Enchanting neighborhoods like Cinnamon Gardens feature picturesque tree-lined avenues and colonial architecture, housing boutique tea shops and hidden garden cafes serving specialty teas from the country’s finest producers. Colombo’s new generation of environmentally and socially conscious businesses emphasizes innovative teas crafted with care.
In Badulla, Sri Lanka, farmers bring their first tea harvest to the Muthiyangana Raja Maha Vihara Temple for blessings. Dan Bolton joins in the celebrations on a visit to the island, enjoying the vibrant cultural experience it offers.
The estate, founded by Scottish planters, was abandoned for 130 years. The 100 acres with wild tea trees have now become part of a forest.
In the lower elevation gardens of the Lumbini tea estate, bordering the pristine Sinharaja Forest, a decade-long pursuit has led to a special white tea range, produced in small batches for discerning tea seekers.
Sri Lanka celebrates diversity in tea. A new generation of Ceylon tea growers recently established an artisan tea collective to showcase exceptional teas produced to interest a niche domestic market and equally, the international market.
Malik Fernando talks with Tea Journey about what drew him to hospitality and why tea lovers must visit Sri Lanka.