Devon Falls
A graceful 97 metre waterfall named after a pioneer coffee planter, framed by tea slopes and seen from a viewpoint on the Hatton road.
Along the A7 highway near Talawakele, roughly 6 km west of the town, water drops 97 meters down a rocky gorge in three distinct stages, earning Devon Falls its poetic nickname, the Veil of the Valley. It ranks as the 19th highest waterfall in Sri Lanka, fed by a tributary of the Kotmale Oya, itself part of the greater Mahaweli river system, and named after an English coffee planter simply called Devon, whose estate once stood nearby back in the colonial era. Coffee has long since given way to tea across these hills, but the name stuck, a quiet leftover from a industry that came before the one everyone associates with this region today.
What makes Devon Falls stand out from a lot of Sri Lanka's waterfalls is how effortlessly you can see it, no trek through forest required, just a clear view straight from the road, with two dedicated viewpoints, one near the old Devon Holiday Bungalow offering a joint glimpse of both Devon and neighbouring St. Clair's Falls, the other near Mlesna Tea Castle just across the way. Tea estates blanket the hillsides all around, rows of neat green plantings framing the white cascade in a way that photographers rarely pass up.
Most travelers heading between Nuwara Eliya and Hatton stop here for just a few minutes, part of a longer scenic drive rather than a dedicated excursion, yet the sheer height and accessibility of the falls tend to make it one of the more memorable brief pauses along that route.
Devon Water Fall View Point
At a glance
- Entry fee: Free
- Opening hours: Daylight hours
- Time needed: About 30 minutes
- Best time: After rain
Getting there
Near Talawakele on the Hatton road, a few kilometres from St. Clair's Falls.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost to visit Devon Falls?
- Free.
- What are the opening hours at Devon Falls?
- Daylight hours.
- How long should I spend at Devon Falls?
- Plan for about 30 minutes.
- When is the best time to visit Devon Falls?
- After rain.
- How do I get to Devon Falls?
- Near Talawakele on the Hatton road, a few kilometres from St. Clair's Falls.