Sri Lanka, known as “The Pearl of the Indian Ocean”, is one of the most beautiful and pristine locations in the world. If you have always thought about it as a beach destination only, let me stop you right there! From tranquil beaches to beautiful temples and some exotic hilly regions, Sri Lanka has so much to offer. Kandy and Nuwara Eliya are the two regions that will surely change your mind! Here’s how.
Sri Lanka’s Scenic Hilly Regions You Must Visit
When one talks about Sri Lanka, I am sure you all imagine its pristine beaches and exotic blue waters, but did you know that this little island country also has some hilly regions to surprise you?
The cultural capital of Sri Lanka and the indisputable center of culture and history on the island is Kandy, also known as the City of Kings. From here, you can explore all that the hilly region has to offer, including the world’s greatest train ride.
By virtue of its strategic location and inaccessible topography, the formidable historic Kingdom of Kandy withstood the advances of Portuguese and Dutch settlers during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, emerging as the final stronghold of independent Ceylon. By doing this, the city was able to hold onto its own traditions, culture, and artistic expression that had been severely suppressed in other parts of the nation until 1815, when it was eventually overthrown by British rule.
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Temple Of The Sacred Tooth Relic
All of Kandy’s top tourist destinations are built upon the city’s numerous important cultural and historic sites, which are testaments to the city’s ongoing commitment to cultural preservation. The most well-known of these is the Temple of the Tooth Relic, which is considered to be home to a piece of Buddha’s tooth and is considered to be the most significant sacred site in Buddhism.
The tooth relic was delivered to the island by Princess Hemamali and her husband, Prince Dantha, and is said to have been stored in Kalinga, India, after Gautama Buddha’s Mahaparinirvana (death).
Hemmamali hid the relic in her hair while traveling to the island. They landed on the island of Lankapattana and presented the tooth object during the reign of Sirimeghavanna of Anuradhapura (301-328).
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Sri Lanka’s Little England
The city of Nuwara Eliya is located in central Sri Lanka’s tea country hills. The organically designed Hakgala Botanical Gardens have blue magpies and monkeys in addition to roses and tree ferns. The Seetha Amman Temple, a vibrant Hindu shrine nearby, is embellished with images of holy people.
Flycatchers and Bulbuls are among the indigenous and migratory bird species that are found here. They are found in the densely forested Galway’s Land National Park. The extensive cultivation of fruits, vegetables, and flowers that are typically associated with temperate Europe. It is one of the unique characteristics of Nuwara Eliya’s countryside.
The steeper slopes of this “Little England” are covered in terraces bearing potatoes, carrots, leeks, and roses, dotted with tea plants. This highland region’s slow-growing tea plants yield some of the best orange pekoe tea in the world.
Have you ever been here?
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva
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