POPULARLY known as the High Tea Country , the temperate highlands of southern central Sri Lanka are wonderfully scenic with stunning mountain and valley vistas almost everywhere you go , and , of course , often carpeted in tea bushes . Thanks to the multitude of micro-climates , the landscape is constantly changing and it is an incredibly beautiful mountain area , worth visiting for the scenery as well as the tea culture . It is also Sri Lanka ’ s heartland for market gardens ; endless rows of vegetables , flowers and strawberries hug the slopes , vying for space with the tea bushes .

Kandy , the royal capital of hill country , is a UNESCO World Heritage Site , built beside a placid lake surrounded by hills . The Kandyan kingdom was the last stronghold of the Sinhalese Kings during the

Portuguese , Dutch and British rule . To Buddhists , Kandy is one of the most sacred sites as it is home to the ‘ Dalada Maligawa ,’ Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha . The Temple of the Tooth lies within the Royal Palace complex where you will also find the National Museum , the Audience Hall and a museum dedicated to the famous elephant , Raja .

In central Kandy , British legacies remain in a few grand old buildings and hotels , St Paul ’ s Church , and Royal Palace Park . There is a lively market and a plethora of shops , gem showrooms , and arts and crafts workshops . There are several nightly cultural shows that showcase traditional Kandyan drumming , music , and dance and the city boasts a fine international cricket stadium .

The Viceroy Special travelling through Tea Country

TEA AND HILL COUNTRY WITH KANDY

Cinnamon Citadel Hunas Falls Hotel Suisse Mahaweli Reach Theva Residency The Kandy House Kegalle Amaya Hills Rangala House

Rosyth Estate House Kandy Bougainvillea Earl ’ s Regency Taylor ’ s Hill

Ellerton

Heritance Tea Factory Grand Hotel Hill Club Jetwing St Andrews

Plantation Hotel Nuwara Eliya Jetwing Warwick Gardens

98 Acres

Hatton

Living Heritage Ceylon Tea Trails Bandarawela Governor ’ s Mansion Bandarawela Hotel

Adam ’ s Peak

Kirchhayn Bungalow Horton Plains national park

Sinharaja Uda Walawe rainforest national park reserve

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