Bandarawela is a hill-country market town in Badulla District, Uva Province, about 200 km from Colombo and 28 km from Badulla. It is the second-largest town in the district, and its height (the station stands at about 1,225 m) gives it a mild climate that has long made it a holiday town for Sri Lankans. For foreign visitors it is mostly a place you pass through on the train between Haputale and Ella, though it makes a practical, unfussy base for this part of Uva.
Is Bandarawela for you?
Go if you’d rather stay in an ordinary working town with banks, a market and mild weather all year, and reach Ella, Haputale and the sights around them by train or tuk-tuk on your own schedule.
Think twice if you want to walk out of your door onto Little Adam’s Peak or Ella Rock and spend the evening among cafés and other travellers, because that is what Ella does better.
Bandarawela or Ella?
The two towns are only about 12 km apart by rail, so the choice is less about distance than about mood. Ella is built around visitors. Its main street is a run of cafés and guesthouses, the big walks start on the edge of town, and in season it is busy. Bandarawela is the opposite: a town where people come to shop, study and catch buses, with travellers as a side line. Recent visitors (2025–26) describe it as cheaper and less touristy than Ella, with a compact centre you can walk around and quiet evenings.
Bandarawela suits you better if you’re travelling as a family or a group that wants space and calm, if you’re on a longer trip and tired of tourist strips, or if you’re driving and want to cover Haputale, Ella and Badulla from one place. It also sits higher: the station is about 180 m above Ella’s, and the town’s monthly average temperature runs from about 19°C in January to about 22°C in May.
Ella suits you better if you have only a night or two and the walks are the point. You’d spend part of each day getting there from Bandarawela, and the views you came for are on Ella’s doorstep, not here.
What to do in and around town
Bandarawela itself is not a sightseeing town, and that’s fine. Walk the main streets and the market in the morning, when the town is at its busiest, and stop somewhere for tea and a short eat. The station is worth a look even if you’re not catching a train: a retired diesel shunter locomotive stands on display beside the tracks.
About 6 km out on the Badulla road, Dowa Rock Temple has a large Buddha figure carved into the rock face and Kandyan-period paintings, and it is the easiest half-day outing from town.
One station back towards Haputale lies Diyatalawa, an old garrison town among rolling grassland. The British held Boer prisoners of war here from 1900, and an old Boer cemetery survives. The area is still home to the Sri Lanka Military Academy, which builds the track for the Fox Hill Supercross motor race beside Fox Hill.
Using Bandarawela as a base
Most of what draws people to this corner of Uva is within easy reach:
- Haputale side: Lipton’s Seat and Adisham Bungalow are both near Haputale, two stations west. For Lipton’s Seat, leave early: the views are clearest soon after sunrise.
- Ella side: Little Adam’s Peak, Ella Rock and the Nine Arch Bridge are all around Ella, a short train ride east.
- Badulla: the provincial capital at the end of the line, for Dunhinda Falls and its old temples. See our Badulla guide.
If you’re splitting a stay, a common plan is to do the Ella walks from Ella and use Bandarawela for the quieter days, or the other way round if you prefer to sleep away from the crowds.
Getting there and around
Bandarawela station is on the Main Line, about 259 km from Colombo Fort. All the trains that run on the line stop here, including the Podi Menike and Udarata Menike. It was the end of the line until the railway was extended to Badulla in 1924. Before you plan the journey from Colombo or Kandy, see the travel update at the top of this page for the current state of the line. Reserved seats are sold on the Sri Lanka Railways seat reservation site.
By road, the A16 runs through Bandarawela and on via Demodara towards Hali Ela and Badulla. Buses between Bandarawela and Wellawaya pass through Ella, and tuk-tuks cover the shorter hops, such as Dowa.
When to go
Bandarawela is pleasant all year, and its mild temperatures barely change from month to month. Rain is the bigger variable: at Badulla, the nearest long-term weather station, October to January is the wettest part of the year. Mornings are usually clearer, so plan viewpoints early whichever month you come.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Is Bandarawela worth visiting?
As a base, yes, especially if you want a quieter, cheaper town than Ella with easy train links to Haputale and Ella. It has few sights of its own beyond the market, the station and nearby Dowa Rock Temple.
Bandarawela or Ella: which is better to stay in?
Stay in Ella if you have little time and want to walk to Little Adam’s Peak and Ella Rock from your door. Choose Bandarawela if you prefer an ordinary working town and don’t mind a short train or bus ride to the walks.
How far is Bandarawela from Ella?
About 12 km by rail, a short train ride. Buses between Bandarawela and Wellawaya also pass through Ella.
Do trains stop at Bandarawela?
Yes. All the trains that run on the Main Line stop at Bandarawela, including the Podi Menike and Udarata Menike. Check the travel update at the top of this page for the current state of the line.
What is the weather like in Bandarawela?
Mild all year: the monthly average temperature is about 19°C in January and about 22°C in May. October to January is the wettest period in this area.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org (Bandarawela), srilanka.travel, en.wikipedia.org (Bandarawela railway station), en.wikipedia.org (List of railway stations in…), en.wikipedia.org (Haputale railway station), en.wikipedia.org (Diyatalawa), sundaytimes.lk, en.wikipedia.org (A16 highway (Sri Lanka)), en.wikipedia.org (Badulla), seatreservation.railway.gov.lk and recent visitor reports. Header photo: Adam Jones / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
