Haputale as a place to stay

Hi there

I am planning a trip to Sri Lanka for 2 weeks in february. I am looking to spend some time in the hill country after visiting Kandy for 2 days.

I am looking to visit Nuwara Eliya, Horton Plains, Worlds End and also the town of Ella but I don%26#39;t want to keep changing accommodation!

Can anyone recommend Haputale as a good place to stay for about 4 or 5 nights? Geographically it looks like a good %26#39;base%26#39;. What with the political situation at present would this be a safe place, as I read that Haputale is largely a Tamil town?

Thanks,

Lewis

Haputale as a place to stay

Hi Lewis,

Perfect place to stay if you%26#39;re happy with the accomodation there, which is mostly guesthouses. And very safe politically - ALL of the hill country is mostly inhabited by Tamils but these are %26#39;India Tamils%26#39;, quite distinct from the %26#39;Lanka Tamils%26#39; which are the main source of the political/ethnic struggle. Important differences being, a.o., that India Tamils hardly ever own land/houses because they are estate labourers.

All the best,

%26lt;Erik%26gt; %26amp; [Sandya]

Haputale as a place to stay

HI Lewis,

I agree with everything Erik has said regarding Haputale...It is the ideal place to stay for the hill country.

Although, the hills around are inhabited by Tamil tea pickers, extremely friendly and welcoming and the town by basically a Moslem population. Every where around there I%26#39;ve allways been welcomed by huge smiles and the further you get from the ';beaten track '; the bigger the smiles get.

OK, it doesn%26#39;t have the 5 star hotel infrastructure but try,

The Sri Lak View Holiday Inn,

48 Sherwood Road,

Haputale.

Tel; +94-(0)-57-2268125

This is a fantastic guest house set on a ridge at the bottom end of town. Away from the trafic so no noise, ( except the faithful being called to prayer ).

The views from the rooms, restaurant , gardens etc are amazing. Looking down on lesser peaks , valleys and the plains a long way below.

All the rooms are exceptionally well furnished and the en-suites modern and good. Restaurant is excellent with great Sri Lankan as well as western food.

I have a few days there every trip and will again in a months time.

Rod.

Hehe .. I will be staying at Sri Lak, Haputale, in exactly 6 days time, and cannot wait.

Looking forward to having a bracing swim at nearby Diyaluma Falls and a walk up to Lipton%26#39;s Seat, before continuing for a further night at Ella and then down to one of my favourite places in Sri Lanka, Kataragama.

Rod will not mind me rubbing it in a bit .. not long for you to wait now Rod! We fly out tomorrow night .. back on the 29th.

Sue

Thank you very much for your responses.

I tend to stay in guesthouses anyway so that sounds ideal.

Hi Susie,

I don%26#39;t mind you winding me up a bit. Like water flowing from a duck%26#39;s back.. I just lean back in the chair and think of the time in about 4 weeks when you%26#39;re back in the Uk and I%26#39;m heading out to Lanka for a month. ( not forgetting another month in Malaysia to relax afterwards ).

Seriously Sue, I can fully understand you getting excited..

Funny thing about Sri Lanka.

When I go other places, the first time is the most exciting and subsequent trips not so good.. With Sri Lanka, ther more trips I make, the more eager I am to get back there.

I know you feel the same way. Cases all packed are they?

Rod.