna such as monkeys, deer and porcupines can also be spotted here. The sanctuary dominates most of the Thangamale mountain, which is covered in lush green forests and offers stunning views of the tea estates.

DIYALUMA FALLS Enjoy a fun walk up to the second highest waterfall in the island. It will take you an hour or so to get there but the trek is worth it since you will be rewarded with fantastic views and treated to a dip in one of the natural rock pools there to help you cool off. The Uda Diyaluma trail is one of the easier and more popular trails of the three available to reach the falls. It takes you through the forest and lemongrass plantations, which gives you the added bonus of walking through citrus scented air for a while. Once you reach the summit, you’ll be greeted by the most surreal views of Haputale – so make sure you add this adventure to your bucket list.