Discovering Liptons Seat in Sri Lanka
Liptons Seat is a beautiful spot in Sri Lanka. It is located in the highlands near the town of Haputale. This place is very high up in the Poonagala hills. You can see a lot of tea plantations, valleys and lakes from here. It is named after Sir Thomas Lipton, a Scottish tea baron. He used to sit at this spot to look at his tea empire in the nineteenth century. Today Liptons Seat is a place for travelers who want to see the real Sri Lanka, especially the tea country.
The history of Liptons Seat is very interesting. A time ago a disease destroyed the coffee plants in Sri Lanka. So the planters started growing tea. Sir Thomas Lipton bought tea estates around Haputale and made tea production better. He also made tea cheaper for people in Europe. The Dambatenne Tea Factory, which is at the base of the hill was built by Lipton in 1890. It still processes tea leaves today. When you stand at Liptons Seat you can see the landscape that started a big tea empire.
The best time to visit Liptons Seat is early in the morning. The air is cool and fresh. The sun rises slowly. It creates a golden light over the hills. If you go early you can see everything clearly. Later in the morning mist comes in. You cannot see much. On a day you can see all the way to the southern coast of Sri Lanka. There is a tea shop near Liptons Seat that sells hot tea and snacks. It is a place to warm up on a cold morning.
To get to Liptons Seat you have to take a train to Haputale. Then you can hire a tuk-tuk to take you up the hill. Many people go all the way to the top. Then walk back down. Walking down is nice because you can see the tea bushes and villages. You can also talk to the people who pick tea leaves.
If you want to visit Liptons you should be prepared. It can be cold and windy before sunrise so wear clothes. You need to pay a fee to get in so bring some cash. There might be leeches, on the trail so wear socks or use insect repellent. After you visit Liptons Seat you can take a tour of the Dambatenne Tea Factory. It is a way to learn more about Sri Lankan tea.
