How to reach Nuwara Eliya for your vacation?

When your vacations are around the corner, you automatically do one thing. Searching for great destinations that soothe your mind and body. If you have already chosen Sri Lanka as your next holiday destination, Nuwara Eliya is sure to become one of the must-visit towns during your tour. How to reach this amazing town? What will you do there? Let’s find out!

Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka

Located in the beautiful central hills of Sri Lanka, Nuwara Eliya is a town that’s very much different from other parts of the country. Starting from its weather conditions, every other factor including the surrounding environment, architecture, and even the tourist attractions, is different here when compared to the rest of the island. There are many places to visit in this amazingly beautiful town, and you will also love the cultural mix you get to see among the community that lives here.

Reaching Nuwara Eliya

If you are wondering to take a direct flight to Nuwara Eliya, that’s a No-No, because this town (although it’s a very popular tourist city) does not have an international airport. No matter where you are from, you will have to come to the Bandaranaike International Airport- located in Katunayaka (about 32 km away from the Commercial Capital of Sri Lanka- Colombo) by air and then take your transport to Nuwara Eliya.

From the airport to Nuwara Eliya, there is around 155 km and that means a journey of approximately 4.5 hours.

Getting to Nuwara Eliya – Option 01

If you are interested in exploring the true sense of scenic beauty, you should not miss this out! Take a train ride to Nuwara Eliya and you will cherish every moment of it for sure. Nuwara Eliya, itself, doesn’t have a railway station, but taking the train to Nanu Oya which is just 10 km away from Nuwara Eliya is an option. From Nanu Oya to Nuwara Eliya, you can either take a tuk-tuk or the bus, of which the bus ride will be cheaper.

Well, this ride can take more time than average (around 7-8 hours), but you won’t get fed up or tired because you have many things to do during the ride. Explore the lush tea states, gigantic mountains, and mesmerising waterfalls on the way, and do not also forget to explore how the weather changes when you slowly reach your destination.

Getting to Nuwara Eliya – Option 02

The second option is to get to Nuwara Eliya by road. You can either opt for bus transportation or a ride in a taxi. Luxury, semi-luxury, and normal buses are there for you to choose from if you wish to take a bus ride. An average bus ride will have many stops in between, but if you opt for a luxury or semi-luxury ride, you can reach the destination much faster as they don’t stop at every bus halt.

If you wish to have a more personalised mode of transportation, you can hire a cab/ taxi for you and then reach your destination. This will be an expensive option, but you can freely enjoy your journey according to your schedule.

Getting around the city

So, as mentioned earlier, Nuwara Eliya has many exciting attractions. Victoria Park, Seetha Amman Hindu Shrine, Lake Gregory, Moon Plains, and Hakgala Botanical Garden are just some of them. If you plan to holiday at any of the hotels in Mandaramnuwara, you can even visit these attractions by bus if you have time. If not, properties such as Tea & Experience Factory are also ready to make comfortable transport arrangements for their visitors upon their request.

If you take the bus, worry not- the bus conductors deal with a lot of foreigners, and they quickly understand the destination you want to reach and give you tickets accordingly. If you need any assistance, locals living in this area will be more than willing to help you out, and sometimes they will even drop you at the place you want to go to, without any monetary or non-monetary benefit expectation in return.