Money!

going to colombo on saturday 20th december for 2 weeks and i%26#39;m wondering about money.

should i take british sterling and exchange it in colombo or exchange it in uk before i go?

should i take sterling traveller%26#39;s cheques instead of cash?

should i take my maestro debit card and use the atm machines all the time?

would us dollars be better givin the current exhange rates?

thanks. x

Money!

Hi,

If your native curency is sterling pounds, then thats what you should use.

Sure, dollars have a much better exchange rate than pounds but that applies to changing to dollars as well. You get bad rate from sterling at the moment for either. Changing to dollars first just means two lots of commission instead of one.

Banks win, you lose.

T.C.s , cash or atm card depends on your preference.

I rely entirely on my ATM card. As I%26#39;ve got an account with Nationwide, I pay no commision, bo buy and sell premium and they allways give top exchange rate.

TC,s can cost a little more through a bank.

Cash , I like to carry enough for a few days at a time out there. I certainly wouldn%26#39;t want to carry enough for the complete trip.

It%26#39;s actually illegal to take much Sri Lankan currency into or out of the country.

When you arrive,there%26#39;s 5 banks and a Thomas Cook in the arrivals hall. You can change cash, TC,s there and just outside the door, there%26#39;s cash machines set in the outer wall. So easy to get on arrival.

Do make sure, when you change money, that you get plenty of small denomination notes.

200,s.. 100,s..50,s..and 20,s....... No one ever has any change.

Change isn%26#39;t called change over there, ask for your change and they look at you and smile. Ask for your '; balance '; and you get your change.

Rod

web hosting domains

taxi cost from Colombo to Galle

How much it is reasonable to expect to pay for the transportation for four people from International airport Colombo to Galle? Thank you an advance

taxi cost from Colombo to Galle

Hi

Colombo Airport to Galle is about 145 km, so expect to pay LKR 9000-10000 for the trip/one-way.

Hans

the tooth temple Kandy

when is the best time during the day to visit the temple if you want to avoid crowds?

thanks Raiza

the tooth temple Kandy

Dear Raiza,

Early, say before 11 AM. The busiest times with locals are after that, extending until 5-6 PM at least and even the early dark hours can have queues but have their own lovely atmosphere.

All the best,

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

the tooth temple Kandy

Hi Raiza

Just to add to Erik%26#39;s already correct reply, also good to keep away on Poya (Full Moon) days and weekends too if you don%26#39;t like crowds....., likely to be very busy at those times.

Regards

Dave

Hi,

Best time to visit is when the offering is going on. It is only then all the small rooms are open. Other times you can see only the big building. The offering times are between 6.30-7.30am, 9.30-10.30am, 6.30-7.30pm. The offering time with least people is 6.30-7.30 am. 9.30-10.30am also not too bad. Evening ceremony is normally quite crowded.

Regards,

Frank.

Hi

Yes, I agree ... avoid the evening ceremony. It is full of tourists who have just filed out of the Cultural Dance Show along the road and go straight into the Temple of the Tooth afterwards.

Sue

Hi

I was there yesterday about 9.45am, and the place was crowded with long queues to pass security checks. I am am aware that it was Saturday after Poya Day and in the middle of the local school holidays.

I was there in early April just after the Cultural Show, and it was quite deserted.

Hans

P.t. in hot and sunny Sri Lanka

Hi,

I actually prefer visiting the temple in the evening.

I think it%26#39;s pot luck with the crowds but I like the evening ceremony with the drums playing and the corners all shadowey. Lots of atmosphere.

It can get very crowded just after the cultural show but I find, when the show finishes, about 7 pm. go directly upstairs to see the golden casket while it%26#39;s on display and make offerings there if you wish.

Shortly after that, the steel security shutters are closed over the casket and you can wander around the rest of the temple at your leisure as the crowds thin out.

Rod.

Out and about around the Tangerine Beach hotel.

Hello, we are thinking of staying at the Tangerine Beach hotel in January 09 for two weeks. We previously visited Goa and Kerala and enjoyed them both. We wondered if there are many/any restaurants nearby to wander down to in the evenings or mornings and little shops to visit as there are in the other places we have visited.Or do we have to get in a tuk tuk to get anywhere?

Also, if buying jewellery in Sri Lanka, what are the best buys and things to look out for, good or bad?

Regards

Out and about around the Tangerine Beach hotel.

Hi there,

There%26#39;s a few tourist shops at walking distance, but hardly any restaurants. For a real %26#39;ecosystem%26#39; like that you need to pick Unawatuna, Hikkaduwa, Bentota or Negombo. Even a tuktuk won%26#39;t help much as Kalutara town has hardly any tourist restaurants - Bentota/Beruwala area, 20 km to the south, is a better place for that. So for Tangerine or any other Kalutara hotel, booking half board at least is better.

The only thing I can say about jewellery is that there%26#39;s a free testing lab of the Gem Board in Colombo. Any serious jeweller should be willing to accompany you to that place with a prospective purchase to see whether it is genuine and the price asked is in a decent range. Can%26#39;t help with individual names of jewellers in the tourist towns.

All the best,

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

Out and about around the Tangerine Beach hotel.

hi dorest Jane,

I am chamara from srilanka..i think u will enjoy srilanka as kerala and goa too...arround kaluthara area very hardly find any good restaurents...any way i will check this and let u know if u want...but to the south there are lot ..even in colombo u will find more..

there are nice jewllery shops in srilanka...once u come to srilanka can say where to go..in colombo can give u the names of best jewllery shops...

any way have a nice trip...

Chamara, Chamara! We are watching you.

Pore

We stayed in Kalutara a few years ago, and ate at the T Star restaurant most evenings. This was about 5 minutes walk from the hotel, and the food was wonderful and very cheap. However, this was a few months before the tsunami, so I don%26#39;t know whether the restaurant is still there - I have often wondered whether the owner and his lovely family managed to survive.

Day rate for taxi or tuk-tuk

Two questions:

1. What is the rate to hire a taxi or tuk-tuk for the day (say 10am - 5pm) to go around the main places of interest in Colombo?

Which is better, cab or tuk-tuk?We are in our 60s so don%26#39;t want to travel too rough (I don%26#39;t know how uncomfortable the tuk-tuks are).

Any advice is most appreciated.

Krungsri

Day rate for taxi or tuk-tuk

Hi Krungrsi,

The tuktuks are as (un)comfortable as in Bangkok. Still I%26#39;d recommend them as cars have a big headache with parking and manoeuvering.

For the short distances there, based on the tuktuk rate of around Rs 20/km (roundtrip), for something like Rs 500-700 you can get a full day. For a cab, which has a rate basis of double that km price, expect the triple amount or more because they would also charge for their wait time and maybe even for the parking fees. Especially if they%26#39;re metered, you would not want those for this kind of arrangements.

All the best,

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

PS Send a PM if you want a phone number of a reliable tuktuk driver. Without such a recommendation, NEVER leave luggage in a waiting tuktuk not even for 2 mins because they could speed away with your luggage as %26#39;worth more than payment%26#39;...

Day rate for taxi or tuk-tuk

Thank you Erik for your kind and prompt response.

If the taxis are airconditioned I guess they%26#39;d be more comfortable, as I gather Christmas weather in Colombo will be hot and humid. We might just have to spend the extra and get through the day better.

Best wishes

Krungsri

revlon

Sri Lanka in January - Questions!!

Hi All,

Please can you help with some questions about our honeymoon in Sri Lanka in January.

We are staying at the Cinammon Lodge in Cultural Triangle for 5 nights, followed by 5 nights at Tea Trails.

My questions:

1) I don%26#39;t know what clothes to pack!! Can anyone tell me what kind of day and eve temps for both places? Also, I know Tea Trails is pretty upmarket - would I be expected to dress smartly for dinner each night?!

2) Mosquitoes - I%26#39;m expecting them, but again it would be great to get an idea of how bad they are at both places?!

3) Money - We%26#39;ve seen you are not allowed to take much local currency with you. We are mostly paid for with full board/all inclusive, but obviously need some cash for tips/trips etc. How best to do this? Take travellers cheques? Get cash out when we get there?!

Thanks in advance!!

Tara.

Sri Lanka in January - Questions!!

Hi Tara,

We%26#39;ll do our best...

1) Habarana: day upto 35%26#39;, eve around 27-28. CTT: day between 10%26#39; and 20%26#39; depending on fog-or-sun, eve gets upto below 5%26#39;. It%26#39;s slightly better than Eliya which is at 2000 m altitude whilst CTT (above Hatton) is at 1300-1400 m, but the weather behaviour is rougly the same.

This translates to tropical clothing (natural fabrics preferred, so linen/cotton no polyester) for CL and more European stuff for CTT. But even at CTT use strong sun cream, because WHEN the sun shines it%26#39;s at a very un-European strength.

2) CTT hardly, but beware of leeches as soon as you stroll off the paved pathways. Habarana tons, it%26#39;s even formally a malaria area - so have skin protection with DEET esp. when venturing out of your (safe) AC hotel room.

3) Choose between TC%26#39;s and Maestro ATM card, and maybe 100 quid plain cash just for emergencies. The TC/ATM choice depends on what cost your bank charges for ATM; the rate generally is at least 2-3 % better on ATM.

All the best,

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

PS Can%26#39;t comment on the dress code for CTT, generally these can exist indeed but on the other hand it%26#39;s a typical place for in-chalet dining too

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Cricket in Sri Lanka

Does anyone know if there will be cricket still being played either domestic or international in May 2009?

Cricket in Sri Lanka

There was going to be a 3-way One Day International (ODI) series in May 2009, with SL hosting India and South Africa, however this clashes with the 2nd year of the Indian Premier League (IPL) so I think it%26#39;s been cancelled. The domestic SL games usually are from about October to March each year. Depending where in SL, it may be damp in May so don%26#39;t think you%26#39;ll be lucky.

Cricket in Sri Lanka

Hi,

There will be no international cricket in SL in May 2009. At the moment the domestic calender only goes until the end of February.

Check http://www.cricinfo.com/homepage/index99.html for further information.

Hans

Hi Belinda

Have to agree with Hans on this one, no international cricket in Sri Lanka in May 2009.

Sri Lanka were due to have been playing a test series in England at that time, now postponed due to player commitments in the IPL (Indian Premier League), seems that money talks there too !!.

Regards

Dave

The Indian Premier league has been cancelled the Mumbai attack.

It%26#39;s possible some Cricket will be rearranged.

Sorry to diappoint you guys, it%26#39;s the Champions 20/20 League (due to be played now) that%26#39;s been postponed not the IPL.