Hatton (, ) is a major town in the Nuwara Eliya District of Central Province, Sri Lanka, governed by the Hatton-Dickoya Urban Council. Hatton is a major centre of the Sri Lankan tea industry.
Hatton is one of the busiest cities in the hill country of Sri Lanka and is colloquially known as the tea capital of the country, as it is the central point for most upcountry tea growing regions, such as Maskeliya, Talawakelle, Bogawantalawa and Dickoya.
Hatton is located approximately southeast of Colombo and south of Kandy, at an elevation of above sea level.
Hatton was founded during the British colonial times in order to serve the coffee plantations and latter tea estates. The name of the town refers to the village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. A number of the surrounding tea estates are also named after Scottish villages.
Hatton serves as a gateway to Adam's Peak (Sri Pada) and Sinharaja Forest Reserve, but is better known for its Ceylon tea plantations.
Transport
The Hatton Railway Station is located on the Main Line (Colombo-Badulla) railway line.
The town is located on the A7 highway (Avissawella-Nuwara Eliya) a part of the Avissawella-Nuwara Eliya main road.
Attractions Adam's Peak, a high mountain, which is major Buddhist pilgrimage destination Devon Falls, a high waterfall Dunbar Ground Holy Cross Church (Catholic) Laxapana Falls, a high waterfall Jummah Masjid / Islamic mosque Maanica Pillayaar/Sri Manickapillayar Kovil, a Hindu temple dedicated to Ganesh Castlereigh Dam St. Clair's Falls, an high and wide waterfall Shri Nigrodharamaya Buddhist Temple Singha Malai Tunnel, the second longest railway tunnel in Sri Lanka and the longest on main line (located between Hatton and Kotagala) 60 feet bridge, a long steel railway bridge (located between Hatton and Kotagala) Sri Muthu Mariyamman Kovil, a Hindu temple Subramaniam Kovil, Hindu temple dedicated to Murugan
Education Highlands Central College Highlevel International School Life-spring English Academy Oxbridge International College St. Gabriel's Convent St. John Bosco's College Shannon Tamil Maha Vidyalayam Sri Pada Central College Univenture international Webster International School
An interfaith project supported by the Comboni Missionary Sisters also provides English language learning and communication skills for local women.Almeida, G., "Mission in Sri Lanka" in Comboni Mission, Spring 2026, page 16
Economy Hatton is the largest town in the Nuwara Eliya District. A number of major corporations have branch offices in Hatton, servicing industries including textiles, tea, furniture and information technology. The Hatton National Bank, the largest privately owned commercial bank in the country, and Brown and Company, a leading engineering firm, were both founded in Hatton.
Over 48% of the town's population employed on tea estates.
Neighbourhoods Nuwara Eliya Maskeliya Bogawantalawa Talawakelle Dickoya Norwood Watawala Ginigathena Kotagala
References
External links