Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Hotel with a view over a lake

Hi Everyone, I am hoping that the seasoned travellers among you have some suggestions for a hotel with %26#39;sweeping vistas%26#39; of a lake or %26#39;tank%26#39;. Ideally, the rooms should overlook the lake (and if there are balconies even better!)...





Tnanks in advance for your time





Jayaka



Hotel with a view over a lake


Hi Jayaka,





There are quite a few but not all of their rooms will have lake views. So a need to be specific in booking:



* Heritance Kandalama, Dambulla



* Royal Lotus, Deer Park hotel and Giritale hotel (all at Giritale)



* Seeduwa hotel P%26#39;ruwa (now under a new name? Ceylon Hotel Corporation and hence not to a high standard)



* Centauria hotel Embilipitiya





And no doubt others will find more....





All the best,





%26lt;Erik%26gt; %26amp; [Sandya]



Hotel with a view over a lake


Thanks for your help Erik and Sandya. I finally decided on Deer Park Hotel for two nights (Dec 12/13.I have received mixed reviews of the place from recent visitors, so I am curious to see how the trip will turn out. Will post afterwards for everyone%26#39;s benefit.



cheers





Jayaka


  • revlon
  • Oryx lounge

    can anyone tell me how to book this as I can%26#39;t find it on the Qatar Website.





    Thanks



    Oryx lounge


    Hi





    try this link



    www.qatarairways.com/global/en/homepage.html





    Rebecca



    Oryx lounge


    thank you - am now booked in - approx £25 on today%26#39;s exchange rate for 6 hours.





    shower, food and drinks - looking forward to it!

    Which terminal at LGW?

    Hi All,





    Just wondering if anyone can confirm which terminal you fly out of at Gatwick when flying to Colombo with First Choice?





    I sure it%26#39;s North Terminal, but I just wanted to check prior to booking my parking and airport lounge.





    Cheers,







    A



    Which terminal at LGW?


    Hi Ali, we went with first choice last year and that was the north terminal. Off again in 4 weeks time cant wait.





    Have a good holiday





    maria



    Which terminal at LGW?


    Hi Maria,





    Thank you so much, I can start booking now :))





    Four weeks, lucky you - enjoy!! I go at the end of March, can%26#39;t wait either.





    Cheers,









    Ali




    Hi Ali





    Thanks im sure we will we always have a fantastic time there thats why we keep returnng. Im sure you will also have a gret time . You cant meet nicer people its such a beautiful island.





    Thanks again



    Maria

    6 night stop en route to Maldives trip options ?

    We are a family of four (teenage daughters) who are heading to the Maldives for a week at Christmas. To add some interest to an otherwise lazy beach holiday we have booked 6 nights in Sri Lanka.

    Our stay is at the Royal Palms in Kalatura but we don%26#39;t want just a beach holiday. We are generally an active bunch and not used to package holidays - like to do our own thing but we know very little about Sri Lanka.

    The girls HAVE TO visit the elephant orphanage. From reading through the forums it would seem that a 2 day / 1 night trip to Kandy would be our best option. Can any body give advice on arraging this trip - Best car/driver and hotel or guest house? Best to arrange it in advance or sort it when we get there in mid December?

    6 night stop en route to Maldives trip options ?

    Hi there,

    Yep seeing your stay this one main outing is best. Next to this you can make a day trip to Galle and include some other beach fun, like the Ambalangoda mask museum and a turtle hatchery, in that route.

    Better arrange locally once you%26#39;re there, also for the Kandy trip. In the FAQ there are guidelines on how to get the best price/quality balance. Generally the chosen driver/agency also has a list of hotels/GH%26#39;s to choose from.

    All the best,

    %26lt;Erik%26gt; %26amp; [Sandya]

    6 night stop en route to Maldives trip options ?

    If you go to Ambalangoda do not miss the Inoka bathic factory. There you can see how they work on bathics and buy them for good prices (for exemple for souvenirs).

    Pore


    HI

    I had a similar holiday with my husband and two teenage children (one boy and one girl) this summer. We were lucky enough to be recommended a tour guide/driver by another hotel guest who had used him twice before. Some of the other hotel guests arranged trips with the beach boys or tuk tuk drivers and unfortunately did not get all they wanted and ended up paying more. We had a fantastic trip with our guide who was great with the children.. Included in the trip was a visit to the elephant orphanage and also the millennium elephant experience where we were able to have elephant rides through the jungle. We stayed at the Palms in Beruwela. Send me a pm if you would like more details of our trip and details of our guide.

    Best wishes

  • cope with divorce
  • Wedding In Sri Lanka

    Hi





    We are thinking of getting married in Sri Lanka and we wanted to know where the best hotels are to get married in. I%26#39;ve looked at the Taj Exotica ,Mount Lavinia and the Eden Hotel. Has anybody stayed or got married in any of these hotels??





    My biggest concern at the moment are the transfer time from the airport, does anybody know the time and what the journey is like??





    Thanks very much





    Gemma



    Wedding In Sri Lanka


    Hi



    Weve just returned from The Club Palm Gardens Hotel in Beruwela.





    Whilst there an English couple were married.



    The wedding was beautiful, Sri Lankan Drummers and dancers, an elephant and glorious sunshine.



    After the wedding the couple rode the elephant down to the beach for more photos.



    They told me that the wedding, including wedding cake and a wonderful photo album cost them an extra 拢400 on top of the cost of their holiday.





    Also, there was three Sri Lankan couples married at the hotel and the ceremony was the same except that they did not have the elephant. It ws nice to know that the tourists do get a %26#39;real%26#39; Sri Lankan wedding.





    The club palm garden hotel is only a 3 star and you are probably looking for something a little better.



    Its sister hotel which is next door is the Hotel Riverina which is a 4 star hotel.





    The only downside to visiting this area is the 2 1/2 to 3 hour journey from the airport, after a long flight this journey was not very pleasant.



    Sri Lanka is definitely worth a visit though. Amazing Country with wonderful friendly people.



    Wedding In Sri Lanka


    thank you for replying so quickly, it really does sound fantastic and hopefully it is worth that journey from the airport Thanks x




    Hi there,





    If transfer time IS a big concern for you then two luxury hotels come to mind:



    a) The Beach, Negombo. Supposedly 5-star, and 20 mins from airport.



    b) Mount Lavinia, in your list already. For sure 4-star, 90 mins from airport. We had our copper wedding anniversary function there two years back, a well-organised reception with 125 guests. So they CAN organise well and should have no problem with a Westerner%26#39;s wedding too...





    All the best,





    %26lt;Erik%26gt; %26amp; [Sandya]




    Club Dolphin in Waikkal (about 30 min transfer) is also a possibility.





    Try a search in this forum on ';wedding'; and you will find hundreds of threads.




    my friend is looking for someone who would like to have a wedding or homecoming or what ever function that requires 275 guests at mount lavinia hotel.



    preferably for the 16th of may 2009, dinner.(night function)



    the package details are as follows..



    2450 per head plus another 5% off on the menu which makes it 2340 per head,



    plus 50% off on seat covers.



    its a pretty attractive rate and i assure u no one will get a rate like this from a hotel again :)



    if interested pls mail me.




    If you are going to get married in May I would be very tempted to look at one of the Hotels in the Cultural Triangle area. Either the Kandalama (Dambulla) or Cinnamon Lodge (Habarana) etc.





    The advantage of a hotel in this area is:-





    1. It%26#39;s in the dry zone so a good chance of better weather.



    2. There is a short cut from the Airport which completely avoids Colombo. Still probably 2.5-3 hours, but better.



    3. There is fantastic scenary, wildlife and sites around this whole area.





    The Kandalama might be a bit pricey but I%26#39;m told a weddings there are a wonderful experience. Might be worthwhile checking out the review on this site.





    Just a thought

    Kani Lanka Resort and Spa

    Hi,





    My partner and I are staying at the Kani Lanka Resort and Spa over Christmas and New Year. We were looking forward to it until some pretty dire reviews started appearing on this site recently.





    Has anyone stayed there, and has anyone stayed in a suite? We have booked a suite (through First Choice) and I%26#39;m hoping that they are 1st or 2nd floor as it seems the ground floor rooms have problems with damp etc. Is it worth emailing the hotel and asking to be in a specific part?





    Any advice much appreciated!





    Thanks



    Carla



    Kani Lanka Resort and Spa


    Hi Carla





    According to Kani Lanka Webpage suites have balconies, so I guuess they can not be on the ground floor.





    email: info@kanilanka.com





    Hans



    Kani Lanka Resort and Spa


    Hi, we have recently returned from Kani lanka on 6 aug. we too booked with first chioce. this was our 2nd visit and we loved it. as long as you keep the air con on you shouldnt have any probs with damp, there is a notice on the wall next to air con controls telling you not to alter them but it got pretty chilly with it blasting out during the night, so i upped the temp to 23 nad turned the fan speed down to low and np probs at all.we stayed in rm 444 which is a seaview room, very nice, clean which is what you want. are you going half board or all inc. we went half but you can upgrade to all inc when your there if you want( which is cheaper than first choice at 10pppn)our bill came to £400 for the 14days which included drinks,lunch and laundry (which is cheap) food was lovely loads of choice, must say though its never piping hot but we%26#39;ve found this even when eating out in sri lanka, we didn%26#39;t suffer with tummy bugs and didnt hear of anybody whilst we were there. beach boys ok for trips we found but only used them for day trips. they will take you to gem museum wether you like it or not to which is attached a large jewellers called aida which is at bentota the next town down the coast. we ended up buying 3 rings! we were told they are worth uo to 4 times more at home,so i am due to shortly get them valued to ease my mind that i havent been hoodwinked. have a fab trip im sure you will, the sea will be blue and calm then and the humidity ok. hope this is ok for you if you have anymore questions i%26#39;ll be more than happy to help.




    Thanks for your replies. We have booked all inclusive but we haven%26#39;t paid the full balance yet so I might try to swap to half board and then pay for the upgrade to AI out there - thanks for the tip. I feel reassured now that we will have a great time - thank you! Please let me know if your rings do turn out to be a bargain as I might buy some for myself when I%26#39;m there!





    Thanks again



    Carla




    hi there Carla,



    just read your message. if you do decide to change to all inclusive, check with first choice regarding their charges for changes to bookings, as we also made a change and we were charged £20 or £30 each for the pleasure!! worth a try though maybe.




    We returned from the Kani Lanka on the 22nd August. We found the all inclusive good value, though there is pressure on you to have wine at meals and take part in the %26#39;Fish buffets%26#39; which are both extra. Every room feels damp if the air con is turned off, its the humidity of the area. We had a lovely time at the hotel, and saw about 8 weddings which were all lovely. If you are having the elephant at the wedding please check, alot of the parties were having to pay for the elephant at the hotel when they thought they had paid in England. The weddings have a stunning back drop and having seen some of the wedding albums the photopgraphs were beautiful. You will have a brilliant time. I don%26#39;t think there are any suites on the ground floor. If you have any more questions please don%26#39;t hesitate to ask. I have some wedding photos I could email you as an example of what you will get.





    Debbie - Gloucester




    I am staying there from 25th Feb 09 for two weeks where I am getting married. Am I right in thinking that alcohol is not included in the all inclusive?




    Hi





    Usually local alcohol (beer, arrack, gin, brandy etc.) is included.





    Hans

    Mobile phone

    We are going to Sri Lanka in December and would like to know the best use of mobile phones. We are on contract with orange when I asked them the cost of using the mobile in SL they text back the amount £1.75 per minute to call from SL to UK, £1.00 per minute to receive and 50p per text. Does anyone know of a cheaper alternative. Any help appreciated.



    Thanks Jayne



    Mobile phone


    get a sim card in Lanka so cheap to phone home and localy. Make sure your phone has been unlocked for other sims at a phone unlocking place here.



    Mobile phone


    Do not forget, you need a copy of your passport




    Hi





    Better buy sri lankan free paid connection. sim card will be 4-5 us$ . you will have much more cheaper rate than the using uk one. Dialog having best coverage.





    Thanks,





    ind


  • revlon
  • Bentoto hotel

    Hi a few questions as this is our firt trip to Sri lanka .



    Has any one been to the hotel , whats the surounding area like , Can i go fishing if I take my travel gear , whats the weather going to be like from the 20th june to the 11th july , Is ter atrain close to the hotel and if so is it ok to use it . . in fact any advise would be great .

    LTTE activity

    I%26#39;ve hear that the north and east of the island should be avoided due to LTTE activity that has increased this year, and also the Yala National park. Also heard that bombs have been detonated in Colombo.

    Despite all this I%26#39;m still tempted to go over christmas.

    Is this a good idea or is it really hairy at the moment?

    I%26#39;m aware the Tigers don%26#39;t really target tourists and don%26#39;t have too much of a problem with westerners, but they have targeted civilian areas and transport.

    Any opinions and advice appreciated.

    LTTE activity

    I do not have the slightest fear about returning to Sri Lanka again in a few weeks. There is an outside risk of terrorist activity in Sri Lanka, but in most other places in the world these days it seems.

    Yes, don%26#39;t go to Yala at the moment, avoid the areas around military and government bases ... maybe avoid Colombo if you%26#39;re really worried, and don%26#39;t use public transport in certain areas, such as the cultural triangle and Colombo if you don%26#39;t want to take any risk, however small. Other than that, just forget it. We continue to go to Sri Lanka and see no evidence of any trouble. For most tourists, you really would not know there was any problem at all. Tourist areas are safe in our opinion. If you stick to the beach resorts, popular tourist attractions, mountains and rural areas, you will have a safe and wonderful holiday.

    Please go! You will be so glad you did.

    All the best

    Sue

  • Name for a new kitten
  • Club Hotel Dolphin, Waikkal

    Hiya Folks, does anyone know if Club Dolphin gets very busy at weekends?





    Club Hotel Dolphin, Waikkal


    Hi Mark





    Dolphin, like all Lankan hotels would sell off any empty rooms to locals at reduced prices at weekends to make money, so yep , likely to be busy at weekends, especially on Sundays when many locals tend to ';dine out'; at the Sunday lunch Buffets !





    Regards



    Dave



    Club Hotel Dolphin, Waikkal


    Cheer%26#39;s Dave




    Hi





    I agree with the last post. I have been to Club Dolphin twice now having just returned.



    Every weekend the hotel fills with locals who are staying on a cheap weekend break. Best idea%26#39;s are either go on your trips at this time or move to the quiet pool where peace and tranquility still exist. However please gto to dinner early on these days as the dining room becomes very busy





    Cinderella




    Thank%26#39;s for that, the Sri Lanka people are the nicest people in the world (except for the ones who come to your hotel at the weekend). That%26#39;s the time for a trip away.





    Mark




    hi mark,



    Thanks for the comments that sri lankans are the nicest people in the world....



    but in the dolpin in the week ends there may lot of locals....so be prepared for that...




    I don’t like crowds of any nationality when I’m on holiday, I’ll spend the weekends village side.





    ~Budusaranai~




    I have just got back from the Dolphin and can say that Saturdays are very busy - I think some people come on day passes. We had BBQ type things outside of our room and lots of people in the big pool. We escaped by going to the quiet pool and on both Sundays we went on trips.

    elephants

    can anybody tell me,how much the elephant trips are without using tour operater reps and who is the best?



    thank.



    elephants


    Hi,



    Best places for elephants?



    Best place that I know for riding them is at Habarana. You just walk in, pay your money and wait til your elephant is ready for you.



    Best place to see lots of elaphants is the elephant orphanage at Pinawella. But here you can%26#39;t ride them and unless you want to pay out lots of bribe money you won%26#39;t get close to them in the water either.



    Next door to Pinawella elephant orphanage, is another place called the Millennium Elehant Foundation. Here you can more familier with the few elephants they have there and enjoy a short ride.





    To get to them, you can employ a driver/guide directly, you don%26#39;t have to use a tour operator.



    Or, you can travel on public transport.



    From Colombo, get the Kandy train and get off at Rambukkana... From there you can get a local bus or a tuk tuk for the short distance to the orphanage.



    For Habarana,, you can get the Trincomalee train from Colombo and get off at Palugaswewa. Again a local bus or tuk tuk into Habarana.



    Or you could get to Kandy, either bus or train and then a bus from there but if you can, you%26#39;ll find it much better to hire a car and driver. If you%26#39;re travelling from the coast, then best to make it a two day trip and also visit Sigirya, Dambulla and maybe Polonorua. They%26#39;re all clse together in the Habarana area.





    Don%26#39;t forget, when you book holiday rep. trips, you pay by the person. When you hire a car and driver, you pay for the vehicle so the cost is spread around . Make a car and driver hire much cheaper than the rep organised trips.







    Rod.





    elephants


    We dropped in at the Millenium Foundation on our way to Pinawella Orphanage, it is only short distance before you reach Pinawella.





    Last July it was about 20000 rupees for a ride. Then $20 Aus, now $26 Aus. My daughter thought the ride time was adequate and the guide will photograph you with your own camera as he takes you on the walk.





    Chris




    hi





    To see the wild elephant in sri lanka in this time of year udawalawa national park is best palce. As rod mentioned habarana area having lot of riding place , you need to have book them advance. It will cost you between 20-25 us $ per person fro one hour ride.





    Chris has paid 20000 RS fro his first ride which is extremely too much. Better consult local driver/guide to organize your trip to visit those ,will be lot cheaper than travel agent.





    Thanks you,





    ind




    20 Aussie-Dollar are about 2000 Rupies !




    Hi there....





    Actual cost now for ride, and river bath ect at Millenium Foundation is 3000 Rupees for 45 minute ride, then bath with ';jumbos'; in river afterwards, as mentioned before, the staff there will use your camera to take photos during your rides,and river baths too, for a small tip, around 300 to 500 Rupees would be good, but in my opinion the MF is best for ';jumbos'; , had fab time there recently !, with some VERY memorable photos !!



    Don%26#39;t forget to take towel and swim suit tho, you will get VERY wet !, great fun.





    Regards



    Dave



    On duty still at Heritance Ahungalla, today VERY hot and sunny !!




    please help booked honeymoon here %26amp; am petrified of snakes...is it easy to avoid them or are they everywhere.




    Hi there,





    Easy to avoid them. They are frequent inside the jungle and the open fields, and at odd moments in far corners of hotel gardens. Never inside hotel buildings and never close to rooms and paved roads, so just stick to those areas (and in cars for the excursions) and you should be quite safe! And yes, of course avoid the fakirs with their snakes-in-pots which you find in the area of some attractions, like the Kandy temple.





    All the best,





    %26lt;Erik%26gt; %26amp; [Sandya]




    Im such a wimp I know but I cant even look at one on the telly... I work myself up so much... Thank you for your advise I do want to go on an elephant ride though.. is there any one youd suggest would be the best where I wont find them in baskets etc.




    Hi again,





    Both the Habarana elephant rides and that in Pinawela (Millennium Foundation) don%26#39;t have crowded entrances so also probably no snake charmers with baskets. This unlike places like nearby Pinawela elephant orphanage, Sigiriya Rock and Kandy tooth temple.





    But probably better to visit even THOSE places and send your other half ahead to %26#39;clear the road%26#39; if there happens to be one; always possible to find a different route towards an entrance...





    All the best,





    %26lt;Erik%26gt; %26amp; [Sandya]




    thank you so much for all your advise... it has helped (a little) the idea of sending my husband 1st is quite appealing to me...dont tell him though

    cost of excursions



    can anyone tell us what we should be paying for excursions from dolphin hotel ?



    cost of excursions


    Hi there,





    It depends a bit on the excursion ;-) and whether it includes or excludes entrance fees etc. As distances in Lanka are %26#39;long%26#39; (the slow speed on roads prohibits real long journeys) use a rule-of-thumb that the transportation part of the excursion, upto 150 km both ways, won%26#39;t be more than Rs 7,000-8,000.





    All the best,





    %26lt;Erik%26gt; %26amp; [Sandya]



    cost of excursions


    FC overnight tours cost 80 pounds each. harald and asda do them for 75 each. day trips are about 30 through FC and 25 through harald and asda

    Club Hotel Dolphin - Cottage or Deluxe Room

    Which is best?





    What do you get in each of these rooms?





    Club Hotel Dolphin - Cottage or Deluxe Room


    hi holtommo having just returned from H C Dolphin, we had a cottage room as these are all indvidual,you wouldnt be to disturbed during the night, frinds had a hotel room no different in contents tea%26amp; coffee fac, hairdryer,tv dvd player. i think slightly bigger. the cottages are more than adequate air con was quiet BONUS!!!! GO FOR IT jude60x



    Club Hotel Dolphin - Cottage or Deluxe Room


    We had a cottage and upgraded to deluxe on the day we arrived. The bathroom in the cottage was boiling hot and part was exposed, i.e. no cieling. there was shubbery and rocks. the deluxe rooms are bigger but being by the pool can be noisy. if you get a deluxe room ask for the one furthest away from the pool by the cottages.


  • revlon
  • horse riding

    ive heard there is horse riding at the dolphin has anybody got any more info on this or anywhere else it is possible to ride?

    thanks

    horse riding

    Hi,

    Don%26#39;t know about the Dolphin. I was offered a chance to go horse riding up in the hills at Newara Eliya, but declined ( it was raining heavily ) so I don%26#39;t know what the terrain or the horses are like.

    There is a race course there though so I suspect it was something to do with that.

    Rod.

    horse riding

    There are two horse at the dolphin - there are stable hands who ride them and there are pictures at the hotel of people riding them.

  • multiple tables
  • advice please

    Hi every one.





    I will travel next week to sri lanka and will stay there fro 14 days.1st week I have booked bentota beach hotel, next week free to travel around other places withinthe country . can anyone advice me what are the most beautiful attraction in sri lanka I must see. What is easier way to getting around there.





    Thanks ,





    mark



    advice please


    Hi Mark,





    For one week we%26#39;d recommend to choose: Northern Loop or Southern Loop. Doing all of these would cost at least 10 days to do it decently.



    North = Kandy (and Pinawela jumbo orphanage) plus Cultural Triangle. Which has famous old temples, a magnificent rock fortress and safari parks.



    South = Kandy plus Hill Country. Tea plantations, waterfalls, lovely vistas and a combination with the south coast safari parks.





    Some %26#39;half combinations%26#39; are possible: e.g. in North near Matale there are some lower waterfalls and tea plantations, and in South there are some lovely (but less famous) old temples too.





    As for getting around: train (and express bus in case you travel light) can bring you to quite some places but not fast and not flexible. So generally car with driver is recommended; average price for a day is Rs 6,000-7,000 (around 40 euro).





    All the best,





    %26lt;Erik%26gt; %26amp; [Sandya]



    advice please


    Hi mark……….





    As you got spare 7 days you can have round trip covering most of main attraction in sri lanka.





    Day01- bentotoa –pinnawala –sigiriya (over night)



    Day02-polonnarura – minneriya national park (over night sigiriya)



    Day03- kandy (over night)



    Day04-nuwaraeliya (over night)



    Day05-ella- tissamaharama –katharagama ( over night at tissamaharama)



    Day06- hikaduwa (over night )



    Day07- negombo-air port





    Better hire the car to drive around it will cost you between 6500-7000 RS per day including drive unlimited km , fuel, driver’s accommodation.. always try to get service of approved tour guide of Ceylon tourist board.





    Thaks you,





    ind




    Hi Mark,





    I agree with the point Erik makes, that a full tour would need at least ten days but if I%26#39;d not seen the interior of Sri Lanka and had a week , I%26#39;d want split my time between the cultural side of things and the hill country.



    I%26#39;d see Polonorua, Sigirya and Dambulla cave temples and then Kandy. In Kandy, the Temple of the Tooth , The cultural show which runs every evening in a small theatre along the lake side and the Botanical gardens. If you wanted to visit the Pinawella elephant orphanage you could do that as a trip out from Kandy or when en-route from you coastal base to the Polonorua area.



    Then head south through the hill country. I like the first section, from Kandy to Newara Eliya by road, stopping at the Rambukana Falls for lunch and also visiting a tea factory on the way.



    Then get your driver to drop you at Nanu Oya station and take the train to either Haputale or Ella.



    Haputale is a really busy, bustling , small mountain town, set on a ridge , so fantastic views in every direction and surrounded by tea covered hills and mountains.



    Ella is a small sleepy village , again with mountainous scenery all around . Plenty of top quality guest houses to stay in.



    I%26#39;d spend a day at one or the other of these. If, Haputale, take the walk up to Liptons seat. If Ella, then walk to Little Adams peak or Ella Rock.



    The hill country, without doubt, is the most beautiful part of Sri lanka .



    If you preferred, you could take the train all the way south through the hill country , then hire a car/taxi van locally to return for your flight.



    If you do go train then as Erik has said, light



    luggage.



    Car is much easier but the train is an experience.



    Rod.




    I think Rod means Ramboda Falls.





    Hans




    Hi Hans,



    Thanks,, you%26#39;re right again. Ramboda Falls it is.



    Rambukkana was in my head because I%26#39;d just answered someone regaring the nearest train station for the elephant orphanage.





    The restaurant there, at the Ramboda Falls hotel, is , in my opinion, the best lunch stop anywhere in Sri Lanka.



    The views of the hills and water falls from the restaurant terrace is fantatstic plus, if you%26#39;re feeling sprightly, the hotel has cleared a track down the hillside so you can walk to the bottom of the nearest water fall and bathe there if you want to experience what it feels like to shower in a water fall.



    Rod.




    Hi again……





    Thanks every body who dedicated their valuable time for answer me. If you got any contact information of good driver in sri lanka will be really appreciated.





    Thanks ,





    mark




    Ramboda Falls Hotel is a bit expensive, but definitely a good place to have your lunch. Only slight problem when they don%26#39;t have a vehicle to transport you down and esp. up after lunch. Road from the main rod is quite steep.





    Hans




    You%26#39;re absolutely right Hans, the road is steep.



    Still, it%26#39;s only about 50 metres which I have actually walked up even though every time I%26#39;ve been there, probably 5 or 6 times, there%26#39;s allways been a four wheel drive vehicle there to take customers up and down as a free service.



    Although I don%26#39;t usually eat in places like that, I usually prefer a couple of spicy roti,s from a local shop, I didn%26#39;t find lunch there any more expensive than the normal tourist restaurants.



    With the location and the views I do reckon it%26#39;s well worth stopping . After all, when you%26#39;re there for just a couple of weeks and for many people , perhaps the only time they%26#39;ll ever pass that way, it%26#39;s an unforgetable location



    Rod.




    Hi





    Ramboda Falls is worth a visit, see my Sri Lanka video at tripadvisor.co.uk/members-videos/Barkingcreek





    It will give you an idea of what the trips about. When we were there we stayed overnight and our room overlooked the falls.





    Beautiful !!!





    BC

    phobias

    please help... I have booked this trip for my honeymoon and am going in january. after looking at peoples pictures I see snakes... i am petrified of snakes please help me.how can I avoid them where and when would I expect to see them.. will i need to stay in my room for 2 wks or can they be avoided.. seriously I am petrified.. please please advise..





    i dont want my honeymoon ruined by an unwelcomed brief encounter.. we are desperate to go on an elephant ride but will it be ok for me... can anyone help... thanks



    phobias


    Hi there,





    This is indeed a better way to ask the question. My initial answer is under your earlier post,





    tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g499080-i9703-k238…





    And the answer is that you CAN avoid them and can do plenty outside your room!





    All the best,





    %26lt;Erik%26gt; %26amp; [Sandya]



    phobias


    I have just got back and did not see a single snake except the snake charmer on the beach one day. You will have no problems




    I have only seen 2 wild snakes in Sri lanka in the last three visits . But there are the beach boys who do have snakes in a bag to atract people but you dont need to go near




    hi faymond,



    Don%26#39;t worry dear...you%26#39;ll never ruined your honeymoon ..you can freely visited any famaous area where tourists visists without any problem.....you no need to stay on your room for two wekks you can enjoy your visit.....Even I am a srilankan..but I have only seen the snakes in the Zoo and gypsy people who carrys snakes to show and collect money.



    yse you can have a elephant ride...in pinnawala you can do so...even some hotels they could arrange so....

    Possible ?

    Having never visited the Island could someone tell me if $u.s. 500 per month would cover my daily costs: I would be happy with a simple beach hut (month stay) and when travelling (week - two in each place) a small guest house or Hotel. Also any other usefull advice, im a pensioner. Cheers.





    Possible ?


    You could stay in Negombo after arrival. It%26#39;s not very good for swimming but close to the airport. There are Hotels and Guesthouses of different levels available there. Put Negombo in the search machine and you will find review of many places. Negombo is also a good place for excursions to the cultural triangle.



    Good beaches are around Unnawattuna (put Unnawattuna in the search machine andyou will find many of them).



    If you eat Sri Lankan food and if you do not need imported drinks, life in Sri Lanka can be cheap. We count more the USD 500 for our living costs in Sri Lanka.



    Pore



    Possible ?


    Hi





    USD 500 (LKR 53000) for a month is bit tight in my opinion.





    You can rent a bungalow for about LKR 25000/month, but staying in even the simplest guesthouses is about LKR 2000/night. All depending on when you intend to visit. May to October may be a bit cheaper as it is not the peak season, but December to April prices tend to be a bit more.





    Travel in Sri Lanka is extremely cheap by public transport (trains and buses), but also extremely crowded. Trains are less than LKR 1/km. AC intercity buses are about LKR 2/km, slower non-ac buses cheaper.





    Local meals (rice %26amp; curry etc.) can be bought from small shops called ';hotels'; for about LKR 120-150/meal. Bottled drinking water is about LKR 30/500 ml.





    The visa you will get free on arrival at the airport is valid for 30 days. If you intend to stay longer, apply for visa from the Sri Lankan Embassy closest to you or extend your arrival visa at Immigration Department in Colombo (Punchi Borella).





    Hans




    Hi,



    i think as a pensioner you can enjoy the relax and can manage the things with your budget....for that you can get small house near to beach as u wish for rent ...there are lot of small houses u can rent it bargained prices...(will not cost some where 25000/=) you can manage more lesser price.....



    And public transport mean buses and trains are not crowded if you avoide the office hours(morning 6-8.30 and evening 4.30- 6.30) ..so you can manage your transport very cheaply by using those.....hope you will have a nice time and with in your budget too....




    Hi,



    There are still a few small, clean guesthouses southern end of Hikkaduwa for around 800 to 1000 per night.



    Eat in local cafes, as Hans said, called '; hotels'; and you could manage on that budget.



    Rod.




    If you base your holiday inland, it will be cheaper ... guesthouses are really cheap here, whereas on the coast you will pay considerably more.





    If you want a beach stay, we found things cheaper on the south coast than on the west ... Negombo%26#39;s proximity to the airport means the people are used to tourists who are prepared to pay that little bit more for everything, whether it be three-wheelers, food or accommodation. And the resorts further down the west coast are generally more expensive than those on the south ... looking to an up-market, western clientele once again.





    And if you are prepared to use public transport to get around ... train or bus, it will cost you next to nothing!





    All the best



    Sue




    Many thanks to all you gave advice. Im going for one last long haul trip (Kandy to Kathmandu) whilst im still capable. Once again many thanks. Cheers




    P.S. rod b: re travel pins, am i following you or are you ............

    safety and surf in SRI LANKA

    hi

    im planning on heading on down in a few weeks, and find it hard to get a clear picture on the safety issue at the moment. i am flying into colombo aned will head south straight away, but....how safe is the public transport down towards Hikkadawa or Galle? also, i arrive at 320am and wonder if i should spend one day in colombo, or if it is possible to get out same day with no reservations. i don%26#39;t want to break the bank, but mioght hire a private car/driver. any idea how much?? cheers.

    safety and surf in SRI LANKA

    We always use the A/c buses smaller than the public bus and much quicker . I think there should be busses at around 0500 so you will be ok by the time you get your bags. from Bentota to galle is 110rs so you should more or less be able to guess the price. It is a long way down 3- 4 hrs from the airport to bentota . Bentota to galle 1.4 hrs this depends on traffic and time of day.

    safety and surf in SRI LANKA

    Hi

    If you arrive after a long flight it%26#39;s a good idea to stay a day or so in Negombo. Silversands is fairly cheap. Taxi from airport is around LKR 1200.

    Next day you can go to Hikkaduwa by train or bus. By train you will have to change at Colombo Fort Station. By bus you will have to change at Pettah Bus Station. There are no AC buses to Hikkaduwa, but just take AC bus to Galle or Matara and tell the conductor that you want to go to Hikkaduwa. Large baggage and bus travel in Sri Lanka is really not so good an idea. In most cases the conductor will charge you for an extra seat for your baggage.

    Travel by bus and trains has been safe for a while now. The latest bomb attack on a bus was in early June.

    If you want to hire a vehicle with driver straight from the Airport to Hikkaduwa, expect to pay minimum LKR 9000. Distance is about 125 km. PM me if you need contact for a reliable driver.

    Enjoy your stay in Sri Lanka.

    Hans

    P.t. in HOT and SUNNY Sri Lanka

  • revlon
  • email
  • Back on duty again !!



    Hi everyone....





    So.... Back in dreary and cold UK now, after another fabulous holiday to my favourite destination for me, yes i really did have a great time down in Sri Lanka once again, as many of you would expect !, AND arrived back rather early too, hmmm, now maybe Sri Lankan Airlines have shed that “Usually Late” name at last??, flight departed Colombo bang on time, and arrived at Heathrow 45 minutes EARLY !!, despite some rather bumpy moments over the Middle East and Turkey !, good job seat next to me was empty so one of the crew on board could sit down and strap in, or heaven knows what would have happened to that poor girl (Rochelle) in a VERY bumpy moment, VERY worried look on her face i can tell you!,





    Of course more than a little sad to be leaving behind so many great friends down there, but as i am sure you will know it won’t be long before i am back down there once more, hmmm, to be honest already there are dates in my mind when i will be winging my way back down there again, and i do hope to be there for the Sinhalese/ Tamil New Year celebrations, so maybe a little pointer for all of you who know when this would be?





    Great to meat as usual some TA members down there during my stay, including Andy and his wife Lorraine, who seemed to have brought some rather lousy weather with them from the UK !!, well come on it did seem to rain at some time or other everyday during your stay at Heritance Ahungalla right, including your first night’s Special Dinner on the beach to celebrate Lorraine’s birthday !!!, also of course a great pleasure to meet up with Hans too, and share a Lion beer one afternoon, nice to meet you at last Hans, and hope you are enjoying your long stay !, hope to share another Lion or three soon.



    Andy, Lorraine, you will of course be happy to know that the weather really did turn for the worst an hour after you left HA, even the boss there was heard to say “maybe it wasn’t them after all “, all of course due to Cyclone Nisha that went into the east coast of India, so apologies from me and everyone who blamed you ok !



    Another TA couple i met during breakfast one morning too, sorry but right now your names escape me, but do remember well our little chat over breakfast, and sorry that Sumali did not bring yours to the table like mine, but the girls in restaurant at Heritance Ahungalla do seem to know my regular habits some what !!, but great to meet with you and have a chat anyway., hope you enjoyed your stay like i did.





    Very sad of course to see that tourist arrivals were WELL down, in this Sri Lanka’s peak season, and if it were not for large groups from Russia, Poland and Lithuania then this will surely have spelt disaster for tourism in Sri Lanka, the next few months, as i am sure you will all be aware will be very crucial due to the financial situation here in UK and other European countries not being good, hopefully of course it won’t last, but right now things are not looking good for these people, so come on, let’s all jump on planes and get down there to Sri Lanka, the land of GENUINE smiles and welcomes too, they will be VERY happy to see us all.





    Regards as usual......





    Dave



    Back on duty again !!


    Hi Dave,





    It was indeed nice to meet you and Treshi. I also hope we can repeat it.





    Another cyclone has been building up east of SL, so weather has been pretty overcast and the sea rough for the last couple of days, but only little rain compared to cyclone Nisha. This morning it has changing from blue sky to total overcast with dark clouds, but so far no rain. Right now the sun is shining.





    Going on a 5 day trip to Mahiyangana tomorrow morning. Let%26#39;s see if I can find a computer up there.





    Hans



    Back on duty again !!


    Hi Dave, good to hear you got back OK. We really enjoyed your company during our stay and it was good to meet Treshi as well. Yeah sorry about the weather, it did get a bit damp on occasions. At least it was warm rain and cold beer! The girls at the Heritance certainly spoil you (and us!) , rumour has it the wing on the third floor is going to be renamed the Stockwell wing and the bar will be known as Dave%26#39;s corner. :-)



    We are also thinking of going back for Sri Lankan new year so better pack your waterproofs and brollie just in case.



    Totally agree with you that we should all be encouraging tourists to try Sri Lanka. It%26#39;s a wonderful country with great people and is somewhere everyone should try at least once.





    Thanks again for your company and advice.







    Andy and Lorraine




    Hi Andy %26amp; Lorraine





    Glad you both enjoyed your stay at my ';second home'; down there in Sri Lanka, and yes was a pleasure to have met you both too.



    Not got round to downloading photos from cameras yet (600 plus of them!), but will do so in couple of days time and send you the ones of ';Cheeky %26amp; Dancing Queen'; Chathuri and Ayesha in thier gorgeous Saris, also have Cheeky Chat%26#39;s e-mail address too, so will forward that to you at same time ok, she was still missing her ';Chef Andy'; when i left !!, must have been your coaching that made her do so well in Flambe competition!, she still has that VERY wide smile after that, and everyone at hotel is soooo proud of her too.





    Not sure about hotel renaming the 3rd floor tho, although quite possible about the bar tho !, have requested room change from 333 next time, and look forward to testing out 305 !





    Hope to see you again down there of course, but PLEASE leave rain behind next time ok !! ha ha.





    Regards



    Dave




    Hi Dave,





    Welcome back to the Forum!!!! I m sure most of them missed your advises here .... and sure most people back here miss you already....specially all your lovely angels at Heritance....





    Hi Hans, Andy %26amp; Lorraine,





    It was great meeting all of you at the hotel and hope to meet up with you people once again sometime....





    Well, the weather hasnt been all that great since of late...it rains most evenings but lovely christmas breeze althrought the day..specially the mornings...





    Regards,





    Treshi, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

    anyone else flying 05.01.09

    Anyone else flying Qatar on the 05.01.09 from gatwick.





    anyone else flying 05.01.09


    No but we will be in Beruwela then, at the Neptune. Why?



    anyone else flying 05.01.09


    was just looking to see if anyone else we have met previous years will be out there again.

    posting parcels

    hi





    just trying to find out the best way to send parcels to people in Sri Lanka. our friends at the Neptune hotel are worried that things will be stolen from them. any suggestions or info on this if it happens would be greatfully appreciated.





    thanks





    jan



    posting parcels


    Hi,



    I%26#39;ve sent many parcels over a few years and surprisingly ( to me ) I%26#39;ve never lost anything from any of them.



    The down point is the cost in using the Uk post Office. I sent a parcel of games to an orphanage near Kandy, it weighed about 4 or 5 kilos and cost me nearly 拢80 to send.



    Check out the P.O. weight limits before you pack anything. Not long ago, two parcels of two kilos were about a quarter of one parcel weighing four kilos.



    Crazy, but thats the way they did it and I assume, still do.



    Rod,.



    posting parcels


    I have posted a few parcels to Lanka an have had some go missing on there side




    Hi!





    Just a small advice to inscrease your chance that they will receive your parcels. Don%26#39;t register it, if possible(?), if you register it means the parcel is valuable. And anyway registered or not, if the parcel is lost in sri lanka, you won%26#39;t find it again...





    another way is to find somebody who can bring it for you...





    Good luck!



    Severine

    Amaya or Thilanka

    Hi,





    We ar a family of 8 spending 2 nights in Dambulla. Unfortunately Kandalama is a tad expensive. The options I have are between Amaya Lake or Thilanka Spa. Would you help me choose between the two? If anyone who has stayed at either of these places can let me know feedback, that would be great. Thanks a lot.





    SunSind



    Amaya or Thilanka


    Hi there,





    On our text trip we%26#39;re scheduled for Amaya. I passed by Thilanka this spring (it%26#39;s near the main road Habarana-Dambulla) and found the location to be a bit unimpressive - on a hillside with some views but not that much. Amaya%26#39;s views are much better, being on the Kandalama tank (lake) where also the hotel with that name is situated. On the other hand Thilanka is almost brand new whilst Amaya is a refurbished version of a much older and settled hotel (formerly known as Culture Club.)





    For the rest I expect them to be similar class as their siblings, Thilanka Kandy and Amaya Hills Kandy both of which we%26#39;ve visited. Quite decent 3-4 star quality that is...





    Hope this helps a bit,





    %26lt;Erik%26gt; %26amp; [Sandya]



    Amaya or Thilanka


    Hello SunSind





    A friend of mine stayed at Thilanka, Dambulla recently and she was not impressed with the place. The service and food were fine, apparently, but the overall feel of the hotel did nothing for her .. something lacking. Cannot comment on Amaya Lake as I have not been there.





    Why are you restricting your choice to those two hotels? The cultural triangle is full of marvellous places. Our favourite is Sigiriya Village Hotel, but if you like your food, Cinnamon Lodge at Habarana is the place to be. It%26#39;s cheaper neighbour, Chaaya Village, also has that amazing food. I can recommend any of these hotels.





    Sue




    Hi,





    I agree with Susie. Habarana is more central. It is easier to travel to A%26#39;pura, Polonnaruwa or Sigiriya from Habarana. Cinnamon lodge is a very beautiful hotel with good food and situated on a very good location by the lake.





    Frank.




    Hi,





    I agree with Susie. Habarana is more central. It is easier to travel to A%26#39;pura, Polonnaruwa or Sigiriya from Habarana. Cinnamon lodge is a very beautiful hotel with good food and situated on a very good location by the lake.





    Frank.

    Accomodation in colombo

    hi, i will be visiting colombo between 19th dec and 21st dec.. Can anybody suggest where i can get good clean accomodation between $25-$30..without cokroaches or filthy bathrooms and torn sheets as i will be coming with my girlfriend. Most of the sites have mixed reviews which leaves anybody confused... Please suggest..

  • increasechances to find a date
  • Trips



    We are traveliing to Sri Lanka next August with 2 15 year old boys and are looking on going on quite a few trips.





    Does anyone know what trips FC do as we want to ride Elephants visit sigryi rock for a start and not sure whether to book with FC or with local firms?





    Thanks in advance



    Trips


    Hi there,





    Not familiar with the FC trips. General rule is that unless these operators %26#39;pool%26#39; (group trips), they can be quite a lot more pricey per person than locally booked with only your family.



    Also note that, supposing that you stay on the coast, you need a multi-day trip for Sigiriya (lovely, see the Duran Duran video shot there!). Climbing should start before 10:30 AM or after 3:30 PM and that%26#39;s exactly outside the times reachable from the coast, it%26#39;s 4 hours drive from the coast at least.





    All the best,





    %26lt;Erik%26gt; %26amp; [Sandya]



    Trips


    We usually go along to the welcome meeting to get a feel for what is available and then book the same thing locally. Also check out the tour operator office in your hotel, there is often a book and posters detailing the trips The local drivers do all the interim stops (tea factory, spice garden etc ) but for a lot less than the tour operator. Plus it will be just you in the car so you can tailor the trip to suit you without having to hang around for other people in the group.



    Have a great time next August



    Andy




    Hi there





    Why not take a few nights away from your beach hotel and enjoy some of the inland scenery aswell? We did just that when we had a First Choice ';cheapie'; last August. We used the beach hotel as a base at the beginning and end of the two weeks and had much more fun exploring on our own. You can book a taxi or hire a driver if you want to, or use public transport to get there really cheaply, then do your own thing.





    One of the places we stayed for a few nights was Sigiriya Village Hotel (check out my review of the place, plus photos). It is a fantastic place with wonderful gardens and there are monkeys, land monitors, etc. all roaming around the place .. things you will not see at your beach hotel. You are within walking distance of Sigiriya Rock, so you would not need to organise that separately .. and there are elephant rides available just 5 minutes walk from the hotel too. Just turn left out of the hotel. We negotiated a rate of 拢10 each for a 1 hour ride .. much cheaper than we found anywhere else.





    As you have 2 lively sons, consider hiring bicycles to explore, or climb nearby Pidurangala Rock which offers the best view of Sigiriya that you%26#39;ll ever see. Lots of other trip options in the area aswell ... again, these can easily be arranged for you by the hotel, or at the same place where you can get the elephant rides. The chap ran a taxi service with air. con. vehicles and his rates were far cheaper than any you will get through First Choice or the various hotels. Once you are there, you will realise how easy it is to arrange such things.





    And on your way back to the coast, consider stopping at Kitulgala for some whitewater rafting ... the boys will love that too!





    All the best



    Sue








    Thank you so much for all your replys.





    Not going till next August but already very excited.


  • revlon
  • 5 nights in Sri Lanka (Bentota vs Unawatuna vs Galle)

    Hi Forum, first off I think that you guys have been really helpful in the past. I am pretty confused about where to stay as I only have 5 nights in Sri Lanka. Landing in Colombo late February late February.





    This will be part of my two week honeymoon but my wife and I prefer more of a party rather then quiet nights. We want a good night life and great places to eat sea food and Sri Lankan cuisine. We are also looking for something on the beach.





    Budget would be about $200-250 per night including AI or HB. Looking for a modern hotel which is clean and friendly.





    Our Itin while we are there is to go to



    Kandi day trip



    Turtle Orhanage



    Elephant Orphanage



    Snorkeling, boat cruise ?



    Good Food



    Decent nightlife, Dont really care if its touristy.





    I am hoping to hear form actual toursits who have been to Sri Lanka in the past along with Local experts.





    Thanks so much.





    5 nights in Sri Lanka (Bentota vs Unawatuna vs Galle)


    Hi there,





    a) Galle town has no nightlife and no real beaches either.



    b) Forget about a Pinawela/Kandy daytrip from Galle or Unawatuna, they%26#39;re 2 x 1 hour further from it than Bentota/Beruwala.





    So Bentota seems best suited.



    For this budget you can %26#39;buy%26#39; almost any hotel room in Lanka. Best standard hotel in Bentota is Taj Exotica but it%26#39;s only 4-star now; the suites are of course higher standard. Saman Villas would be a decent alternative but it%26#39;s a resort, 4 km from the Bentota %26#39;strip%26#39; with all the nightlife. Some other boutique hotels in that area could also be worth considering, see sites like www.boutiquesrilanka.com.





    All the best,





    %26lt;Erik%26gt; %26amp; [Sandya] - holidaying (and working) there again in the next few months...



    5 nights in Sri Lanka (Bentota vs Unawatuna vs Galle)


    Thank You for your help.

    banana garden

    Has anyone stayed at the Banana garden recently ? I have tried to contact them via their website but have had no luck and i can find very little info though they are in the Lonely planet (albeit the last edition 2006) ? also ant info on the Full moon resort ?



    banana garden


    I am having the same trouble. This is a great hotel where my wife and I stayed a few months ago. Cheap, clean and FANTASTIC Location, but obviously rubbish reception/telephone service! :-)





    I have found that they have a sister hotel but with the same number that does not work but their website%26#39;s contact page works... so have a go at contacting then via the online form.... cant harm!





    http://www.secretbayhotel.com/aspemail.htm





    All the best,



    Alfie



    where to stay

    We are flying into colombo on 28th Jan, after having 2 weeks in India, we will have been around the ';golden triangle, then travelled by train to Chennai, and will be in need of 6 days in the sun. we are looking for beach huts, backpacker types, any ideas????, and how would we get the destinations?????





    Thanks in advance....



    where to stay


    Hi,



    I%26#39;d suggest either Unawatuna if you want quite a few other people around. Just walk along the beach and you%26#39;ll find plenty of accomodation.





    Or,



    Mirissa, a little further along the coast. A good guest house there is,



    go-lanka.com/Mirissa/鈥cean_moon_mirissa.html





    Or, if you want really quiet, further still along the south coast to the Dikwella / Tangalle area. Nilwella is my favorite spot. The Kadolana Guest house.





    To get to thse places, from the airport, get the free shuttle bus into Katunayake. From there, a bus into Colombo. and from Colombo a train .





    Unawatuna has a station, All included, about 5 or 6 hours





    For Mirissa, get off at Matara or Welligama, then a tuk tuk or bus.All included about 6 1/2 hours





    For Nilwella, train to Matara then a tuk tuk or bus.All included about 7 to 7 1/2 hours.





    A car and driver is quicker if you%26#39;re flush.



    Rod



    where to stay


    Hikkaduwa and Unawatuna are fine but Mirissa is far more beautiful and totally laid back. I go by myself and always manage to meet a few other travellers to spend time with if I feel like it. It is quieter than the other two but you do get real travellers there and can get to know local people as well. Doesn%26#39;t have beach huts as such but the guest houses are fine, try Sunset at the eastern end of the beach with solar heated water, good sized rooms with balconies overlooking the beach and cheaper prices than most.





    Can get there easily by train, Welligama is closest station 15 mins by tuk tuk. Buses are not so keen to stop for people with backpacks but do run straight through Mirissa on the way to Matara which is a bonus.

    beaches in Sri Lanka

    Hi,

    I%26#39;m going to Sri Lanka with my friends next week for 3weeks. We going to be staying in Colombo for a few days but then we%26#39;re hoping to do abit of travelling, we are interested in:

    1 beaches for swimming and snorkelling, any coral area would be great.

    2 waterfall

    3 nice scenic and calm places to relax for a few days

    4 tours which we can go on.

    if anyone has any suggestions for any of the above, please let me know. this is my first trip and i want to Sri Lanka and i am so excited as i%26#39;ve never been to this part of the world before and i don%26#39;t want to miss anything.

    Thank you so much.

    Mei

    beaches in Sri Lanka

    Hi,

    As you like a variety of locations, I reckon your best plan , after the time in Colombo, would be to jump on the train to Kandy.

    From there you can spend a couple of days exploring some of the cultural triangle.. Best way is to hire a car and driver for that area.

    Then get the train again, this time to go south through the hill country.Either Haputale or Ella are great places to spend a few days with fantastic scenery , including water falls.

    Then hire a car and driver for a day and head off down to the coast.

    In my experience, Hikkaduwa is the best place for snorkelling over a coral reef.

    You could use a car and driver for all of the travelling around part or use the train as I suggested and just use a car when needed.

    Rod.

    beaches in Sri Lanka

    Hello Mei

    You are right to be excited about Sri Lanka, I%26#39;m sure you will love the island. I also had my first trip there with my husband and two teenage children this year. We had a great time, all helped by a great local tour guide and driver who was recommended to us by a fellow hotel guest who had used him twice before. He did exactly what we wanted ( a combination of culture, sight seeing, relaxing and adventure) If you want his details send me a message. I couldn%26#39;t recommend him enough. He is a great guy who has reasonable rates and will help you to do all of the things you want. He is very flexible and will arrange exactly what you want. You can either arrange things before you go or call him once you arrive in Sri Lanka. Let me know if you want more information and/or his contact details

    Regards

    Judith


    Mirissa, peaceful and calm for relaxing, beautiful beach, snorkelling and swimming - No%26#39;s 1 and 3 covered by one place.

  • do for extremely dry skin
  • Places for Good Beers in Sri Lanka?

    Happy to report I%26#39;ve confirmed my travel plans to Sri Lanka in January for 2+ weeks. Some highlights will be: Yala, Uda Walawe, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Horton Plains, Adam%26#39;s Peak, Sinharaja and more...





    My question now becomes, can any recommend some local beer gardens / bars to enjoy a wide selection of Sri Lankan beers? Not just Lion Stout, but also Three Coins and other lesser knowns?



    Places for Good Beers in Sri Lanka?


    I do not know about beer but I would look up Yala National Park before visiting there. The british foreign office advise against all travel there. It may be the same for Canadians I would expect.



    Places for Good Beers in Sri Lanka?


    Thanks Vicki...not sure why I posted this in the Waikkal forum! Meant to go in the general Sri Lanka forum....



    No worries about Yala, the Canadian gov%26#39;t isn%26#39;t as paranoid as the UK. There is an advisory, but Yala is on the same level as Colombo....



    Wilpattu on the other hand is off limits (and closed anyways...)




    Hi, I am assuming that you will be spending some time in Colombo, in which case you can catch %26#39;happy hour%26#39;(typically between 6.30pm and 8pm or so)at any one of several hotel bars. I am thinking specifically of the Echelon Pub (Hilton), Cheers Pub (Cinammon Grand) or the Terrace at Galle Face Hotel (this last is by far the most scenic as you can sip your beer while enjoying an Indian ocean sunset). Alternately, there is also a pub called %26#39;Inn on The Green%26#39; around the corner from the Galle face Hotel (typical English pub feel, no view). All of these places have a good range of local beers (from both Lion and Three Coins) and are 50% off regular hour crazy prices. Alternately, stop by any Keells or Cargills grocery store and head for the liquor section, buy a few cans and stash them in your bag. Once you check in to your hotel whereever that may be, put your cans in the minibar to chill them, and enjoy!





    Jayaka




    We went with some locals to some nice place nr callutara it was a natural pool and waterfalls we did drink three coins and carlcberg special brew made a nice change from Lion.Price was good due to our Sri Lanlan friends I will try to find out more the were abouts this weekend when I call them.




    Great stuff.



    Thanks guys....yes, I%26#39;ll be spending time in Colombo my first day and last days. Is there still ';Bison'; beer in Sri Lanka?

    Accomodation in colombo

    hi, i will be visiting colombo between 19th dec and 21st dec.. Can anybody suggest where i can get good clean accomodation between $25-$30..without cokroaches or filthy bathrooms and torn sheets as i will be coming with my girlfriend. Most of teh sites have mixed revies which leaves anybody confused... Please suggest..



    Accomodation in colombo


    HI,



    The Oasis Beach Hotel. ( %26amp; fish and lobster restaurant ).



    31 Poruthota Road,



    Negombo....Tel; +94-(0)-31-2279022



    As good as most 2 star hotels. Decent, comfortable rooms, good en-suites. Two restaurants, one over looking the beach and one looking over the road.



    It%26#39;s also got a decent swimming pool which most budget hotels don%26#39;t have.



    If you want to send me your email address, I can reply and attach a few pics.



    Last time I stayed there I paid 2000 rupees for double room including breakfasts. Probably a bit more in peak season but you should get it within your budget.



    Rod.



    Accomodation in colombo


    Oops,



    sorry. I didn%26#39;t read your post properly. I read Negombo for Colombo.



    You could try,



    Mrs Nanayakara%26#39;s Guest House,



    20 Chelsea Gardens,



    Colombo......Tel; +94-(0)-71-2278758



    Like a little cottage , in a quiet road, quite near the centre.



    I havn%26#39;t been there in a couple of years buy the little lady kept a lovely, homely, guest house.



    Rod.




    Thanks Rod for the info...



    Fortunately i will be going to negombo also... if you could provide me with the email address of The Oasis Beach Hotel, i would be very much obliged..





    I will be staying in colombo just for 2 days... So nanayakara%26#39;s guest house should do fine..i will try to call them up and fix it..




    HI,



    Sorry, the Oasis is one of those thats a bit behind the times . No email or web site.





    igougo.com/lodging-reviews-b195523-Negombo-O鈥?/a>





    That report is from an independant web site. I%26#39;ve stayed there about 7 or 8 times and never pre-booked.



    I have allways just walked in and got the room without any problem but , if you%26#39;re going to be in Colombo first, you could allways phone from there.



    I%26#39;M sure they have room but if not there%26#39;s plenty of accomodation in Negombo. Probably more there than anywhere else in the country.



    Rod,


  • revlon
  • Anyone having experienced the cuury bowl?

    I%26#39;v been searchimg around and was wondering if anyone has tried out the curry bowl guesthouse in hikkaduwa.Would like to hear a review and also their contact numbers please.



    Anyone having experienced the cuury bowl?


    Hi there,





    We had lunch there some years back (delicious!) and family of ours stayed there for a few nights before that. They found it good value for money, clean etc. - and with the beach literally on the doorstep.





    Can%26#39;t help with phone details etc. from here, they might be in the SL Tourist Board guide (which is at home) but at least not in the (much more limited) SLTB website...





    All the best,





    %26lt;Erik%26gt; %26amp; [Sandya]



    Anyone having experienced the cuury bowl?


    Hi





    Please see the contact detail of curry bowl guest house below.





    Email- curryb@sltnet.lk





    Tel- +94(0)91 2277201





    Fax-+94(0)912277339





    Yes it is simple and nice place providing wonderful meal.





    Thanks,





    ind




    Thanks everyone, i think i%26#39;ve gotten all i needed.





    Thanks

    cancelled tour wildlife of cylon tour what to do now

    we were due to be doing a wildlife of cylon tour in march 09 with fc but they have cancelled the tour due to safety.





    we are staying at the club dolphin we would like to do yala and udawalawe, ride elephants, see some waterfalls, rafting and colombo.





    who would be best to organise these trips with and what would the rough cost be? we are staying for 2 weeks.





    thanks



    cancelled tour wildlife of cylon tour what to do now


    Hi,



    Sorry to hear once again that 1st choice are messing their customers about.



    But, don%26#39;t worry , it%26#39;s easy to organise your own tailor made tour.



    Some like big companies such as Red Dot tours, and some, like me, prefer the smaller self employed tour operator.



    Main thing is to make sure that the operator is a Ceylon Tourist Board approved guide.



    Prices should be about 7000 rupees a day for the driver/guide, the aircon vehicle and the fuel.



    Most drivers can pre-arrange accomodation to suit your tastes depending on what you want.



    If you want , I can recommend a couple of excellent driver/guides and there are others on here who also have experience of guides that they%26#39;ll recommend.



    Let me know and I can send a Pm with the info .



    Rod.



    cancelled tour wildlife of cylon tour what to do now


    Hi





    Regarding Yala FC has cancelled the tour in accordance with FCO travel advices. It is possible to arrange tours there locally, but be aware that most likely your travel insurance will not cover you, even for the slightest incidents. If you decide to go, check with your insurance company.





    Hans




    Hi there





    Yala - even locals will tell you it is not safe to go there





    We went to Uda Walawe for a jeep safari. Lasted about 3 hours. The trip was two days with FC and cost 80 pounds each. Included a trip to Galle and turtle hatchery.





    A taxi driver could also take you there and back but i would stay there as the park is about 5 hours from the hotel.





    There are bungalows to stay in at the park.





    Hope this helps,




    Don%26#39;t agree with last post. I%26#39;ve never had a local tell me not to go to Yala and will be visiitng friends there again in a couple of weeks. I travel by local transport without any problem and safaris there are easily arranged.





    It is true that insurance won%26#39;t pay out so you need to think whether that%26#39;s a major issue for you, when the likelihood of something happening seems so slight. I like to travel independently and don%26#39;t get hung up about such things but everyone is different.




    Hi there I am new to this post but have been avidly reading all the forums here and LP all about Sri Lanka. Rod B, you have a wealth of knowledge so I always like to read your recommedations.



    I too would like to do a safari of Yala National Park, I am fully aware of the travel alerts and how this affects insurance but would still like to try to arrange a trip locally if necessary. This will be my third visit to this island of paradise so I am not scared of either public transport or the very unlikely threat to my safety. What I would like is an unforgetable experience of Yala with maybe a touch of luxury thrown in.....what do you think???






    Hi Lainey,



    Thanks for the compliments.



    I%26#39;mm glad that someone else travels around on public transport. Mixing with the local people as they travel about in their daily lives is a big part of my holiday experience.



    Regarding hotels around Yala , I can%26#39;t guarantee which one is most luxurious as I usually stay in guest houss but there is one plave I stayed at a few years back and will be returning to in February.





    http://www.tissalakeside.com/index.html





    The Lakeside Inn was quite a low cost but extremely good. Better than any of the three star places I%26#39;ve stayed in.



    As well as being very comofortable, it%26#39;s a staging post for, Yala safari trips so easy to arrange for yourself or to find a group to join.



    If you do go there, make sure you leave some time to wander around a little. there %26#39;s some very impressive ancient places around there, including the '; Royal Gardens'; a set of amazingly preserved remains from, I think, a King who reigned there in the 2nd century BC.



    Also easy to get into Kataragama which has to be worth a visit.



    Rod.







    Day trips from Galle

    We are visiting Galle in January and have read that our hotel is not the best place to book trips. Can anyone offer advice on how and where they booked trips while on holiday in Galle. Also what trips are available - costs etc.

    Day trips from Galle

    Hi Ozzie,

    Can%26#39;t comment on the specific independent operators and beach boys in that area, though I know that nearby Unawatuna has at least 10+ independent booking offices. Some of which might %26#39;pool%26#39;, so collect a group of tourists sharing the costs for the van making it cheaper.

    Can give some idea on the excursions there. Day trips:

    * Udu Walawe safari (either leave Galle 4 AM or return at 9 PM, as it%26#39;s 2.5 hours ride and dusk/dawn safaris only)

    * Coastal zone to the north: Hikkaduwa glass bottom boat trip %26amp; moonstone mine, Ambalangoda mask factory, Balapitiya river/lagoon boat trip, turtle hatchery.

    * Singharaja walking safari (leave 5-6 AM from Galle to have optimal benefit, as it%26#39;s 3 hours drive one way)

    Generally cost would be around Rs 8,000 per car per day for the average trip (2 x 100 km), plus entrance fees where applicable.

    All the best,

    %26lt;Erik%26gt; %26amp; [Sandya]

    Day trips from Galle

    Thanks for this info.

  • Good comforters with a gray-blue room
  • Anyone flown Kingfisher Airlines?

    I%26#39;m looking to book flights for another trip to Sri Lanka next August and Kingfisher Airlines seem to be coming out with a very good price - they fly from Heathrow and stop in India en route.





    Has anyone used this airline or flight before? At the price, I am very tempted ...





    Sue





    Anyone flown Kingfisher Airlines?


    Hi Sue,





    The Bangalore - Colombo flight exists for over a year now, but India-London for maybe a month. Just brandnew long-distance planes.





    Assuming the transit is not to long (because then you%26#39;d like to take a hotel, pay 30+ bucks for India visa etc.) it could be good. Be sure to check traveller%26#39;s experiences with Kingfisher short-distance flights as these exist for over 4 years. Ourselves no direct experience, used close competitor Jet last fall (Colombo-Chennai-Mumbai) and was happy with them.





    All the best,





    %26lt;Erik%26gt; %26amp; [Sandya]



    Anyone flown Kingfisher Airlines?


    Hi Sue





    Like Erik no personal use of them, have heard they are EXCELLENT though, just checked thier website for dates that i am looking at around March/April and their First Class is way under what Sri Lankan%26#39;s Business class is cost wise ($2460 US Dollars), maybe i will check them out myself?





    Transfer times for flight i looked at was 1hour 40 minutes, so not bad either.





    Regards



    Dave




    Thanks Erik and Dave





    It would mean a 3 hour stopover in Bangalore (and much less than that on the return journey)... but that%26#39;s no worse than the stopover we have in Doha with Qatar in January .. and Kingfisher is coming out about 拢120 cheaper than Qatar ... sounds good, doesn%26#39;t it?!





    All the best





    Sue

    Good Tour Companys

    Hi I%26#39;m flying to Sri Lanka for Xmas and am trying to find a good tour company to go on a Sri Lanka tour with, as I will be a single female traveller. Does anyone know a good company and the sort of price I should expect to pay. Thanks!



    Good Tour Companys


    Hi





    Red Dot, Diethelm Travel or Aitken Spence are reputed inbound tour operators. Or you can arrange directly with %26#39;free-lance%26#39; drivers/guides.





    Expect to pay USD 65-70/day for transport. Depending on you choice of accommodation expect from USD 25 (simple guesthouses) to USD 100+ (5* hotels).





    Hans



    Good Tour Companys


    Hi





    Please contact lankavacation@yahoo.com very good tour company organizing personalized tour according to your budget .





    Thanks,





    Sarha




    DISagree with Mark. All independent drivers that we know of could be very capable of arranging the tour but can%26#39;t get the best hotel rates. E.g. %26#39;our%26#39; driver, through an operator he cooperates with, gets rates 10-20% above the block rate - which is still much better than the rate you get from the hotels directly.



    For the block rate, either use one of the larger operators as mentioned earlier in this thread or book the hotels yourself through sites like asiarooms.com or sri-lanka-hotelguide.com (and even then compare between the sites, not all have the block rate for each hotel!) Then for the driver, either get it through the operator or independently.





    All the best,





    %26lt;Erik%26gt; %26amp; [Sandya]




    I agree totally with Erik, the best hotel deals will be via the larger tour companies who have blocked booked accommodation.





    I would actually take this a stage further. You will able to negotiate the best discount rates with a tour company if the particular hotels you want happen to be part of the same group.





    For example, Keells Group (who own Walkers Travel) own the Cinnamon Grand, Lodge, bentota beach and Trans Asia.





    Aitken Spence, own the Earls Regency(Kandy), Heritance, Neptune and Tea Factory(Nuwara)





    Jetwing own the Lighthouse(Galle) and the St Andrews(Nuwara)





    We normally ask for bespoke tour quote from 3-4 companies and then haggle hard via email.





    To give you an idea of the price you can get, 2 years ago we had a 22 night tour(driver/guide) with Jet Wing directly to/from the airport for a family of 4 half board 4/5* hotels (2 double rooms)and all entry fees for US$6,664 which we through was very good value. We stayed at Hilton Colombo, Cinnamon Lodge Habarana, St Andrews Nuwara, Yala Village and the Lighthouse Galle.




    Hi,



    I%26#39;m an advocate of the self employed , Ceylon Tourist Board approved, driver/guide.



    The last post would frighten me if I was booking a tour . $6,600 dollars ?. If I paid that much I%26#39;d be able to visit Lanka about once every two years instead of the usual three times I go now and of those stays is usually for 6 weeks each.



    I know the 4/5 star hotels make a huge difference but there are many 2/3 star hotels around the country which are excellent for touring over night stops , some available for about 2000 to 2500 rupees a night for a double room and breakfasts.



    I usually stay in great family run guest houses for about 1500 rupees a night for the double room with breakfasts included. They don%26#39;t have a big pool and marble floors but are clean and comfortable , friendly and personal.





    Most of the previous answers assume that every one wants to pay top dollar for a 4/5 star hotel.



    I don%26#39;t and neither do, many other travellers so when giving a first time visitor advice on costs, the complete range should be mentioned not just the top end of the market.





    Don%26#39;t forget, when you book a big company, you%26#39;re paying for the luxury offices and their air-con , the executive wages, the big fleet of cars and their drivers to be kept waiting during slack periods plus all the other expences associated with a big company.





    So, Camn, I%26#39;m not saying it%26#39;s what you want but there are excellent driver/guides, tourist board accredited, charging about 6000 to 7000 rupees a day for the air-con car.. the driver.. and the fuel.



    Good guest houses are plentiful starting at about 1000 rupees a night , maybe 1500 with drivers free accomodation and food.



    Plus of course buying lunch and dinner and paying site entrance fees.



    It can be done in comfort for much , much less that the $6600 dollars mentioned.



    Rod.










    Hi





    That is the paradox about Sri Lanka (and other Asian countries).





    You can find good, clean and cheap accommodation for less than LKR 3000/night including full English breakfast.





    You can also spend LKR 100000+/night staying at posh 5* or boutique hotels.





    In the latter you will be isolated from the real Sri Lanka and not get to meet the friendly and hospitable people of Sri Lanka. What you spend for one night is easily several months%26#39; wages for the hotel staff.





    When I tour in Sri Lanka a hotel is only a place where I have a shower, eat and sleep. I don%26#39;t care a hoot whether they have a guy in a fancy uniform to open the door every time I enter or leave the establishment.





    asiarooms.com and sri-lanka-hotelguide.com do not always offer the best rates. I know several free-lance drivers/guides that can offer you better rates for hotels including half board than asiarooms.com or sri-lanka-hotelguide.com offer including breakfast. Besides asiarooms.com and sri-lanka-hotelguide.com offers only a limited percentage of accommodation available in Sri Lanka.





    Hans




    Just to add:





    ';asiarooms.com and sri-lanka-hotelguide.com do not always offer the best rates. I know several free-lance drivers/guides that can offer you better rates for hotels including half board than asiarooms.com or sri-lanka-hotelguide.com offer including breakfast. Besides asiarooms.com and sri-lanka-hotelguide.com offers only a limited percentage of accommodation available in Sri Lanka.';





    True, but GENERALLY freelance drivers don%26#39;t have access to the block rates (which are same as, or only slightly above, the rates for locals). So a word of warning was needed for people relying on these - I%26#39;d recommend NOT to go hotel booking with a freelance driver unless you%26#39;re doing a thorough comparison with prices for the same hotel offered elsewhere!





    %26lt;Erik%26gt; %26amp; [Sandya] - already owning a 2nd house in the %26#39;real%26#39; Sri Lanka plus tons of similar friends houses to stay, so WHEN going on tourist trips opting for the star-class hotels!

    Colombo Night Stop by Srilankan Airlines

    I noted several quarries about free Srilankan stopover in Colombo. Anyway, I was traveling from Singapore to Delhi with a 22 hour stopover in Colombo.





    Srilankan is a pretty good airlines and their service is very smooth. At check in counter in Changi airport, I was given the option to check the luggage trough to Delhi or to Colombo. Though we had no extra clothes with us, we opted to check the luggage through to Delhi. We were given boarding pass for both sectors. In my travel itinerary, stop over hotel name mentioned was Tamarind Tree hotel. Once I arrived at Colombo airport, we went to Night Stop counter just before immigration and asked the girl if they would book me at another hotel(?Goodwood park), the name of which I saw in a forum. But she advised me that Tamarind Tree is a better option.





    Anyway, we were given hotel voucher and was instructed to cross the immigration and go to the transport counter. The transport guys arranged for a car to transfer our family to the hotel. We had some tea on arrival in the afternoon. We had very good buffet dinner. Breakfast buffet was good and lunch was a la carte but also very good. Transport came in time to pick us up for our return trip to the airport.





    Tamarind Tree has nice bungalows, and a good sized swimming pool. The also have Gym and other facilities which I did not check out. You can rent swimming costume from the hotel. Tamarind tree Hotel is a good 3 star hotel of international standard.





    On our second leg of journey, we did not have to stand in the line at Colombo airport, as we already had our boarding passes. One of our luggages was unlocked and no items were missing.





    In summary I found the Srilanka airline provide pretty good service, there night stop is very good. And Colombo airport is much better that the Indian airports that I saw though both countries face very high security risk. Even the Srilankan immigration officer smiled at us whereas Delhi immigration officer was unhappy because our arrival interrupted his newspaper reading.


  • revlon