Sri Lanka's tea industry started with one camellia sinesis plant brought from China in 1824 by the British. It has since grown into a $1.5 billion export industry -- the world's second biggest by value. The country's tea plantations offer incredible scenery. Pictured are tea fields 1,300 meters above sea level among the fertile south central Bogawantalawa Valley.
courtesy Ceylon Tea Trails
Tea tourism —
Travelers can now experience the lush plantations for themselves, with numerous experiences on offer such as that at Ceylon Tea Trails -- four sprawling planters' bungalows built between 1890 and 1939 now operating as a five-star resort.
courtesy Ceylon Tea Trails
Tea recipes —
In 2008 tea brand Dilmah brought international chefs to Sri Lanka to meet tea makers, taste tea and create recipes using tea in their "Chefs and the teamaker" program.
courtesy Dilmah
Plantation views —
The tea trails and plantations are some of the most scenic, and now five-star experiences, available to visitors looking for a taste of Sri Lankan tea history.
courtesy Dilmah
Tea tastings —
Sip-and-spit sessions, akin to wine tasting, can be arranged at Dilmah's headquarters outside Colombo.
courtesy Dilmah
Virgin-cut leaves —
Handunugoda Tea Estate gives guests the chance to see rare white tea leaves. Grown only near sea level, they were traditionally cut by virgins with golden scissors.
courtesy Handunugoda Tea Estate
Tea cocktails —
Tea salons such as Euphorium in Colombo also serve clever tea-based cocktails, Japanese-inspired lunch dishes and pastries.
courtesy Euphorium Tea Salon
Suite-en to taste —
Five of the nine suites at Kahanda Kanda, a photogenic inn perched along the hills outside Galle on Sri Lanka's southern coast, face the surrounding tea plantation.
