The Tea Lover's Wonderland: Nuwara Eliya

Tea Gardens and St. Claire's waterfall

Sri Lanka holds a comfortable spot when discussing the best tea producing countries  of the world, it is famous for its prized produce-The Ceylon Tea.

A country known for the superior blends it produces, the best lot comes from a town called Nuwara Eliya which is located in the central highlands. Known as ‘Little England’ during the colonial era, this name holds true even today. Lush greenery and the rich aroma of tea are the first things you will notice in this quaint little town. The architecture here takes you back to an era when the British Colonialists treated this place as their summer retreat. With a pleasant climate, this is a perfect getaway for the locals and definitely a must visit in the list of tourists. It is in fact Sri Lanka’s most popular hill station, the country’s highest mountain- The Pidurutalagala is located here.

Nuwara Eliya is the most important tea producing location in Sri Lanka. Biggies like Mlesna, Mackwoods and Dilmah have their plantations here. A visit to a local tea plantation and factory is a must. Here you can see how tea is made and graded and you can sit down surrounded by a beautiful landscape as you sip on to a freshly brewed cup of the best Ceylon tea. During my stay here I had the chance to visit the Mackwoods Tea Estate and Factory and what an enriching experience it was! For a tea lover this place is an absolute delight.

Mackwoods Tea Estate and Factory

A visit to Lake Gregory at dusk completes the hill station experience here, you can go boating or even zorbing for that matter here! Nuwara Eliya also has one of the finest eighteen hole golf courses in South Asia.

The Grand Hotel

A perfect stay here would be at the Grand Hotel, a beautiful hotel with British architecture and one of the best Indian restaurants in town. Built in 1891, this was actually the residence of the then Governor of Sri Lanka, Sir Edward Barnes. I would simply describe this as colonial luxury at its best!

Seetha Kovil Temple and Hanuman's footprints

Nuwara Eliya also holds religious importance as it homes the ‘Seetha Kovil’ temple. If local folklore is to be believed then it is this place where Ravana had held Goddess Sita captive and Lord Hanuman met her for the first time here. A pair of deep impressions on the rocks there are believed to be the footprints of Hanuman. 

The drive from Colombo is long but definitely worth it. The roads are long but not bland, covered with Lushscapes and numerous waterfalls the drive is a pleasant one. Nuwara Eliya is connected by road as well as rail from Colombo.

Wine,Music and an Experience:Sulafest

Nasik is best known as the wine hub of the country. It is the home to the vineyards of the country’s most popular wine brand “Sula”.

Wine making anyone?!

Sula Vineyards is the perfect weekend getaway for someone living in Pune or Bombay. Lush greenery and a pollution free environment awaits you there. The property also has a beautiful resort where one can spend a relaxed weekend learning all about wines. From wine tours and wine tasting to grape stomping, Sula promises to make you ‘Winewise”!

For those who are actually looking to mix there Vino with a little bit of music, the perfect time to visit the vineyards is during its annual festival called the Sulafest. A heady mix of music, wine,  culture and art, this fest seems like the desi version of Woodstock! 

This year’s fest took place on the 4^th and 5^th of February. Having experienced the Sulafest 2012 , I can safely say that this is definitely one of the best music festivals in the country. A two day soiree in a beautiful setting is what gets the ball rolling. With so much to experience you only wish this lasted more than two days. Start your mini vacay with cheese and crackers and a bottle of Chenin Blanc at the Tasting Room before you head towards the massive amphitheatre to catch the brilliant live performances or you could just grab some tapas and sangria from one of the stalls there and laze around on the sprawling lawns. If that doesn’t work for you then how about a wine tour and some grape stomping to set the mood!

Tipriti from Soulmate

Sulafest 2012 included some brilliant performances by the likes of Dualist Inquiry, Soulmate, Blackstratblues, Papon and The East India Company, Reggae Rajahs and Nitin Sawhney. Spread over two days the variety of the music ranged from Blues and Electronic to Reggaeton and Lounge. The USP of this year’s lineup was Nitin Sawhney, it was his first performance in the country, though personally I felt it was Shillong’s Blues giant Soulmate that rocked the stage. Just being there with some good wine and the energy of the live music is surreal, something like a fantasy. You are bound to feel like a flower child from the seventies!You are highly encouraged to bring out the Hippie in you!

The Tasting Room

Sulafest is not just another music festival, it is but an experience. It may be a wine and music fest but you also have access to other spirits and good old beer. So for those of you who are not too keen on wine, there is a lot to choose from. For the gourmet cuisine seekers you can treat your palate to tapas or even sushi! One can even buy kitschy memorabilia from the many stalls selling their funky wares, Bob Marley hip flasks anyone?

If you missed it this year then you should definitely watch out for it in 2013 and clear your dates. One word of advice, its best to make your hotel bookings well in advance as Nasik can get very crowded during the Fest and it will be very difficult to find accommodation. 

A three hour drive from Bombay the vineyards can be easily reached by road. And if you are just looking to visit the vineyards then the best time to go there is between November and February. If you are looking for cheaper accomodation options, then there are many budget hotels where you can check in.