04/02/2022
NINE ARCH BRIDGE ELLA SRI LANKA
– The Complete Guide
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https://www.ellalovers.com/
Visiting the Nine Arch Bridge is one of the awesome things to do in Ella Sri Lanka. With its beautiful setting in between the tea fields and with the lush jungle in the background, the Nine Arch Bridge is a very beautiful and picturesque spot. It has become one of the main tourist attractions of Sri Lanka and in combination with it’s amazing natural scenery and some epic hikes in the region such as Ella Rock and Little Adams Peak, tourists decide to stay for a few days in Ella. Visiting the Nine Arch Bridge is one of the must things to do in Ella. But taking the famous blue train and experiencing the ultimate Sri Lanka train ride, is also something you can’t miss. The journey goes from Kandy to Ella, but you can make stops in between. For example at Nuwara Eliya to explore Sri Lanka’s beautiful inland and waterfalls. But let’s dive into all the information you need to know about the Sri Lanka Nine Arch Bridge. In this blog you’ll find everything from its history, how to get to the bridge and how to get to the viewpoint which you can’t miss while visiting the Nine Arch Bridge!
HOW TO GET TO THE NINE ARCH BRIDGE ELLA.
There are multiple options and ways to get to the Nine Arch train bridge. The bridge is quite close to Ella’s main street, so you can decide if you want to walk or get a Tuk Tuk for 400 rupees to bring you to the entrance. If you are confident enough driving a motorbike, you can also get there by yourself.
When you decide to walk, it takes about 20 minutes to get there. You have to follow the road towards Little Adam’s Peak and turn left at the small colored temple. Then follow Lake Front Cottage on Google Maps.
But for a more quiet walk in between the jungle, turn left at the parking spots after Art Cafe Umbrella. From there you have to follow the path for about 10 minutes until you reach the bridge. Here you will have an unique view over the bridge and the journey towards it is also lots of fun!
HISTORY OF THE NINE ARCH BRIDGE.
The Nine Arch Bridge has an interesting history. Built during the British Colonial era, the story goes that not long after the bridge had been commissioned by the British, World War I broke out between Europe’s Empires. The steel and metal materials intended to built the bridge with, were suddenly assigned to be used for military purposes. But as solution to keep the bridge construction going, materials like rocks, bricks, and cement were used. Nowadays the Nine Arches Bridge spans 91 meters at a height of 24m and connects Ella to Demodara station. It is one of the best examples of colonial-era construction and is an incredible architectural achievement. The Demodara Nine Arch Bridge gained more popularity and became very famous for its similarity with the bridge towards Hogwarts in Harry Potter movies.
BEST TIME TO VISITE THE NINE ARCH BRIDGE.
Depending on what your goal is, our advice would be to visit early in the morning. Of course with sunrise or sunset is the best time to take pictures. The light is soft and warm, and you avoid the crowds. By 9 AM and during the rest of the day, it is busier with tourists paying a visit to this famous spot. We went two times, one time with sunrise and one time with sunset and we can say at both times it is not busy! But we found sunrise better than sunset for the perfect picture because of the angle of the sun.
TRAIN TIMES AT THE NINE ARCH BRIDGE.
The trains pass the bridge about 6 times a day. The exact times change all the time because the trains are quiet often delayed in Sri Lanka. But usually there should be one every hour. You can check the train schedule here. Don’t worry that you have to wait long because it’s a great place to photograph and there are small local cafes where you can buy drinks and food.
NINE ARCH BRIDGE VIEW POINT.
The viewpoint of Nine Arch Bridge is also really worth a visit. There are actually three points where you have to check the bridge and take photos. From below in the tea fields, walking on the rails of the bridge and from the viewpoint. If you follow the path from the parking lot as showed on the picture below, you will see the sign to the viewpoint, it is at Asanka Cafe. There you will get to a small local cafe where you can order a drink and food. There is a small bench from where you can admire the bridge or wait for the train to pass. If you want to continue to walk down to the bridge, just follow the path and sign.
NINE ARCH BRIDGE DRON PICTURE
It is officially not allowed to fly the drone close to the Nine Arch bridge. However, if you take off from a further distance, you can get some stunning angles. One morning in Ella we flew the drone and we were blessed with amazing circumstances. Some fog in the valley and the iconic Nine Arch Bridge as eye catcher.
ELLA TOURS.
If you are in Ella and you want to hike to Little Adam’s Peak but also climb Ella Rock and visit the Nine Arch Bridge, there is a great day-tour that goes to all of these three. It’s good value considering you can tick off all three attractions in just one day for about $50. It is called the Tour.https://www.ellalovers.com/
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