Ella awaiting a makeover

Ella awaiting a makeover

When looking for a catalyst to spur our spluttering economy, particularly for ways and means of earning the crucial foreign currency, the god of tourism has delivered Ella.

This small plantation township in the Uva Province has now become a lure for the tourists; all day it is a hive of industry related activity. Even as recently as five years back, you hardly noticed the place, driving past a few ramshackle buildings that passed for a town. Today, Ella is thriving; hotels, restaurants, leisure activities abound.

We have several other places of heightened tourist interest in the country – Mirissa, Unawatuna, Nuwara Eliya, Hikkaduwa, and Arugam Bay being the more prominent. They have been drawing tourists for decades now, and perhaps have reached their maturity as destinations. 

Ella, on the other hand, is an unsullied fledgling, and for that reason, carrying untapped potential.  

Many of the other popular spots have evolved uncontrolled and unplanned, ending as over-used and over-crowded sites for lower-end tourism. 

Originally, these locations attracted only a select few, catered to by a small number of reasonably good hotels. Now the sites are swamped with innumerable buildings of every description, cheek by jowl, jostling for breathing space, housing touristy businesses of every description, offering every imaginable service.

Amidst this ugly discord of tasteless constructions, there are innumerable small, unattractive lodgings, advertising rooms with ‘A/C’ and ‘Western-style’ meals. 

Invariably, there will be a tuk-tuk or a motorcycle parked at the entrance to the accommodation, the managers’ vehicle. His dress is casual; usually tight-fitting jeans, even tighter t-shirt and rubber slippers. There are but a few gaps between conversations on his mobile phone, most times on matters unconnected to the business of the lodge – “Yes, we have to partition that land, I will talk to the lawyer; there is a small money shortage so I cannot pay that amount as agreed, my sister’s daughter has attained age, have to attend the ceremony, also arrange for the ice cream” and such like. Trivia, private; unconcernedly unravelled. While he is arranging his affairs, the customer must wait. There is no apology.

Everything is doubtful, seedy, in poor taste. Without set standards, planning and control, any tourist spot will end thus, unwholesome and unattractive.

Ella, thanks to its newness, has yet not gone down this road. But there are worrying signs of troubles to come.

High-end tourism

There is general agreement that we need to attract high-end tourism; offer above board, good quality services and maintain the environmental/cultural integrity of the sites.

Our local authorities have repeatedly shown that they have not the foggiest idea of what a tourist/resort town should be. They simply lack the background. Perhaps, we need to look at the possibility of a central authority like the UDA or Tourism Board taking over the management of these locations. 

Such an authority should handle all developments, building plans and business approvals in the area, with the intention of maintaining its attractiveness as well as its exclusiveness. What has happened to towns like Nuwara Eliya or Bandarawela should not be allowed to happen in Ella. 

These have become gaudy, noisy, shanty towns, where you will stop only if you absolutely must. And, even if you are lucky enough to find space to park, such a stop will not be a pleasant experience by any means.

Undoubtedly, nature has gifted us a gem in the form of Ella. With imposing hills, verdant tea fields, deep valleys, fast running streams, interesting treks and the champagne like air; this place is picture perfect. But what will man do with this gift? 

Critical observations

Our aim in this article is not to praise Ella, but to observe critically, aspects which could be improved.

From Colombo to Ella the distance is only about 220 kilometres, but it takes a good six-hour drive to reach. Without a modern highway serving the area, we will not see tourism reaching its true potential in that part of the country. In the untidily built-up Bandarawela town, the traffic block is so bad it takes nearly half an hour to pass through this urban stretch, spanning about a kilometre.

By an unhappy decision, the Ella rubbish dump has been placed by the main road, fouling the vicinity. It is sufficiently away from the town, sparing it from the noxious smells, however not far enough or concealed enough, to avoid a bad impression. 

Undoubtedly, nature has gifted us a gem in the form of Ella. With imposing hills, verdant tea fields, deep valleys, fast running streams, interesting treks and the champagne like air; this place is picture perfect. But what will man do with this gift? 

The small town is dynamic, teeming with eager tourists; relaxing, exploring, eating, adventuring; a happening place. Yet, it has grown unplanned, thus the inclination is towards evolving into another Hikkaduwa if the boom continues, or another Nuwara-Eliya if the tourism dries up. There is a need for forward planning, and perhaps a makeover like what was achieved in the Galle Fort.

A few hundred yards towards Passara, the road is nearly impassable, muddy, broken, under repair by a remarkably few workmen with an equal number of supervisors. On inquiry we were told that the repairs on the Passara road had been going on for nearly four years, apparently due to problems with contractors, as several have been changed up to now.

Going in the opposite direction towards Wellawaya, again, a few hundred yards from the town, the road was under repair! It was almost comical that both these vital roads, at a point just outside a vibrant tourist centre, were terribly messy, under repair at the same time, and apparently at a most laid-back pace!

A big draw in Ella for the more active tourist is what is commonly referred to as the Little Adams Peak. Although the name suggests a long climb, it is only about a half an hour’s walk and a not so challenging climb. At a mid-point of the trek is the adrenaline raising zipline, the ‘Flying Ravana’. At a cost of about Rs. 2,500 per ride, this is a very good example of the potential of adventure activity, often untapped in this country. The safety standards and the cleanliness of the exercise seemed high. 

At the peak you are rewarded with a spectacular view of the area; young couples take daring selfie pictures. Although, unlike Adams Peak proper, this hill bears no religious link, on top of the climb there is a smallish Buddha statue placed, in the open. I only wish that more thought is given to the location, relevance and the sanctity of the exercise; thoughtlessly placing statues all over the place, can only diminish their sacredness. 

Even in the late afternoon there were large numbers of trekkers, including several groups of locals, enjoying the short climb. There was a noticeable amount of garbage thrown about, I did not come across a single garbage bin on the entire track. Another objectionable intrusion in the unspoiled environment of Ella are the huge hoardings erected at the most picturesque places; in that splendorous setting, a reminder of man’s tastelessness. 

On the other hand, the nine arches bridge in Ella, built soon after World War I, is testimony to the ingenuity of man. Apparently, due to war imposed shortages, no steel was used in its construction. Although the bridge is promoted as a must see attraction in the area, the approach to the place is most off-putting, down a narrow gravel road and then a difficult footpath through a village, with an unhindered view inside the houses, cats, dogs and the kitchens. At the site, there is no attempt to explain the significance of the bridge. Most of our attractions lack professional explanation. Introducing not only in English, but German, Chinese, Japanese-speaking guides would be a refreshing touch, where possible. These are high-spending tourists.

Usually in other parts of the world promoting similar adventure/leisure activity, maps indicating the walks (with distances and other information), brochures describing places of interests, leisure activities and restaurants are readily available. Here, it is not so. Information is mainly by word of mouth, thus uncertain and unclear. The much-spoken of walking tracks of Ella, too, lack directions. Obviously, the management of the area admits no responsibility if the intrepid walker is lost in the misty paths!

The value of a gem, depends on the skill of the gem cutter.

Ella awaits, anxiously.