Welcome to everyone’s favorite hill-country village, and the place to ease off the
travel accelerator with a few leisurely days resting in your choice of some of the
country’s best guesthouses. The views through Ella Gap are stunning, and on a
clear night you can even spy the subtle glow of the Great Basses lighthouse on Sri
Lanka’s south coast. Don’t be too laid-back though; definitely make time for
easygoing walks through tea plantations to temples, waterfalls and viewpoints. After building up a hiking-inspired appetite, look forward to Sri Lanka’s best
home-cooked food and a reviving cuppa. In recent years, Ella’s popularity has soared and the town’s attractiveness has
been somewhat compromised by some multistorey concrete eyesores.

• Newburgh Green Tea Factory

The tours at this green-tea factory are pretty rushed and the guide may or may
not be informative – some are more intent on flogging leaves. Newburgh is
owned by Finlays, one of the world’s larger tea producers. It’s a half-hour walk
from town.