There’s a moment, somewhere up in Sri Lanka’s hill country, when the mist rolls in across the tea terraces and everything goes quiet – and it’s one of those travel moments you genuinely don’t forget. The highlands are a world apart from the coast: cooler, greener, and impossibly scenic, with emerald plantations cascading down hillsides as far as the eye can see. This is where Sri Lanka’s famous Ceylon tea is grown, and a visit here means winding train journeys through the clouds, walks through working tea estates, and warm cups shared with the people who tend them. It’s a slower, softer side of the island – and one that tends to become a favourite.

Nuwara Eliya
'Little England' in the clouds - Tudor bungalows, mist-covered Lake Gregory, and the world's finest Orange Pekoe. Best paired with a proper cream tea.
Haputale
Perched on a dramatic ridge above the southern plains, Lipton's favourite viewpoint, and on a clear day, all the way to the coast. Pure highland stillness.
Hatton & Maskeliya
The epicentre of the Tea Trail - luxury bungalows amid endless green, and the gateway to the sacred Adam's Peak pilgrimage. Spiritual and serene.
Horton Plains
A UNESCO plateau of cloud forests and montane silence, ending at World's End - a sheer 1,000-metre drop that stretches to the edge of everything.
Ella
A mountain village of viewpoints and mist. Nine Arches Bridge, Little Adam's Peak, and locally brewed coffee as the Ella Gap rolls in. Simply captivating.