Surrounded by rolling hills blanketed in tea plantations and cloud forests, Haputale is a charming town in the heart of southern Sri Lanka. It serves as a gateway to the Hill Country, which is renowned for its spectacular national parks and landmarks dating back to British Colonial rule.
Things to do in Haputale
For sweeping views across the tea plantations surrounding Haputale, embark on a sunrise hike to Lipton’s Seat. It is said to have been a favourite destination for Sir Thomas Lipton, who founded the famous tea company. After soaking up the panoramas, you can descend through the tea plantations to the historic Dambatenne Tea Factory, which was established by Lipton in 1890.
On the western outskirts of Haputale is St. Benedict's Monastery, which occupies a stately stone mansion built by Thomas Lister Villiers in 1931. Also known as Adisham Bungalow, it is open to the public as a museum and feautres beautifully landscaped gardens. It lies on the edge of the Thangamale Bird Sanctuary where you can embark on long walks accompanied by mountainous views.
Haputale is an ideal base for exploring Horton Plains National Park, which encompasses montane grasslands and cloud forests that are rich in biodiversity. It is particularly famed for World’s End, a sheer cliff face that plunges 1,200 metres and offers views all the way to the Indian Ocean on a clear day. Also not to miss is Baker’s Falls, which tumbles spectacularly along the Belihul Oya River.
Getting around Haputale
Haputale is around four hours’ drive from Kandy and 4.5 hours from Colombo. Bandaranaike International Airport is just under five hours away and has flights to destinations across the globe. Regular trains connect to the Haputale railway station and the town is small enough to explore on foot. Rickshaws are readily available for getting around.