HILL COUNTRY HAMLET

Ravishing vistas of Ragala

Ruwandi Perera is entranced by the serenity of life in the hills

Green and white is the twin colour scheme in these parts – because wherever you look, you’ll see gorgeous canvasses of greenery speckled with foamy white waterfalls and streams. Ragala is a sleepy village located close to Nuwara Eliya and Ella.

It will take about five and a half hours to get there from Colombo; but once you step out of your vehicle and feel the cool soothing breeze on your face, the journey will be worth it. While hotels here number few, there are several tourist establishments that you can book or rent – but do plan in advance.

Tea lovers are in for a treat since this area is home to some of the best maintained estates, most of which have existed from the time of British rule. Having several cups of hot tea each day is the norm here – so drink up!

And while there may not be many restaurants to dine out in and around Ragala, the food you find here is fresh, clean and organic thanks to the many vegetable farms in the area.

Keep your itinerary relatively free when visiting Ragala because it’s not a locale through which to rush. You might enjoy a peaceful picnic by a waterfall one day, and the next may find you huffing and puffing up a mountainside.

Remember to pack warm clothes and carry plenty of sunscreen because while the weather can get very chilly, the sun shines through the mist and you can easily get sunburnt as well.