Nuwara Eliya has its share of good hotels, both in and around the main town.

A short glance on the City
Nuwara Eliya is located in the heart of Sri Lankan hill country. Home of the famous Ceylon tea and the rolling mountains are carpeted of velvety green tea plantations, interspersed with gushing streams and tumbling waterfalls. The cellubrious climate, misty glens and similar to the British climate, make the place a must to include in your travel itinerary. Located at the height of 1890 meters above sea level. Temperatures are 140C-210C (Jan- April) 160C-180C (May-Aug) 150C- 180C (Sept-Dec).


History
Discovered by a hunting party led by Dr. John Davy in 1818 and was established as a summer retreat in 1828 by Sir Edward Barnes, the Governor of Ceylon. Today, with its neat old gable roofed houses with front gardens, tree lined avenues and buildings like the Post Office and the War Memorial give the impression of an old world flavour, retaining its status as a popular summer resort.


Transportation
Roads to Nuwara Eliya - From Colombo, there are two main routes to get to Nuwara Eliya - via Kandy or via Hatton. Both roads are narrow, bumpy and winding but both have incredible views. If you're coming by car or van, I would recommend the Hatton way. The road itself is a bit better, it's less busy and the climb is not quite as steep. Plus, you get to see the spectacular view from the St. Clair's Tea Centre in Talawakalee. The Kandy road is neat too - the switch-backs at Ramboda are enough experience. From Colombo, a rented van will cost Rs 2000-3000. From Kandy Rs 1000-2000.

Buses there and away - Most buses from Colombo go via Kandy. For a trip that long, to go by Inter-city bus, will land you at and leave from the Private Bus Stand. The Public bus stand, where all the big yellow buses go is a bit closer to town. An air-conditioned intercity bus from Colombo costs about Rs. 100 and from Kandy about Rs. 50.

Travelling in the train - The train from Colombo goes through Kandy as well but actually takes longer time than the bus. Even if you get travelsick, I recommend the train since it doesn't have to do all the winding along the bumpy roads. A second class train ticket from Colombo is about Rs 150. The only problem is that the train doesn't proceed go all the way to Nuwara Eliya. You'll have to get off at Nanu Oya and get a taxi (about Rs125) or bus (about Rs15).

Getting around the town - Nuwara Eliya is a small town and everything is within walking distance. However, three-wheelers are available near the Post Office and at Cargill's. A ride anywhere within town should cost Rs 30-50.

Day Trips - You can go by bus to just about anywhere or you can rent a van. Most of the taxis are available "downtown" - if you come up from the bus stand, you'll find a row of them on the left side of the street, from the temple to the market area.

Roads to Nuwara Eliya - From Colombo, there are two main routes to get to Nuwara Eliya - via Kandy or via Hatton. Both roads are narrow, bumpy and windy but both have incredible views. If you're coming by car or van, I would recommend the Hatton way. The road itself is a bit better, it's less busy and the climb is not quite as steep. Plus, you get to see the spectacular view from the St. Clair's Tea Center in Talawakalee. The Kandy road is neat too - the switch-backs at Ramboda are quite the experience. From Colombo, a rented van will cost Rs2000-3000. From Kandy Rs1000-2000.


Accommodation
The Grand Hotel - This is the main hotel in Nuwara Eliya and also the best. It's an old British colonial-style place. It has a pub (with billiards), two restaurants, several tourist shops and a beautiful lawn. The rooms in the new wing are much nicer. See this page.

Glendower - This spot is just down the road from the Grand - expensive but small and cute (hosts the King Prawn restaurant - see below).

St. Andrew's - This is owned by Jetwing Hotels (a big hotel chain in Sri Lanka). It's the second-largest hotel and it is currently expanding.

Windsor Hotel - This middle-range place, is in the centre of town.

Hill Club and Golf Club - These are very posh places (especially the Hill Club!) but usually for members-only. The Hill Club has the only tennis courts in town.

Along Badulla Rd, south of the town, there are many small places to stay that are quite cheap. I recommend the Ceybank Rest house.


Shopping
Laksala Gifts - This is the best place for tourist items. Good variety and cheap prices.

The Grand - The Grand has lots of tourist shops (silk, batiks, tea, masks, figurines...) but everything will be over-priced.

In April, dozens of temporary shops opened up between the bus stand and the racecourse. This is the best place to barter good deals on just about anything.

Mayura - This is a good store to buy saris, sarongs or other textiles. It also sells a variety of local music tapes. There are several shops nearby too, that are very similar.

Cargill's - This is the main grocery chain in Sri Lanka. The one in Nuwara Eliya is small with a limited selection but it's still the best place to go for Western-style groceries, alcohol or pharmaceutical items. There are also loads of small grocery shops throughout town where you can buy soft drinks or ice cream.

If you want the real taste of an Asian outdoor market, check out the Sunday fair, held behind Cargill's.