The natural beauty of Sri Lanka’s hilly central region is enhanced by many cascading waterfalls, large, medium and small with some of them cascading through lush, green tea gardens. Diyaluma, Dunhinda, Devon and St. Clair’s are among the top most cascades of water in the country. The beautiful volumes of water are a great attraction to visitors to the region. Many of them opt to stay in bungalows and Nuwara Eliya bungalows cater to diverse budgets and are generally family friendly. If you are visiting the area and are looking for high end, well heated comfort, then the Scottish mansion styled Jetwing Warwick Gardens with all amenities would be a good choice.
The St. Clair’s Falls in Hatton is also known as the Bride’s Veil owing to its shape being like a bride’s veil. It is also called the ‘Little Niagara’ of Sri Lanka. The Falls are along the Kothmale Oya (a tributary of the Mahaweli River) and derives its name from the tea plantation through which it tumbles over three rocky outcrops to a large pool below. The Falls are formed from two waterfalls and are regarded as the widest waterfall in Sri Lanka.
The main waterfall (Maha Ella) cascades down from a height of 80 meters and the smaller waterfall (Kuda Ella) flows down from a height of 50 meters further downstream. The St. Clair’s Falls rank as the twentieth highest waterfall in Sri Lanka and is best seen from the Hatton – Talawakelle Road. It also can be seen from the Avissawella-Nuwara Eliya road.
To get to the Falls you have to go down a steep gradient among tea bushes. The St. Clair’s Falls have been affected by the Upper Kothmale Hydro Project but the Sri Lankan Government has ordered the release of 1,668,618 cubic feet of water for 10 hours and 30 minutes between sunrise and sunset to ensure a continuous flow. However, in spite of this, the earlier vast volume of water has dwindled but the St. Clair’s Falls are still worth a visit.
Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.
