Up High in Sri Lanka
After a few hours on the train from Ella to Noneya and two fun bus rides with the locals, I finally got to Kandapola, a small village in Nuwara Eliya. The breeze was slightly colder in that part of Sri Lanka. The higher up the hill I went, the colder it got. It turns out that Kandapola is the coldest spot in the whole of the island. It is where Heritance Tea Factory is located on its own hill surrounded by endless fields of tea. I was very excited to be staying there. It is a tea factory that was converted into a classy boutique hotel. The tea factory within it is still functioning, but it was reduced in size. All the tea that is made in Heritance Tea Factory is only served and sold there. There is big machinery in the basement that works for half an hour around dinner time. It is fun to watch.
My room was comfortable and I had the prettiest view of fields upon fields of tea, but it was very cold. It was like British cold like 8-10 C and I was not prepared. There was a heater in the room, but the corner rooms get even colder. I wish I had a cardigan with me, but all my clothes were super summery.
The tea experiences at the hotel were my absolute favourite. You can read about them in details in the previous post: Sri Lankan Tea: from the tea leaf to the cup and even watch me participate in the youtube video: Perfect Cuppa: The story of Sri Lanka Tea.
The hotel is on it's own little hill and far away from town, so it's a good idea to just eat at the hotel otherwise it will be very tricky. I also didn't see any food options on the way. The breakfast was really yummy. The staff were really friendly and suggested some authentic Sri Lankan dishes for me to try. For dinner, I had the set menu and it was so delicious with a good number of options from international to Sri Lankan food. PS. The chicken is halal.
Along side the activities and the nature, Heritance Tea Factory have a spa and gym. I haven't tried them, but they seem nice.
Overall, I really enjoyed my stay and the staff were exceptional. I think it's nice to go there for a day or two to relax and get some tea and lovely cold breeze.
Thank you so much to Heritance Tea Factory for inviting me and giving this fabulous experience.