If you love nature and enjoy the opportunity to observe the botanical world at close quarters, the Haggala Botanical Garden in Sri Lanka is a must visit place on your bucket list. It is located about 10 kilometres down Badulla Road and was established first in the year 1860 under the curatorship of three Englishmen all of whom had the same last name – William Nock, JK Nock and JJ Nock. The park lies under the Haggala Peak which makes it fall between 5000-6000 feet in terms of elevation, thus winning it the title of the highest set botanical gardens in the world. The park is also home to 100-year-old Monetary Cypress trees hailing from California as well as old Himalayan Pines and English Oaks.
There are quite a few Nuwara Eliya hotels placed within close proximity to the attraction at which visitors to the Garden could conveniently stay at. The accommodation options in the area such as Jetwing St. Andrew’s and many others, come in a variety of levels ranging from home-stays to high-end resorts and luxury hotels.
Haggala Botanical Garden was firstly known as a Cinchona plantation which was then transformed into an experimental garden which served as the base for acclimatising plants that were brought in from many of the temperate zones of the tropics. Almost all the beautiful flower varieties that one could find in full bloom in an English backyard during spring and summer, can be found here. The Garden also holds the record for housing the oldest tea-bush in the island. The summerhouse and pond add character to this already beautiful garden while the Haggala Rock also known as the Jaw Rock rises to about 1500 feet offering one of the most spectacular views the island has to present. The famous site of Sita-Eliya is located about a mile away together with the “Sita Amman Kovil” which is a place of worship.
Caleb Falcon is a travel writer who specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travelers.