We%26#39;re thinking of booking for 2 weeks at the Blue Water for next month (Feb). Could anyone answer these questions for me please ?
1. I have read the advice on the Foreign Office website and am a little concerned about safety / terrorism etc. We would like to take in some of the sights whilst we are there and wondered about the risks involved in travelling around. Any comments on this would be appreciated.
2. We do not care for much evening entertainment but like to take in a movie on TV before sleeping. Can anyone tell me if this is possible at this hotel ? Is there satellite or cable TV and what are the English speaking channels like ? Is there a DVD player ?
3. Due to a specific medical complaint I must be extremely careful not to get bitten on my legs. I always take careful precautions and usually opt for long trousers in the evenings if mozzies are rife. Would this be neccesary here or could I be safe in cropped trousers or dresses ?
4. In the event of illness (hopefully not !) what are the provisions for seeing a doctor or nurse ?
Sorry for all these questions but I like to be prepared as far as possible for most eventualities !!
Thanks in anticipation.
Blue Water
Hi there,
Okay a first round.
1] Don%26#39;t worry. Safety is okay in all of the tourist areas. Only Colombo town has some risks but as you%26#39;ll be travelling with a car-and-guide he%26#39;ll know how to avoid them.
2] Yes, satellite TV with some Western news and movie channels like StarNews. And one channel with in-house movies. In standard rooms no DVD players, suites might have them.
3] Inside your (AC) room you are safe. The restaurants however are Al Fresco, large open (roofed) halls with fans. So better when going there or the balcony, do cover your legs. This is true for almost any hotel in Sri Lanka due to the climate, it%26#39;s just nicer to have al fresco dining instead of big full-AC halls.
4] On call. Wadduwa town has decent doctors and there%26#39;s hospitals in nearby Kalutara and Panadura.
All the best,
%26lt;Erik%26gt; %26amp; [Sandya]
Blue Water
Hi there...
Yes, Erik had summed up Blue Water well, and given all the correct relpies as usual
The TV there will have a couple of film channels, for instance Star Movies, similar to Sky Movies here in UK, in fact owned by same company!
Use a good repellent like AUTAN, works all the time for me and will be using it once more next time (March to May), mozzies more likely just after rain AND after sunset.
Some better hotels like Blue Water have a doctor/nurse who calls in a few times a week, if you need one then contact reception/guest relations and they will call one in for you, hopefully as you said you won%26#39;t need one.
Hope this helps
Regards
Dave
Thank you so much for the very quick replies !!
A few more questions then please !!
What type of plug adapters will I need ?
Do I need dual voltage appliances or will UK voltage be OK ?
Will we be able to take duty free liquor into Sri Lanka ?
Are there any general stores nearby to buy soft drinks for in the room / forgotten items ?
Is there a liquor store nearby - we like to keep a bottle in the room instead of bothering with the bar if we fancy a drink when changing for dinner etc. !
Thanks again!
Okay, there we go again...
--%26gt; What type of plug adapters will I need ?
Don%26#39;t remember. Best is to have the UK plugs and a multi-country converter; in many hotels it%26#39;s even a mixture of UK-style outlets and %26#39;Lankan style%26#39; which are based on the continental-European 2/3-pin outlets.
%26gt;Do I need dual voltage appliances or will UK
voltage be OK ?
It%26#39;s 220-240 volt so UK works well.
%26gt;Will we be able to take duty free liquor into Sri Lanka ?
Yes but upto the dutyfree allowances. See e.g.
worldtravelguide.net/country/…Sri-Lanka.html
%26gt;Are there any general stores nearby to buy soft drinks for in the room / forgotten items ?
Yes, small bazaar-type shops. Cross the parking lot and the railway line and you%26#39;ll find them starting at the other end of the crossing and onto the main (Galle) Road nearby.
%26gt;Is there a liquor store nearby - we like to keep a bottle in the room instead of bothering with the bar
Did not check but most likely on Galle Road. The main town centre starts about 10-15 mins walk from the hotel so should not be that far.
All the best,
%26lt;Erik%26gt; %26amp; [Sandya]
Thank you so much once again - the speed of your replies is impressive !!
Is Wadduwa a large town then ? I had a vision of it just being a small fishing village.
Duty free allowance is 1 1/2 lts spirits per person (thanks for the link). Do you think we could pool our allowance and bring in 3 bottles of 1 ltr. between the two of us or would we have to keep it separate ?
I also see from the link you gave that there are Poya days in Feb. and March but the dates are not yet confirmed. Do you have any further info on this as our dates will span both of these months ?
Also, on the 9th March is Milad un Nabi day (Birth of the Prophet day) - will this affect us in resort ?
Thanks once again for all your help.
Hi again,
Okay...
%26gt;Is Wadduwa a large town then ? I had a vision of it just being a small fishing village.
Well it%26#39;s certainly not big by Lankan standards. But it%26#39;s narrow and long, centred around Galle Road - I think total lenght 3-4 km. And alcohol consumption in Lanka is not small...
%26gt;(thanks for the link). Do you think we could pool our allowance and bring in 3 bottles of 1 ltr. between the two of us or would we have to keep it separate ?
Pooling should be feasible, not much inspection at customs anyhow.
%26gt;
I also see from the link you gave that there are Poya days in Feb. and March but the dates are not yet confirmed. Do you have any further info on this as our dates will span both of these months ?
Pass on this, there is a website with all details but don%26#39;t have it at hand. They indeed limit the options for consuming alcohol on that day in/outside the hotel.
%26gt;the Prophet day) - will this affect us in resort ?
No. Even if it%26#39;s a public holiday it does not have alcohol rules for non-Muslims.
All the best,
%26lt;Erik%26gt; %26amp; [Sandya]
Hi,
Poya days:
February 9th
March 10th
Hans
Thank you so much for all the helpful replies. I went ahead and booked the holiday yesterday and we are very excited ! Only 4 weeks to go !! Thanks again.
On the same sort of subject,18 of us staying at the BW, from 22/02/09, anyone know if they show english footabll, i,e have Sky sports
Hi Jason,
You will not find Sky Sports in Sri Lanka.
Barcleys Premier League is broadcast on Star Sports (I believe they have same ownership as Sky Sports) and ESPN. Both channels are included in satellite packages in Sri Lanka.
BW has satellite TV, so can mail them and ask if they these channels at reservations@thebluewatersrilanka.com
Hans
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