The Central Province is one of the nine provinces of Sri Lanka, the first level administrative division of the country. The Central Province is primarily in the central mountainous terrain of Sri Lanka. It is bordered by North Central Province to the north, Uva Province to the east, North Western Province to the west and Sabaragamuwa Province to the south and west. The province's capital is Kandy. The cities of Matale and Nuwara Eliya are in the Central Province. The province is famous for its production of Ceylon tea, planted by the British in the 1860s after a devastating disease killed all the coffee plantations in the province. The Central Province attracts many tourists, with hill station towns such as Gampola, Hatton and Nuwara Eliya. Knuckles Mountain Range, Adam's Peak and Horton Plains are UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Central Province. The climate is cool, and many areas above 1,500 metres often have chilly nights. The population is a mixture of Sinhalese, Tamil and the Moors. Many tea plantation workers are Indian Tamils, brought over to Sri Lanka by the British in the 19th century.

The Province is bordered by the North Central Province from the North the Mahaweli river and Uma Oya from the east to the south from the mountain range of Adams peak, Kirigalpottha and Thotapala and the mountain ranges Dolosbage and Galagedera from the west.

Kandy

The hill country
Inland from Colombo rise the verdant highlands of the hill country, enveloped in the tea plantations (first introduced by the British) which still play a vital role in the island’s economy. The symbolic heart of the region is Kandy, Sri Lanka’s second city and the cultural capital of the Sinhalese. Its colourful traditions are embodied by the famous Temple of the Tooth and the magnificent Esala Perahera, Sri Lanka’s most colourful festival.

Kandy is an administrative, commercial, cultural, and educational centre and attracts many pilgrims and tourists. The surrounding region produces most of Sri Lanka’s tea, as well as rice and other crops. Limestone is quarried, and bricks and tiles are made nearby. Kandy is the home of the Temple of the Tooth Relic, one of the most sacred places of worship in the Buddhist world. The temple is open from dawn to dusk. It houses a tooth relic of the Lord Buddha, and is consequently considered one of Sri Lanka's most holy shrines. Kandy City Centre is a commercial and shopping complex. It is the most modern commercial complex in Sri Lanka. Kandyans do many things for leisure and entertainment in the city. Kandy is popular due to the annual procession known as the Esala Perahera, in which one of the inner caskets used for covering the tooth relic of Buddha is taken in a grand procession through the streets of the city. Kandyans do many things for leisure and entertainment in the city. Kandy is popular due to the annual procession known as the Esala Perahera, in which one of the inner caskets used for covering the tooth relic of Buddha is taken in a grand procession through the streets of the city.

The city has a compact city center area surrounded by a beautiful tropical rain forest hill country on all sides with exotic animals such as monkeys running around in the wild. but it is also a major shopping destination where all kinds of goods imaginable can be purchased at surprisingly low prices. There are also numerous bakeries, offering delicious local treats all over the city center. Overall Kandy is a great place to experience Sri Lankan culture and cuisine surrounded by a beautiful natural environment. You can visit the Bogambara lake. You can walk all the way around the Bogambara lake, right next to the temple of tooth relic. The Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage that has about 70 semi-tame elephants roaming freely around this wonderful sanctuary.Alternatively but slightly different, the Millenium Elephant Foundation is right next to Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage.The Royal Botanical Garden in Peradeniya which is the best botanical garden in Sri Lanka and one of the best in the region. New Ranweli Spice Garden, located in close proximity to Peradeniya Royal Botanical Garden (on the other side of the suspension bridge inside botanical gardens.) is a place to see and learn about Sri Lankan spices and herbs. You can visit the tea museum, the ancient Tea Factory of Hantana Estate converted into a Museum dedicated to the history of Sri Lankan Tea.

Matale

Matale is a large regional city located at the heart of the Central Hills of the island lies in a broad, fertile valley. It is the administrative capital and largest city of Matale District, Central Province, Sri Lanka. Surrounding the city are the Knuckles Mountain Range, the foothills were called Wiltshire by the British.The city is surrounded by large plantations and is famous for its spice gardens.

You can visit the Aluvihare Rock Temple. The Aluvihare Rock Temple (also called Matale Alu Viharaya) is a sacred Buddhist temple located in Aluvihare, Matale District of Sri Lanka. It is believed that the King built the dagoba, planted the Bo sapling and founded the temple after the introduction of Buddhism to the country during his reign.

Visit Knuckles Mountain Range. The Knuckles Mountain Range lies in central Sri Lanka, in the Districts of Matale and Kandy. The range takes its name from a series of recumbent folds and peaks in the west of the massif which resemble the knuckles of clenched fist when viewed from certain locations in the Kandy District. There are nine peaks over 1200 meters (4000 ft) in Knuckles Range. You can also visit Fort MacDowall, located in Matale. It was a fortified outpost during the Kandyan Wars, named after Major General Hay MacDowall, the 6th Commander of British Troops in Ceylon. The fort was one of the few inland forts constructed by the British and was completed in 1803. Visit Matale Railway Station, the terminus railway station on the Matale railway line of Sri Lanka. It is the 65th railway station on the line from Colombo Fort railway station and is located in the Matale District in the Central Province. Visit the Muthumariamman Temple, a Hindu temple in Matale, Sri Lanka. The temple is dedicated to Mariamman, the goddess of rain and fertility. The main religious festivals including the chariot festival at the temple are celebrated during February or March. Knuckles Mountain Range Nature Reserve – Located in the Central province of Sri Lanka is a very scenic mountainous and plain like nature reserve. It’s a trekker’s paradise. There are many trekking and hiking possibilities. Knuckles mountain range is popular for its scenic landscapes and rural and authentic Sri Lankan villages. It is approximately 6 hours drive from Colombo/Airport.

Nuwara Eliya

South of here, close to the highest point of the island, lies the old British town of Nuwara Eliya, centre of the country’s tea industry and a convenient base for visits to the spectacular Horton Plains National Park.

Nuwara Eliya is a city in the hill country of the Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its name means "city on the plain (table land)" or "city of light". The city is the administrative capital of Nuwara Eliya District, with a picturesque landscape and temperate climate. It is considered to be the most important location for tea production in Sri Lanka. The city is overlooked by Pidurutalagala, the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya is known for its temperate, cool climate – the coolest area in Sri Lanka. The town really comes alive in April for the Sinhalese and Tamil New Year. It is difficult to find accommodation as Sri Lankans holiday in the region during this period. The town's attractions include the golf course, trout streams, Victoria Park, and boating or fishing on Lake Gregory. Victoria Park is an attractive and well-used oasis. It is popular with birdwatchers at quieter times because of the good opportunities for seeing species, particularly the Indian blue robin, pied thrush or scaly thrush lurking in the denser undergrowth. The Kashmir flycatcher is another attractive bird species in the park. Galway's Land Bird Sanctuary, close to Lake Gregory, home to many bird and mammal species endemic to Sri-Lanka, including wild boar and barking deer.

Nestled in the heart of Sri Lanka’s hill country, Nuwara Eliya is the country’s most important tea production hub, and thanks to its picturesque locale, it’s one of its best loved destinations to boot. Though its name translates as City of Light, Nuwara Eliya is often referred to as Little England, a reference to the city’s colonial past, still evident in 19th-century structures like the Queen’s Cottage country house and the Grand Hotel – where you can spend the night. One of the most popular ways to arrive in town is via a scenic train ride from neighbouring Kandy, taking in views of the surrounding waterfalls, mountains and tea plantations.

Visit victoria park, It is a huge, well-maintained park and one of the best places to visit in Nuwara with kids. This is also named the best-maintained park in all of South Asia. This park has huge flowers and ferries and swings to add a mood to the place. This is a place traveler would love to relax on their holiday and tops in the list of places to visit in Nuwara Eliya town. Visit Pedro Tea Estate, Sri Lanka has a huge number of tea estates in Nuwara Eliya. The lush greenery and aromatic air make these plantations one of the best places to see in Nuwara Eliya. It is very enjoyable to see the process that goes in to create this simple drink every day. This will also very educational for the kids. They also let visitors go around the plantation sites and enjoy the aroma and beauty. Gregory Lake, when travelers want to know what are the places to visit in Nuwara Eliya, Gregory Lake is the answer. It is a little away from the center of the town. One of the most beautiful places in Nuwara Eliya, one can enjoy rowing and a few games for the children. There is also facilities for houseboat and food stall. It feels like a good great Sunday here. People come here to relax, may have a small picnic and just enjoy the happy vibe. The scenic beauty is also gorgeous. It is one of the most promising hidden places to visit in Nuwara Eliya. In Nuwara Eliya, you can go on hikes through the highlands and discover the tea plantations.

Gampola

Gampola is a town located in Kandy District, Central Province, Sri Lanka, governed by an Urban Council. The longest sleeping Buddha statue in South Asia is located in the Saliyalapura Temple, Gampola. Ambuluwawa mountain hosts a hill top tourist spot that houses a biodiversity complex celebrating environmentalism and cultural and religious diversity. A notable feature of this complex is a large winding tower resembling a Buddhist stupa, which is located on the mountain peak. Gampola has a lot of shops and a huge residential area.

Among the remnants of the Gampola era, the most famous temples are Lankathilaka, Gadaladeniya and Embekka Devalaya. The ancient stone scripts (Shila Lekhana) of Lankathilaka temple helps to reveal a considerable amount of vital information regarding the Gampola era. The statue of Buddha of the temple indicates style of south Indian arts. The Ambekka Dewalaya possess a large collection of Wood Carvings, where no other temple in Sri Lanka owns such a collection.

You can visit Orange Field Tea Factory. Orange Field is an award winning tea factory engaged in the manufacture of Ceylon black tea catering to the Middle-Eastern market and the C-I-S Countries (Commonwealth of Independent States). TEA PLANTATION WORKERS MUSEUM AND ARCHIVE. The displays include the historical background of tea plantation workers as well as small displays of household goods and cultural items. There are also copies of documents relating to the issues of some plantation workers becoming stateless for many years..

Hatton

Hatton is a major town in the Nuwara Eliya District of Central Province, Sri Lanka governed by the Hatton-Dickoya Urban Council. Hatton is a major centre of the Sri Lankan tea industry. Hatton is one of the busiest cities in the hill country of Sri Lanka and is colloquially known as the tea capital of the country, as it is the central point for most upcountry tea growing regions, such as Maskeliya, Talawakelle, Bogawantalawa and Dickoya. Hatton serves as a gateway to Adam's Peak (Sri Pada) and Sinharaja Forest Reserve, but is better known for its Ceylon tea plantations.

Journey To Hatton
The train journey which starts from Colombo and ends at Hatton via Kandy offers some of the best views of Sri Lanka’s hilly countryside. As the train moves ahead from Kandy chugging slowly on age-old tracks, you will see rural areas with long stretches of banana plantations and other farmlands. After that, as you go further deep in the mountains, you get to see nature in its true colors. Flowing rivers, waterfalls, deep forests, rolling hills and all this from a train window. Visit Mackwoods Labookellie Tea Factory Hatton is essentially one of the main tea plantation areas in Sri Lanka. Some of the pathfinders of the tea industry have their origins from here. One such tea estates belong to Mackwoods Tea which was founded by a British captain with the same name in the year 1841. A visit to their esteemed tea center is worthwhile to know in detail about the process of tea manufacturing at various stages from start to finish.The visitors are informed about the latest research and developments techniques used for improving product quality. There is also a tea museum where you get to learn all about the glorious history of the Mackwoods’. The tour of the compound is free for all. If you want, you can relax here with a cup of tea and some snacks to go along with it especially their chocolate cake is a must try. They also have a souvenir shop where you can buy small gifts and memorabilia to take back home.