Other Attractions
The Nuwara Eliya Golf Club
7.4 Km 13 Mins
The oldest of them all golf clubs in Sri Lanka, the 18-hole golf course - The Nuwara Eliya Golf Club was established in the late 19th century at the Hill Station Nuwara Eliya.
The Scottish soldier Gordon Highlanders had big dreams of creating a place of classy entertainment for the British Servicemen and officials who were working at Nuwara Eliya. And in 1889 The Nuwara Eliya Golf Club was established covering 40.5 hectares of land and was built in the middle of tea plantations of the central highlands.
The course is 1830 metres above the sea level – and that is 6000ft above. If and when you decide that you must visit the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club – dress is important. The standards are such that you should be wearing shirts and trousers or either shorts of ‘respectable’ length. The location features a convivial wood-lined bar and a billiard room where the cozy dinner contains a blend of English cuisine and an increasing number of Asian Dishes, which became quite famous among the British.
The club currently has more than 2000 members, but you can become an invited temporary member and play the field – plus you can hire all golf equipment here as well. So no need to pack up for a Gentlemen’s Game of Golf!
Ambewela Farm & New Zealand Farm
13.7 Km / 35 Mins
You will be able to find 02 farms in Nuwara Eliya – The Ambewela Farm and The New Zealand Farm. You will be able to find the Ambewela farm before reaching Ambewela and the New Zealand Farm while passing 1km from Ambewela. The Ambewela Farm a beautiful reservoir, a Seed Potato Producing Center, a Vegetable Farm, endless grasslands full of captivating greenery, Rabbits, Cattle, Pigs, Goats and Cows. You will require no special permission to visit the farm but must make sure of the times.
At 12.30 noon everyday there will be a demonstration on how the far gets milk from the cow using an electronic machine. In this gigantic grasslands lies a Cheese factory, a Goat Yard separately and thousands of animals here and there rubbing their mouth on the green grass.
Both of the New Zealand Farm and Ambewela Farm are controlled by the same authority, and the New Zealand farm happens to be a part of the Ambewela Farm. The New Zealand Farm is equipped with pure bred Friesian Cows and also a pure line of Cattle. The rich diet of the cows and sterilized water is regularly provided matching international standards to maintain the high quality – plus excellent healthcare and attention round the clock. You can not only witness how the cows milked, but also how they are fed, how cheese, butter, yoghurt is made and jump up and across the grasslands recreating a scenery of the Sound of Music!
Ambewela Aitken Spence Wind Farm
11.8 Km / 28 Mins away
One of the few wind farms in Sri Lanka, yet situated at the highest above sea level is the Ambewela Aitken Spence Wind Farm which is considered ‘mini’ in size. The Wind Farm is owned and operated by Ace Wind Power a subsidiary of the Aitken Spence.
Any visitor could see the gigantic wind turbines rising up from the greenlands like alien sculptures. As of the year 2012 – it had been active as one of the few operating wind farms in Sri Lanka where it contains 12 wind turbines which adds up 250KW each (totalling upto 3MW) to the National Power Supply.
Historical Post Office Building
6.3 Km / 12 Mins away
Call it the ‘Nuwara Eliya Thapal Kaaryaalaya’, and that is how exactly the people of Sri Lanka call their oldest Post Office situated in the center of the Nuwara Eliya City. Once again like most constructions in the town, this was also built by the British in 1894 to the unique Tudor-style – as a two storied red brick building and a clock spire.
But to the great deal of attraction since year 2012, the top floor which was supposed to be the living quarters of the post master was converted as a tourist accommodation. How would you picture it spending a night and waking up inside a post office?
The building is designated an archaeological monument falling under the care of the Department of Archaeology. Due to its importance on the 26th of December 1990 – The World Postal Day, Sri Lanka Post issued a Rs. 10 stamp with a photograph of the post office.
This older than the independence of the country is a replication of the influence of British governance in Sri Lanka and is just the right place for a good capture.
Nuwara Eliya Racecourse
5.6 Km / 10 Mins away
The one and only race course remaining in Sri Lanka is 1868 metres (6129 ft.) above the sea level, which is also one of the highest of the world. And the race track is 1800 metres circumference with around 300 metres of straight distance. The Governor Samuel Baker’s brother John Baker is known for introducing horse racing to Nuwara Eliya and it all began with him creating a training course on the hill for his English thoroughbreds.
If you are interested to know when the first race meeting was held at Nuwara Eliya, it runs back to 1875 with the organization of the Nuwara Eliya Gymkhana Club. And these meetings were held continuously until the 1900s and the current race course was laid in path. The racecourse and its buildings were offered to be managed by the Colombo-based Ceylon Turf Club and horse racing peaked in the 190s in the country. With the ban horse racing experienced the Colombo Race course was turned to a Rugby ground and when the horse racing ban was removed in 1981 Nuwara Eliya Race Course was the only one remaining.
You can witness 5 major Horse Racing meets during the April Season, especially the Governor’s Cup – 9 furlong race for Class I thoroughbreds which is held generally on the 14th April 1833. And some meets are also held in August and December.
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February – Independence Cup – 1800m (9 furlongs) – Class I thoroughbreds
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April – Governor’s Cup – 1800m (9 furlongs) – Class I thoroughbreds
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April – Queen’s Cup – 2000m (10 furlongs) – Class II thoroughbreds
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April – Sunquick Cup – 1400m (7 furlongs) – Class I thoroughbreds
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August – Brown’s Cup – 1400m (7 furlongs) – Class I thoroughbreds
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December– Prime Cup – 1400m (7 furlongs) – Class I thoroughbreds (handicap)
As April is considered the season for Nuwara Eliya the Race course would not keep you awaiting with all the special packages and accommodation availabilities with early bookings.
Nine Arch Bridge
54.3 Km / 1 Hr 50 Mins away
A massive and unbelievable construction built between the two railway stations of Demodara and Ella in the British Colonial Era is the Demodara Nine Arch Bridge. 3100 feet above the sea level with 99.6 feet height in the bridge is also called the ‘the ahas namaye paalama’ – The Nine Skies Bridge. This bridge which was finished in the 1921 is solely made out of solid rocks, bricks and cement without the usage of a single piece of steel.
Don’t get panicked! The story how this was built is as strong as the bridge itself. While the bridge was under construction the World War I broke out and the supplying of steel had to stop as it had other major usages at war. As the work was halted the locals presented themselves and built the bridge with solid rocks and cement with their own hands.
You can either take a walk on the rail track having a good idea of the rail times between Demodara and Ella stations or take the train itself to capture an unbelievable view from one end to the other of the curved track of Nine Arches.