Addhisham

Journey to a Benedictine Monastery, brought stone by stone from Scotland by Sir Thomas Villiers (an English aristocrat and planter). Before becoming the present-day monastery, Addisham was the country house for Sir Thomas Villiers and was modeled on the Leeds Castle in Kent, England. The famous Thangamale Bird Sanctuary adjoins it.

Bandarawela Town

Located in the hill country, this town was once a holiday hot spot during the colonial period. Still a lively area, it is best when visited during the pola – or Sunday Market. While you walk around town, you will notice a few buildings of British architecture, namely the Bandarawela Hotel, the Cargills building, and the Tennis Club. It should also be noted that Bandarawela was also where Boer prisoners of war were once kept.

Bogoda Wooden Bridge

The Bogoda Bridge was built entirely out of wooden planks in the 16th century and is said to be the oldest surviving wooden bridge.
It has a tiled roof structure which spans the entire length of the bridge (approximately 50 feet in length and 6 feet wide). Nearby is the Bogoda Buddhist temple, which dates back to about the 1st century BC (during the Anuradhapura period). A stone inscription in the Brahmi script is located by the temple.

Buduruwagala

Buduruwagala, “the rock of Buddhist sculptures”, contains 7 rock-cut sculptures dating back to the approximately the 10 century AD. They belong to the Buddhist Mahayana school of thought. The central figure is the Buddha, who stands tall at 51 feet. Flanked on either side of Buddha are two trios of Boddhisattvas. The trio to the right of Buddha is an unidentified Boddhisattva, Boddhisattva Maitreya (the Future Buddha), and Vajrapani, on the extreme right. The trio to the left of Buddha is Sudhanakumar, Avalokitesvara, and his consort Tara.

Diyaluma Falls

The Diyaluma Waterfall is 220m high, the second highest waterfall in Sri Lanka. In Sinhala, Diyaluma or Diya Haluma means “rapid flow of water”. According to Dr. R.L. Brohier, the famous historian, Diyaluma is the setting of a folklore about a tragedy involving a young King and the love he had for a woman of a different class.

Haputalé Pass

The Haputalé Pass offers a stupendous view of the valley below. It is better known as the location where Keppitipola kept the British
at bay from reaching mountains of Uva at the time of British colonization.

Horton Plains

A plateau at an altitude of 2,100-2,300 meters, Horton Plains National Park is home to leopards, samburs, and birds endemic to Sri Lanka. At the southern boundary of the park is World’s End, a sheer precipice with an 870m drop. Another cliff known as the Small World’s End (270m) is located not far from World’s End. Baker’s Falls and Slab Rock Falls are both waterfalls that can be found within the park.

Kataragama

Kataragama is a pilgrimage site visited by Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and indigenous Vedda communities of Sri Lanka and South India. The site of Kataragama is believed to be the abode of Lord Skanda, the Hindu god of war, where he found a simple village belle with whom he settled down. There is also an ancient Buddhist stupa, the Kiri Vihara.

Lipton's Seat

Drive to the spot where the famous Thomas Lipton stood and gazed over his tea plantation. The point has a fabulous view over Uva, the Southern province, Sabaragamuwa, and the Central and Eastern provinces.

Maligawila

Maligawila is the site of several important archaeological pieces, including a free-standing limestone statue of Buddha (11 or 12m).
A statue of Avalokitesvara, approximately 10 meters, also stands there. These statues, which were discovered in the 1950s and restored between 1989 and 1991, are believed to have been commissioned by the 7th century prince Agghabodhi.

Ravana Ella

Ravana Ella currently ranks as one of the widest falls in the country. The fall is named after the legendary Hindu King Ravana from the Hindu epic the Ramayana. Behind the falls is the Ravana Ella Cave, which is said to be the spot where King Ravana hid Princess Sita when he kidnapped and carried her from India to Sri Lanka.

St. Andrew’s Church

On the outskirts of Haputalé town is St. Andrew’s Church. The churchyard is filled with tombstones of the 19th century British tea planters. Some of the epitaphs create lovely stories of planters who made Ceylon their home and never wanted to return to England. The grave of Reverend Walter Stanley Senior (1876-1938), author of the “Ode to Lanka”, can be found here.

Udawalawe National Park

Udawalawe National Park is home to elephants and water birds. It was created to provide a sanctuary for wild animals displaced by the construction of the Udawalawe reservoir on the Walawe River, as well as to protect the catchment of the reservoir.

Yala National Park

Yala National Park is the second largest national park in Sri Lanka. It comprises a number of ecosystems ranging from monsoon forests to fresh water wetlands. Yala is home to a variety of wild animals, including leopards. It is also considered an important home for birds. Sithulpahuwa and Magul Vihara, two important pilgrimage sites, fall within the boundaries of the park.