The Ceylon Tea Museum located on the outskirts of Kandy is a tribute to one of the great industries that has made Sri Lanka a household name worldwide. Housed in the abandoned Hantane Tea Factory dating back to 1925, the museum outlines the beginnings of the Ceylon Tea industry with a good collection of machinery used at its inception, some of which are over a century old. A section of it is also dedicated to the pioneer of Ceylon Tea, James Taylor, who planted the first tea fields at Loolecondera Estate in 1867, with a number of historical artifacts belonging to or used by him featured. A small retail outlet provides the opportunity to purchase factory fresh tea to savor at leisure.

Written by Jonathan Roelofsz for Travel Lanka Compass