Ella

Perched high in Sri Lanka's emerald hill country, Ella is a laid-back mountain village that has captured the hearts of travellers from around the world. The famous Nine Arch Bridge — a masterpiece of colonial-era railway engineering — frames perfectly against rolling tea estates and dense jungle. Hike to the summit of Little Adam's Peak for panoramic valley views, trek through lush tea plantations to Ella Rock, or simply watch clouds drift through the Ella Gap from a hilltop café. The train journey from Kandy to Ella through cascading waterfalls and mist-draped mountains is considered one of the most scenic rail routes on earth.