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The town straddles a ridge of hills at the edge of a fantastic view over hills and dales stretching down to the south coast.
Haputale grew as a town because of the needs of workers on the surrounding tea plantations, most of which were at one time owned by Thomas Lipton, creator of the popular Lipton’s Tea. It is an authentic country town proud of its heritage and heartfelt hospitality for visitors. Unlike its neighbour, Ella, Haputale does not pander to tourists. Visitors are expected to eat, drink and shop where the locals do.
This is what makes Haputale so charming and relaxing. No one runs after you to get you to visit their shop or ride in their tuk-tuk. So while most tourists travelling by train stay on it as it rumbles along beside Haputale’s main street and get down at Ella, those who do alight at Haputale railway station, discover a sense of the real (not pseudo), Sri Lanka.
You stroll along the road from the station with the track on one side and local shops (including one selling tea) to the level crossing where the train invades the town a few times every day. That’s where you’ll find passenger vans and tuk-tuks to hire to visit the area’s highlights: Lipton’s Seat, the Adisham Mansion and the butterfly sanctuary in a wood overlooking it.
HAPUTALE WEATHER
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Best time to visit Haputale
Haputale’s climate is ever changing. Cool mist can descend suddenly and clear to bright sunshine just as suddenly. In other words, we reckon any time of year is good to visit Haputale but you might need warm clothing if you don’t like the cool resh mountain air.
Nightlife and drinks
The Olympus Plaza Hotel is built for tourists and has a bar with a view. High Cliffe Hotel by the railway crossing was once a popular hippy hangout but now its first-floor pub (bottled beer and spirits) is the haunt of local workers and not a place foreign – or local – women would feel comfortable in. There are several retail (take-away) liquor outlets. The Rest House outside town on the Bandarawela road has a dining room and bar with local food available, and you can also sit outside on makeshift seats in the garden.
Lettuce & Cabbage in the new complex opposite the railway crossing serves beer.
Night life? This is a working town and closes up early.
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Train- Daily express Podi Menike train leaves Colombo fort railway station at 05:55:00 arrives at Haputale at 14:15:00
Daily express Udarata Menike train leaves Colombo fort railway 08:30:00 reaches Haputale at 16:26:00
Daily train leaves Colombo Fort at 09:45:00 reaches Haputale at 17:26:00
Daily Night mail train leaves Colombo Fort at 20:00:00 and reaches Haputale at 04:55:00
Seat reservations are available on all these trains.
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Road- Private and state air-conditioned and old-fashioned non-air-conditioned buses start from Colombo Fort bus terminal for the journey to the hill country.
Colombo to Badulla bus number 99, starts from the private bus stand at Bastian Mawatha Colombo 
Directions) and there are air-conditioned options available. The journey takes at least five hours.
If you wish not to wait in queue and want to guarantee a seat reserving bus seats online through is an option.
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Important Contacts
Haputale Police station – 0572 268 022
Haputale Railway Station – 0522 26 8 071
Free Ambulance – 1990 (toll-free)
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” gap=”2″ css=”.vc_custom_1573450841702{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_column][vc_text_separator title=”Haputale Guide” title_align=”separator_align_left” el_class=”city-h2″ css=”.vc_custom_1573450793185{margin-top: -40px !important;padding-top: 9px !important;padding-bottom: 31px !important;}”][vc_row_inner equal_height=”yes” gap=”10″ css=”.vc_custom_1573454423713{margin-top: -60px !important;margin-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_inner css=”.vc_custom_1573457313288{padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_column_text el_class=”city-places-to-see” css=”.vc_custom_1581704990355{padding-right: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”]
- Places to have top Tea experiences in Haputale
- 7 awesome things to do in Haputale
- Trending in Tea – Golden Hill Tea Center Haputale
- Leisure Mount View holiday inn, a boutique hotel with stupendous view
- A heritage holiday in the hills : Kelburne Mountain View
- The Devil’s staircase: A trail on the Kalupahana – Ohiya road
- Discovering Horton Plains
- A tea tale : Pure Ceylon tea grown in Sri Lanka
- Amarasinghe Guest House Haputale. A pioneer guest house with modern rooms
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[popup_anything id=”2556″]
16.2km from Haputale
Foot / Vehicle
Sunrise
Rs30 per adult
Mountain peak Trek
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner el_class=”mob-city-p” width=”1/4″ css=”.vc_custom_1565850348314{padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”2560″ img_size=”medium” el_class=”city-places-see” css=”.vc_custom_1569161285728{margin-bottom: 12px !important;}”][vc_column_text el_class=”city-places-to-see” css=”.vc_custom_1569205727361{padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}”]
[popup_anything id=”2559″]
10.2km from Haputale
Foot/ Vehicle
8.00 – 12:00
Rs250 per adult
Tea manufacturer Trek[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner el_class=”mob-city-p” width=”1/4″ css=”.vc_custom_1565850353650{padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;background-color: #fcfcfc !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”2562″ img_size=”medium” el_class=”city-places-see” css=”.vc_custom_1569161901235{margin-bottom: 12px !important;}”][vc_column_text el_class=”city-places-to-see” css=”.vc_custom_1569250883433{padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}”]
[popup_anything id=”2561″]
4.7km from Haputale
Foot/ Vehicle
09.00 – 16.30 (Open weekends)
Rs100 per adult
Historical[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner el_class=”mob-city-p” width=”1/4″ css=”.vc_custom_1565850358698{padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”2564″ img_size=”medium” el_class=”city-places-see” css=”.vc_custom_1569162494446{margin-bottom: 12px !important;}”][vc_column_text el_class=”city-places-to-see” css=”.vc_custom_1569206224953{padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}”]
[popup_anything id=”2563″]
34.7km from Haputale
Vehicle
6.30 -10.00
Rs100 per adult
National Park Trek Camping
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[popup_anything id=”2565″]
38.2km from Haputale
Vehicle
8.00 -16.00
Free
Trek Cycling 4×4 Camping
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner el_class=”mob-city-p” width=”1/4″ css=”.vc_custom_1565850373634{padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”2567″ img_size=”medium” css=”.vc_custom_1569166492809{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1569252634522{padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}” el_class=”city-places-to-see”]
[popup_anything id=”2568″]
Ohiya, 33.8km from Haputale
Vehicle
8.00 – 16.00
Free
Waterfall
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[popup_anything id=”2602″]
Koslanda 35km from Haputale
Vehicle
8.00 – 16.00
Free
Waterfall
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner el_class=”mob-city-p” width=”1/4″ css=”.vc_custom_1569256643451{padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row”][vc_column][vc_text_separator title=”Food and drink” title_align=”separator_align_left” el_class=”city-h2″][vc_column_text el_class=”city-places-to-see”]There are local food outlets in the town as well as kisosks selling hill country snacks like deep fried garlic bulbs[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner equal_height=”yes” gap=”20″ css=”.vc_custom_1569172958133{margin-top: -25px !important;margin-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1565843249362{padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;background-color: #f7f7f7 !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”2569″ img_size=”large”][vc_column_text el_class=”city-places-to-see” css=”.vc_custom_1569253128579{margin-top: -15px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}”]
Lettuce & Cabbage (Serves beer)
03 F -02 Station road, Haputale
Monday to Sunday 10.00 to 21:00
0777 763 397
Casual dining Western food Sri Lankan food Wi-Fi[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1569171176804{padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;background-color: #f7f7f7 !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”2571″ img_size=”large”][vc_column_text el_class=”city-places-to-see” css=”.vc_custom_1569253157951{margin-top: -15px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}”]
Olympus Plaza Hotel
Olympus Plaza Hotel, Temple Road, Haputale
Monday to Sunday 10.00 to 21:00
0574 925 126
Casual dining Western food Sri Lankan food Wi-Fi [/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner equal_height=”yes” gap=”20″ css=”.vc_custom_1569172946071{margin-top: -25px !important;margin-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1565843249362{padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;background-color: #f7f7f7 !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”2575″ img_size=”large”][vc_column_text el_class=”city-places-to-see” css=”.vc_custom_1569254630149{margin-top: -15px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}”]
Risara Bakers & Pastry Shop
Haputale Bus Station
Monday to Sunday 8.00 to 21:00
0572 268 188
Pastry Egg Rolls Dine-in
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New Star Hotel Haputale
Station Rd, Haputale
Monday to Sunday 10.00 to 21:00
0725 606 677
Kottu Roti Fried rice
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Ella Scooter Rent
Rs1500 per day
077 911 1161[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″ css=”.vc_custom_1565847682767{margin-bottom: 10px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_column_text el_class=”city-places-to-see” css=”.vc_custom_1569254900468{padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}”]
Lanka Bikes
Rs1500 per day
075 301 4099[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row”][vc_column][vc_text_separator title=”Places to stay in Haputale” title_align=”separator_align_left” el_class=”city-h2″][vc_column_text el_class=”city-places-to-see”]From hostels to homestay to hotels available.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner equal_height=”yes” gap=”10″ css=”.vc_custom_1565846717438{margin-top: -20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1565845051100{padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;background-color: #f7f7f7 !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”2595″ img_size=”full” onclick=”custom_link” css=”.vc_custom_1569298342967{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}” link=”https://www.booking.com/hotel/lk/leisure-mount-view-holiday-inn.en.html?aid=1702746&no_rooms=1&group_adults=1″][vc_column_text el_class=”city-places-to-see” css=”.vc_custom_1569342967714{padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}”]Leisure Mount View Holiday Inn Haputale
From the outside, you might think this is a typical hotel, as it gives no hint of what if has to offer. Once inside, we were impressed by the features and were confident that Leisure Mount View is a funky and colourful boutique hotel. It is quite unusual for a hotel in Haputale. We’ve seen plenty of this kind of informal, welcoming place in Mirissa. But this one tops all of them with an additional feature- the view![/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1565845190571{padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;background-color: #f7f7f7 !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”2596″ img_size=”full” onclick=”custom_link” css=”.vc_custom_1569298905991{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}” link=”https://www.booking.com/hotel/lk/melheim.en.html?aid=1702746&no_rooms=1&group_adults=1″][vc_column_text el_class=”city-places-to-see” css=”.vc_custom_1569298761835{padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}”]Melheim Resort and Spa
Boasting breathtaking views of the surrounding forests, Melheim Resort and Spa sits on the slopes of Blackwood Mountain in Beragala, Haputale. It features a restaurant and outdoor pool with jacuzzi. Free bicycle rental is available.
Melheim Resort and Spa’s rooms have a private deck that opens out to stunning mountain scenery. Each room has a flat-screen TV, iPod dock, and safety deposit box. The en suite bathroom provides a hot showers and a hairdryer.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1565847226205{padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;background-color: #f7f7f7 !important;}”][vc_column_text]
Booking.com
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Transportation in Haputale
Taxi-hailing apps don’t work in Haputale. There are plenty of tuk-tuks so do a deal on the fare that you’re happy with. But make sure the driver understands where you want to go before you get in.
Tuk-Tuk fare calculation tip – Rs60 for the first kilometre and then Rs45 every additional kilometre. That’s the standard Government approved rate. If the tuk-tuk has a lot of hills to climb, bad roads and a lot of waiting, expect the driver to add extra to the hire cost.
Haputale is a small town, most of the places worth visiting there can be reached by foot or by public transport.
+ Read more: General transportation guide in Sri Lanka
Attire and safety
Haputale is a tourist town and can be regarded as safe. Just keep your wits about you. Wear comfortable light clothing and shoes as there’s lot of walking to be done. The nights can get cold although the temperature is unlikely to drop below 10 °C.
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Things to be aware in Haputale, Sri Lanka
- Touts occasionally hang around outside the railway station promoting guest houses. They are a friendly bunch and know about all the places to stay and see. So if you find one who’s pleasant and knowledgeable, take his tips on where to stay and even on what to see and how to get there.
- For an expert in tourism (he’s learned from experience and proper training) and trekking, walk down the road toward the railway crossing and look for Loga’s shop selling packets of tea on the left side of the road, and ask for Loga.
- Avoid rides offered by drivers of private transportation. Let your hotel or guesthouse arrange known transport for you.
- Book hotels through reputable travel agents or popular online websites
- At night, apart from the town, the rest of the area sleeps
- Avoid walking around the town alone late at night. It will be more fun meeting other guests in your accommodation
- You’ll find it useful to carry a torch or a headtorch
- Walking along the rail track is actually trespassing. If you do it (as locals do) be constantly on the lookout for oncoming trains.
- Be advised that drug-taking in Sri Lanka (even in laid-back Ella) is illegal
- Be especially alert about your surroundings when taking “selfies” so you don’t have an accident
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