In order to do something special for my mother-in-laws birthday we did a day trip from GlenMyu Estate to Adisham Bungalow.
Adisham Bungalow is only a 45 minute drive from GlenMyu Estate. We were inspired to visit as some of our other guests at the hotel had visited in early June 2023 and remarked on how beautiful the gardens were. They also purchased some locally made produce which was on sale in the grounds of Adisham Monastery.
There are lots of activities and things to see on a day trip from GlenMyu Estate and we would suggest that Adisham Bungalow is a more relaxed and less strenuous place to visit. We have plenty of hikes in reach of GlenMyu Estate but often we find that guests are pretty tired by the time they reach us on their tour of the island.
Adisham Bungalow is a place that you can visit in the morning and be back at the estate to fully enjoy the five acres we have here.
Where is Adisham Bungalow?
The bungalow is located around 30 minutes drive (14 kilometres) from GlenMyu Estate on the Beragala – Hali Ela (A16) road.
Travel from GlenMyu Estate to Beragala Junction. Head towards Haputale Town. As you enter Haputale Town take the left hand turn towards the Police Station and continue on this road until you see the entrance sign to Adisham Hall (Bungalow).
The road gaping up to Adisham Bungalow is carpeted but it is quite narrow with the occasional passing area.
Adisham Bungalow, or Adisham Hall is a country house near Haputale, in the Badulla District, Sri Lanka.Â
Our Day Trip to Adisham Bungalow
After purchasing our entry tickets we walked through a beautifully manicured garden.
Stunning flowers in the manicured garden.
The courtyard at Adisham Bungalow.
We saw a wonderful views from the house looking down over the beautiful Sri Lankan Hill Country.
The garden is peppered with lots of cool things to see and read. Maybe you can get a little bit of inspiration for your garden!
Our summary of their day trip to Adisham Bungalow.
Some information about the history of the bungalow provided by the helpful guide.
Enjoying the stunning manicured gardens around Adisham Estate.
The Gardens at Adisham Bungalow
We were really amazed how beautifully kept the gardens were and the gardeners certainly do great work. There is a good range of flowers to see including coleus, roses, crotons and many more. There are also some mature trees that add to the landscape.
We really enjoyed reading the plaques around the garden with interesting and inspiring words. There was also some quirky weathervanes, garden furniture and a cute trike filled with flowers.
Adisham Hall
When you enter the three rooms in the bungalow you can get an idea of what it would be like living in this impressive building. The walls of the building are quite thick (perhaps two feet) which we were told retains the warmth of the fire in the fireplace mon colder days and evenings.Â
As you enter the first room there is a large comfortable sofa facing a welcoming fireplace. Although the rooms are dated and could do with a little more TLC, you can get a feel of what it would be like to live in this space. We were told that this was the study and you can envisage someone working and writing letters here in the last century. The windows are quite small but we were surprised by the amount of light in this room. Looking out through the windows where you enter the room you have a fabulous view of the Sri Lankan Hill country which was amazing.
The next room is a library and there are several bookcases with a variety of books inside. It feels right for this type of house. Again there is a fireplace to keep the room warm. It is worth looking at the carved elephants on the face of the fireplace reflecting its place in Sri Lanka.
In the final room, which is quite small, there is a display case with some artefacts from the last century including a fan (for warmer weather) typewriters, lamps, crockery and so on. there were also some glass frame pictures with a range of historic coins and noted inside.
Overall seeing the rooms was quite interesting. If you have visited country houses in the UK with the National Trust and English Heritage it is not comparable. However, if you can ignore the care that the artefacts would received in other museums, it is a really interesting place to visit.
Home-made jams and other things to tempt you!
When you enter the main courtyard which would have been the main entrance to the house you will see an old black  Morris Minor and the date stone on the entrance.
Opposite is another building which houses a small shop where you can purchase some of the jams, cordials and other produce made at Adisham Hall.
When should I visit Adisham Hall?
Like other places to visit in Sri Lanka we recommend getting there early. Adisham Hall is a popular tourist site with local Sri Lankans and we would recommend visiting before 12 noontime avoid any crowds.Â
You can read our article “The six best reasons for getting up early” which will explain further why getting to these sights early is the best thing to do.
Clearly, if the weather is not great and likely to rain, we would recommend visiting Adisham Bungalow on a dry day. The main reason for this is that for us the gardens were the highlight and it will only be pleasant if you are not avoiding showers.
Would we recommend a visit to Adisham Hall?
We were really surprised about what we experienced during our visit and would heartedly recommend visiting if you are interested in gardens and to learn a little bit of local history.Â
It’s a relaxing and less strenuous activity to do in the Sri Lankan Hill country and does not have to take up much of your day.
Adisham Estate’s entry fee of 100 rupees at time of writing (June 2023) makes it a bargain day out.
Opening Hours
Adisham Estate is open every day from 9 a.m. until 4.30 p.m.