Our 3 Favourite Places in Sri Lanka
Our 3 Favourite Places in Sri Lanka
Our 3 favourite places in Sri Lanka
Having lived in the Sri Lankan Hill country for the past six years, it’s an easy choice to pick our favourite 3 places.
Of course GlenMyu Estate would automatically be number one, however here are our favourite places to visit in the Sri Lankan hills.
You may be surprised that Ella, Nine Arch Bridge and Little Adam’s Peak don’t make our list.
They are a little too touristy for us!
Our guests tend to agree
When guests ask for recommendations on what to do and see when they stay at GlenMyu Estate, we are always happy to help.
It’s amazing how many things that you can do when staying in the Sri Lankan Hill Country.Â
The opening of the Pekoe Trail in 2023 added a new dimension to what we typically would recommend.Â
There are several sections of the trail within reach of GlenMyu Estate and we have already had several guests complete stages 12 and 13 of the Pekoe Trail.
Our 3 favourite places to visit in Sri Lanka.
Here are our three favourite places to visit in Sri Lanka when staying at GlenMyu Estate.
1. Diyaluma Waterfall and Upper Diyaluma Waterfall.
Diyaluma Waterfall is the second tallest waterfall in Sri Lanka. Bambarakanda Waterfall is the highest and is also within reach of GlenMyu Estate.
It’s number one on our list for many reasons. Embarrassingly, we were a little late finding out about this amazing place. It was only when some German guests invited us to accompany them that we discovered this gem.
What and where?
The second tallest waterfall in Sri Lanka is a spectacular sight, especially when there is good water flow.
Here is a video of Diyaluma Waterfall from the roadside that was taken in January 2024.
Diyaluma Waterfall and Upper Diyaluma Pools are around 45 minutes drive from GlenMyu Estate.
The main waterfall is located on the A4 road between Koslanda and Wellawaya.
Diyaluma Waterfall can be viewed from the main A4 road between Beragala and Wellawaya.
There is a small road that takes you to the start of the twenty minute hike to visit Upper Diyaluma Waterfall and pools.
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The advantage of staying at GlenMyu Estate
There is a good reason to stay at GlenMyu Estate if you want to visit Upper Diyaluma Waterfall.
We are only a 45 minute drive from the waterfall.
If you don’t like crowds and are willing to get up early, then you are more likely to have a unique experience.
The crowds from Ella and Haputale are further from the falls and therefore if you get there early you may have this amazing environment all to yourself.
In January 2024, my best friend and my godson went early to Upper Diyaluma Waterfall and we were the only people there.
We saw our first tourist arrive as we finished our hike and dip in the pools.
2. Horton Plains National Park
This UNESCO World Heritage Site is our second favourite place to visit in Sri Lanka.
This National Park is located in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. It was designated as a National Park in 1988.
The park is at an elevation of 2,100–2,300 m (6,900–7,500 ft). It covers an area of  31.6 km² (3,169 hectares).
It’s unique landscape on the island consists of ecosystems such as Montane evergreen forests, grasslands, marshy lands and aquatic ecosystem.
3 places to stop and catch you breath (and take those Instagram pics!)
Flora and Fauna
Another highlight of Horton Plains is the flora and fauna you will see there.
Horton Plains’ vegetation is grasslands interspersed with montane forest. It includes many endemic woody plants.
And there are lots of different fauna to see (if you are lucky!).
Sambar Deer is the most commonly seen faunal species in the park. You can normally see them on the plains as you enter the park. There may even be a large male who hangs around by the car park.
Other fauna include the Montane Toque Macaque, the Slender Loris, the Long Clawed Shrew. The park is also home to twelve species of endemic birds.
And even some Leopards!
It is unusual to spot a leopard in Horton Plains National Park.
However, we did have guests from  Austria that saw one as they left the park in March 2024.
Ghost of the Clouded Plains is a book which was published in 2023 documenting the leopards there.Â
It is Photographer/Naturalist Sankha Wanniatchi’s first book venture and captures over 8 years of intense study on the Leopard of Horton Plains.
You can see more details of the book at the following link to Barefoot Ceylon.
3. Lipton's Seat, Haputale
We first visited Lipton’s Seat many years ago before we were living in the country.
Unfortunately, we didn’t really appreciate the beauty of the viewing place of Sir Edward Lipton at the time.
We made the mistake of getting to the top of Lipton’s Seat too late on in the day and we didn’t get a good view of the landscape.
Our Australian guests set us right
In November 2023 our Australian guests, Matt and Millie left GlenMyu Estate early in the morning to catch the sunrise at Lipton’s Seat,
November is not the best month to sight see in the Hill country as there is a bit of rain before the drier peak seasons of Late December to April,
How wrong we were!
Matt and Millie really set us right about Lipton’s Seat.Â
Look at the amazing experience they had watching the sunrise. We were bowled over.
Walking through the tea plantation
And a tea factory tour
Matt and Millie finished of the experience by doing a Tea Factory tour at Dambetenne Tea Factory.
The tea factory offers regulars tours which will provide you with the knowledge of where you tea comes from and how it is processed.
Our top 3 favourite places in Sri Lanka - Summary
- Diyaluma and Upper Diyaluma
- Horton Plains National Park.
- Lipton’s Seat
Stay at GlenMyu Estate to visit the Sri Lankan Hill Country.
A stay at GlenMyu Estate as you explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country and see sights like Diyaluma Waterfall, Horton Plains and Litpon’s Seat.
We only have three bedrooms and you will need to book early during the peak holiday season.
The estate is usually within an hours drive of the major sightseeing locations such as Nine Arch Bridge, Ella Town, Â Bambarakanda Waterfall and many more,
GlenMyu Estate is listed on Booking.com and Airbnb.
Contact us by the WhatsApp button on our website for direct booking rates.
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