kandy to ella, sri lanka:

The train trip from Kandy to the hill town of Ella is often described as one of the most beautiful train trips in the world. The seven hour journey weaves its way through the lush tea plantations that Sri Lanka is so famous for, taking in breathtaking views from the hilltops whilst giving a small glimpse of everyday life in this part of the country.
There was also something quite old world and romantic about the journey, arriving at old colonial-era stations and imagining what it was like fifty, and a hundred years ago - how had it changed, if at all?

The train journey was one of the highlights of our trip and something that is a must, even if it means travelling a smaller section of the trip (eg Nuwara Eliya to Ella). If you want more information on the train, booking tickets etc, Seat 61 is extremely helpful and I'd highly recommend giving it a read.

Enjoy the snaps!

Next: the hill town of Ella.

the beautiful train timetable

waiting at Kandy station

getting amongst the tea plantations

a tea factory

kandy, sri lanka - part two:

Kandy Lake

We really loved Kandy.  It had long been a city that intrigued me, with my grandparents originally planning on marrying there (my grandfather was working in the region, and my grandmother was to meet him in Kandy for their wedding), however due to my grandfather having to extend his stay in Bombay (Mumbai today) due to his work, they married there instead. I could see why they wanted to marry there - it's a beautiful area with a real air of romance.

Our second day in the city was jam-packed and included visiting the Botanical Gardens at Preradeniya, the Temple of the Tooth, the central market, a bit of antique perusing/shopping, circumnavigating the lake and lots of eating. We didn't intend for it to be a busy day, just wanting to roll with it, as it it very much depended on how our little guy was handling it. But he was loving every minute and slept like a dream when it came to nap time (I carried him a Solly wrap).

A particular favourite part of Kandy for me, were the flower sellers outside of the Temple of the Tooth. The aroma and stunning blooms were really beautiful and added nicely to the ambience of the area - so that explains why there are quite a few snaps!

That's all from Kandy, a short but very sweet stay.

Next: aboard one of the world's most beautiful trains trips.

the Temple of the Tooth

gardens surrounding the temple

I was so drawn to flower markets outside of the temple

 

Kandy central market

walking around Kandy Lake at dusk