Sri Lanka ’26 #16: In Little England – Nuwara Eliya

Read this blog: The one where Matilda would like to send postcards

Sunday 15th March 2026

After the delicious welcome snack of chocolate dipped strawberries which the hotel provided on our arrival [see previous blog post], Matilda had been hopeful that strawberries would be readily available at breakfast. Sadly they never made a repeat appearance, despite us being in a prime strawberry growing area. Surprisingly there was a jar of pickled Scotch Bonnet peppers but it did not look as though this had never been opened. Matilda felt strawberries would have been far more popular.

Nuwara Eliya means the ‘city on the plain’ and we used PickMe to order a tuk tuk to take us from our hotel in the hills down into the town. Nuwara Eliya Post Office is a fine building and also a major central landmark so we asked to be dropped there.

One of the oldest post offices in Sri Lanka, the Nuwara Eliya Post Office was built by the British in 1894, rather unusually, in a red brick Tudor style with a clock tower.

In June 2017 the United Postal Trade Union went on a three-day strike in a successful protest against the government’s plans to sell this building [and the post offices in Kandy and Galle Fort] to private developers to convert into hotels.

Currently still a functioning post office and open even on a Sunday, the large, imposing wooden postbox inside made Matilda want to send postcards even though she does not know anyone living locally.

Opposite the Nuwara Eliya Post Office is one of the entrances to Victoria Park. We were obviously some of the first foreign visitors of the day as, when Robert handed over a 5,000LKR note, the ticket office did not have any change and we were told to return to collect it later in the day.

The park is well maintained and there was some impressive decorative planting in the shape of a peacock.

Victoria Park was named in 1897 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria [see Selfie of the day]. The Ova River runs through the park, creating a number of small lakes and when we visited staff were clearing the overgrown pond in the Japanese Garden.

Exiting the park at the other end we walked to Lake Gregory.

Lake Gregory is a reservoir, created in 1873 during the period of British Governor Sir William Gregory. As we were being asked to pay to walk round it we decided we would instead return to the centre as Matilda loves a restorative beverage in an old colonial setting. On the way we passed some very English architecture. This, coupled with the golf course and the race track make it seem like a home from home and indeed Nuwara Eliya is sometimes known as ‘Little England’. Even the advertisements for new houses would not look out of place in the Home Counties.

Nuwara Eliya Racecourse or the Royal Turf Club, stands at 1,868 metres [6,129 ft] above sea level and is one of the highest racecourses in the world. 

In 1956 horse racing was banned in Sri Lanka, partly to stop gambling and partly to prevent the perpetuation of elite, colonial-era entertainment. Both the Nuwara Eliya Racecourse and the Colombo Racecourse in Cinnamon Gardens were closed. The Colombo site was subsequently converted into an international rugby venue, so when horse racing was reintroduced to Sri Lanka in 1981 the Nuwara Eliya Racecourse became the only surviving race track in the country.

The city is certainly very equestrian-minded. Whereas in some cities cows are seen tethered by the side of roads, here in Nuwara Eliya there are ponies grazing in all sorts of unexpected places.

On our way to The Grand Hotel, we passed the Chayathi Stupa which is a white stupa rising about twenty feet high at the International Buddhist Centre in the centre of the town.

We also passed the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club. This 18-hole, par 71 course was established in 1889, making it one of the oldest golf clubs in Asia. Located at 6,000 feet above sea level, it nestles amongst tea plantations and eucalyptus trees.

The Governor of Sri Lanka, Sir Edward Barnes built himself a bungalow in 1827, known as Barnes Hall, which would later become The Grand Hotel.

In 1831 Barnes left Sri Lanka and the house he had built was initially rented to his successor as governor before being converted into a luxury hotel.

It has undergone several extensions and modifications since then and is now described on its website “as a symbol of timeless elegance, blending historical charm with modern comforts”.

Back at our hotel, Matilda decided to go for a swim. Only one other guest came to use the pool while she was there and she enjoyed being able to swim with a view of the lush green tea plantations. While she was in the pool, Robert was in the Sky Lounge, watching the rain [see Video of the day]. We both enjoyed being slightly cooler and the fresh feeling after the rain. We even took our fleeces out of the bottom of our suitcases.

Video of the day:

Selfie of the day:

Route Map: