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Voykit pocket guide · Sri Lanka
Bandarawela
Use Bandarawela as a quiet base for the Uva highlands: one night is enough to see the town, two if you want day walks to Haputale or Ella.
Bandarawela is a mid-altitude town in the Uva Province, 50 km east of Nuwara Eliya. It has a cooler climate than the coast, a few colonial-era buildings and easy bus or train connections to Haputale, Ella and Badulla. Most travellers use it as a stopover on the hill-country loop rather than a destination.
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Best months
- Jan–Apr, Aug–Sep
- Avoid
- May–Jul (southwest monsoon, heavy rain)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- LKR
- Money
- LKR in small notes for tuk-tuks, buses, tea and entry tickets.
- Daily spend
- Budget Rs 3,000–6,000 excl. bed · Mid Rs 6,000–12,000 excl. bed · High Rs 12,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Dialog, Mobitel (SLT-Mobitel) and Hutch sell tourist SIMs at the airport; passport required.
- Emergency
- Police 119 · Ambulance 1990 · Fire 110
- Plugs
- Types D, G, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · Old three-round-pin (D and M) and UK three-flat-pin (G) sockets both appear; bring a universal adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Nothing extra if 10% service is on the bill; otherwise 10%.; Driver: Rs 2,000–3,000 a day at the end.; Safari jeep driver and tracker: Rs 1,500–3,000.; Guide: Rs 1,000–2,000 for a site visit.; Hotel staff: Rs 200–500; many hotels have a tip box.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Bottled water everywhere; many hotels provide filtered water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels and restaurants, with a hose; squat toilets in bus stations. Carry tissue.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Rice and curry meal | Rs 300–600 |
| Short train ride (Bandarawela–Ella, 3rd class) | Rs 40–80 |
| Tuk-tuk within town | Rs 200–400 |
| Cup of tea | Rs 50–100 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CMB · Bandaranaike International Airport (Colombo)
- About 6 h by bus or 8–9 h by train
Typical fares
- Train Bandarawela → Ella, 3rd class
- about Rs 40–80, about 1 h (check)
- Bus Bandarawela → Haputale
- about Rs 50–100, about 30 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walkable centre. For Haputale or Ella, take the bus or train; tuk-tuks are available for short trips.
See and do
Known for
- Colonial-era Bandarawela Hotel
- Church of the Ascension
- Gateway to the Uva highlands
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Ella | Train (about 1 h) or bus (about 45 min) | About 1–1.5 h |
| Haputale | Bus or train (about 30 min) | About 45 min |
| Badulla | Train (1.5 h) or bus (about 1 h) | About 1.5 h |
| Nuwara Eliya | Bus via Welimada (about 2 h) | About 2.5 h |
Sleep
- Town centre
- Near the bus stand and railway station; most hotels and guest houses.
- Diyatalawa
- About 5 km (3.1 mi) west; quieter, with a few guest houses.About 3.1 mi (5 km) west; quieter, with a few guest houses.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | ආයුබෝවන්ayubowan |
| Thank you | ස්තුතියිsthuthiyi |
| How much? | කීයද?kiyada |
| Where is the bus stop? | බස් නැවතුම කොහෙද?bas navathuma koheda |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Ayubowan' (Sinhala) or 'Vanakkam' (Tamil) with palms together; avoid: Kissing on the cheek
- Temples: White clothes, shoes off, walk clockwise; avoid: Posing with your back to the Buddha; pointing feet at statues
- Hands: Right hand to give and eat; avoid: Left hand for food or money
- Head wobble: A side-to-side nod means yes or OK; avoid: Taking it as no
- Dress: Swimwear only on the beach; shoulders and knees covered in towns; avoid: Topless bathing
- Buses: Leave front seats for monks, the elderly and pregnant women; avoid: Sitting next to a monk (women)
Scams and watch-outs
- Train schedules change: check at the station the day before.
- The hill-country road from Nuwara Eliya via Welimada can be slow in rain.
- Some guest houses have no online booking; call ahead.
Bandarawela is safe; petty crime is rare. Watch for tuk-tuk drivers who quote high fares — agree the price before you ride.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Bandarawela yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Colonial-era Bandarawela Hotel
- Church of the Ascension
- Gateway to the Uva highlands
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Bandarawela, revision 4309128 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4309128
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/bandarawela). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.