Surrounded by mist-covered tea plantations and cloud forests, Ella is a small town in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. It’s accessed along a magnificent train journey from Kandy and is a popular base for trekking, while it’s also home to one of the country’s most impressive architectural landmarks, the Nine Arch Bridge.
Things to do in Ella
For panoramic views across the southern plains of Sri Lanka, follow the hiking trail that leads to the lookout of Ella Rock. It’s particularly atmospheric in the early morning when a heavy mist blankets the area. Another popular trek nearby leads up Little Adam's Peak, which winds through tea plantations en route to its 1,141-metre-high summit.
An architectural highlight of Ella is the Nine Arch Bridge, a colonial-era viaduct bridge completed in 1921. It is located between the Ella and Demodara railway stations and was originally intended to be built with steel before the outbreak of World War I. With the relocation of steel for Britain’s war efforts, the local Ceylonese builders completed it with stone bricks and cement.
Nestled in the mountains west of Ella is Dowa Rajamaha Viharaya, a 2,000-year-old rock temple famed for its unfinished Buddha statue. This 12-metre-high rock carving is a striking example of Mahayana-style sculpture and legend tells that it was created by King Walagamba himself. Don’t miss the shrine room, which is decorated with Kandyan-era paintings depicting the Jataka tales.
Getting around Ella
Ella is just under two hours’ drive from Nuwara Eliya and 3.5 hours from Kandy. Colombo and Bandaranaike International Airport are a little under five hours away. Regular trains connect to the Ella railway station and the town is compact enough to explore on foot.