Moon Plains (Nuwara Eliya), Sri Lanka

Moon Plains, known locally as Sandathenna, is a high plateau of grassland on the edge of Nuwara Eliya, only a few kilometres from the town centre. It opened to visitors in 2014, and it offers something that usually takes a long hike to earn: a viewpoint on a cliff edge with a sweeping view of the central highlands. If you don't have time for Horton Plains, it's a good alternative.

How a visit works

You can't drive your own vehicle or walk into the plains. At the ticket office you buy an entrance ticket, and then you join one of the jeeps that run from there to the viewpoint. The ride takes about 15 to 20 minutes each way along a rough track through open grassland and patches of forest, and the jeep waits while you look around.

At the end is a platform sometimes called "Mini World's End", where the land drops away steeply. From here, on a clear day, you can pick out several of the highest mountains in Sri Lanka, including Pidurutalagala, Kirigalpotta and Totupola Kanda, and sometimes Adam's Peak far to the west.

Allow about 1.5 hours in total.

Wildlife

The plains are home to sambar deer, wild buffalo, and many birds, and leopards are occasionally reported. Buffalo are the animals you're most likely to meet, sometimes close to the track. Stay near the jeep, and don't approach them.

Costs

You pay an entrance fee, which is higher for foreign visitors, plus the jeep hire. The jeep cost is per vehicle, so it's cheaper if you share with others. Ask what the total will be before you set off.

When to go

Go early in the morning, when the sky is clearest. By late morning, clouds often cover the view, and you may see nothing but white. January to April is the clearest season. It is cold and windy on the plateau at any time of year, so take a jacket.

Getting there

The ticket office is about 15 minutes from the centre of Nuwara Eliya by tuk-tuk, off the road towards Kandapola, past the Pedro Tea Estate. Combining the two makes an easy morning: Moon Plains first, for the views, and then a factory tour and a cup of tea. Our tea country guide and hill country itinerary have more ideas.