SRI LANKA

Through tea plantations and pine forests

Sri Lanka has often been described as a tropical paradise. The vegetation of the coastal belt is lush and dramatic, and the mountainous areas of the interior are spectacular.

The country offers one of the most romantic and scenic train journeys ever, with the main line passing (or crossing) waterfalls, mountains, tea estates, pine forests, bridges and peak stations. 

The construction of a railway in Ceylon was first raised in 1842 by European coffee planters seeking a line to be constructed between Kandy and Colombo as a quicker and more efficient means to transport their product for export. 

Whether it’s from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya or onwards to Ella, the train itself may not be as stunning and as luxurious as some of the other trains in this feature, but also less pricy. The wagons and stations in Sri Lanka still have a special colonial feel to them and there is no better opportunity to chat with the locals.