Sri Lanka Planning
Jan 10th, 2011, 11:22 AM
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Sri Lanka Planning
Just booked flights from UK (Birmingham) to Columbo via Dubai with Emirates. Booked direct on their website as they have a deal on at the moment (saving about £70 pp over the next best fare which seemed to be with Expedia whose price seemed to increase every time I clicked to buy!!). We leave on 3rd Feb for 4 weeks so now down to the serious but enjoyable business of planning!
Kathie pointed me in the direction of dogsters post re www.reddotours.com which is proving invaluable loads of really good information. I tried to contact them by phone but no reply so I have fired an email off to them requesting a costing for using their http://www.reddottours.com/69/guesth...ry-profile.htm itineray as a base with a few days drawn in form their "Adventurous" and Undiscovered itineraries thrown in. We have 28 days on the ground so I am looking to spend 2-4 days in each main location and maybe get in a few days beach/scuba diving on the south coast if time permits.
We are looking a budget guesthouses/B&Bs and homestays (budget < $50for most of the trip (with maybe the odd splurge, probably in the hills/tea country.)
Our normal style of travel is basically have an outline plan and then to make it up as we go as far as travel and accomodation is concerned.
A few immediate questions:
How easy is it to arrange accomodation/car & driver/train travel at short notice whilst there?
Would this be significantly cheaper than a pre-arranged tour?
We arrive in the morning around 8.30am any recommendations fo places to stay in Columbo for a couple of days (or would negombo be better and leave Columbo till the end)??
Finally, we aim to visit all of the major sights and throw in some hiking and cycling along the way but would appreciate opinions/suggestions on what not to miss and what to avoid.
Any help would be appreciated.
Kathie pointed me in the direction of dogsters post re www.reddotours.com which is proving invaluable loads of really good information. I tried to contact them by phone but no reply so I have fired an email off to them requesting a costing for using their http://www.reddottours.com/69/guesth...ry-profile.htm itineray as a base with a few days drawn in form their "Adventurous" and Undiscovered itineraries thrown in. We have 28 days on the ground so I am looking to spend 2-4 days in each main location and maybe get in a few days beach/scuba diving on the south coast if time permits.
We are looking a budget guesthouses/B&Bs and homestays (budget < $50for most of the trip (with maybe the odd splurge, probably in the hills/tea country.)
Our normal style of travel is basically have an outline plan and then to make it up as we go as far as travel and accomodation is concerned.
A few immediate questions:
How easy is it to arrange accomodation/car & driver/train travel at short notice whilst there?
Would this be significantly cheaper than a pre-arranged tour?
We arrive in the morning around 8.30am any recommendations fo places to stay in Columbo for a couple of days (or would negombo be better and leave Columbo till the end)??
Finally, we aim to visit all of the major sights and throw in some hiking and cycling along the way but would appreciate opinions/suggestions on what not to miss and what to avoid.
Any help would be appreciated.
Jan 10th, 2011, 02:37 PM
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thursday is on the ground right now, but by the time she gets a trip report out, you'll be there. Keep an eye out for her posts, tho.
'How easy is it to arrange accomodation/car & driver/train travel at short notice whilst there?
Very easy.
'Would this be significantly cheaper than a pre-arranged tour?'
No, for drivers it'll be significantly more expensive... but there are places where you simply won't need a driver for a few days. Swings and roundababouts. The only trains you're likely to want to explore are Colombo to Kandy, Kandy to hill country or Colombo to Galle. From memory, there aren't many others.
I've traveled with both a private tour/driver then in spurts with longer stays at places, using their transportation on the spot, then grabbing a local man to get me to the next place when I'm done. I prefer the second but you pay more, seeing as you have few choices. Why not use reddot for up north [cultural triangle], go train to Hill country and to coast. DIY along coast [easy].
Colombo: Galle Face Hotel.
Kandy: Helga's Folly
S.E.: Galapita
I'd not fuss about animals [Yala etc.]. In my experience there aren't any. lol. For surf, swim, get to the newly opened up East Coast. Aragun Bay.
Always remember just what the locals use the beaches for. It ain't pretty. Tourist beach towns are just that. Hikkaduwa is horrible, Unawatuna in season, much the same. Full of beach boys and hustlers. Cheap tho. Good food - or death on a plate.
Hiking, cycling - hill country for sure. It's very pretty - but kinda hilly. Lol. A combination tuk-tuk and bike hike is good. Use the tuk-tuk to carry you and bikes up to the top, bike or hike DOWN.
Cultural triangle ain't rivetting tourism IMO. Sigiriya is amazing and Dambulla temples is good for a day. Polonnawurra I found pretty uninspiring - but what do I know? Similarly Anuradapoura [or however you spell it]. Is it tea season? Better check. Don't fall for Tea Trails. Mega $$. There are other options.
Look Eco-places. I really did like Galapita - but it's gine upmarket. Spa places are just for rich, stupid people. Remember, Ayurvedic massage involves more oil than Dubai. Think carefully before submitting.
India-lite.
'How easy is it to arrange accomodation/car & driver/train travel at short notice whilst there?
Very easy.
'Would this be significantly cheaper than a pre-arranged tour?'
No, for drivers it'll be significantly more expensive... but there are places where you simply won't need a driver for a few days. Swings and roundababouts. The only trains you're likely to want to explore are Colombo to Kandy, Kandy to hill country or Colombo to Galle. From memory, there aren't many others.
I've traveled with both a private tour/driver then in spurts with longer stays at places, using their transportation on the spot, then grabbing a local man to get me to the next place when I'm done. I prefer the second but you pay more, seeing as you have few choices. Why not use reddot for up north [cultural triangle], go train to Hill country and to coast. DIY along coast [easy].
Colombo: Galle Face Hotel.
Kandy: Helga's Folly
S.E.: Galapita
I'd not fuss about animals [Yala etc.]. In my experience there aren't any. lol. For surf, swim, get to the newly opened up East Coast. Aragun Bay.
Always remember just what the locals use the beaches for. It ain't pretty. Tourist beach towns are just that. Hikkaduwa is horrible, Unawatuna in season, much the same. Full of beach boys and hustlers. Cheap tho. Good food - or death on a plate.
Hiking, cycling - hill country for sure. It's very pretty - but kinda hilly. Lol. A combination tuk-tuk and bike hike is good. Use the tuk-tuk to carry you and bikes up to the top, bike or hike DOWN.
Cultural triangle ain't rivetting tourism IMO. Sigiriya is amazing and Dambulla temples is good for a day. Polonnawurra I found pretty uninspiring - but what do I know? Similarly Anuradapoura [or however you spell it]. Is it tea season? Better check. Don't fall for Tea Trails. Mega $$. There are other options.
Look Eco-places. I really did like Galapita - but it's gine upmarket. Spa places are just for rich, stupid people. Remember, Ayurvedic massage involves more oil than Dubai. Think carefully before submitting.
India-lite.
Jan 10th, 2011, 02:59 PM
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We had a driver for our whole time there, but our trip was short and our stays short enough it didn't pay to do it dogster's way.
We loved the cultural triangle area. The Dambulla Cave Temples are wonderful, Sigirya is fascinating, but Polonnaruwa was our favorite, There is a wonderful museum there, and we had a guide who was superb. I'm not usually big on guides, but there are a few places where I've really appreciated guides, and Polonnaruwa was one of them. Without background info (and it's hard to come by outside of Sri Lanka) and without a guide, I suppose it would just be ruins.
Reddot isn't your only option for booking. I'd suggest you get quotes from a couple of agencies. We used Boutique Sri Lanka, and at that time, they were significantly less expensive than reddot. There are plenty of other agencies as well.
I appreciated having a driver from an agency. The agency traded out the car we'd reserved for a larger car at no charge and if there had been problems they would have taken care of it. Robbie and Fred had problems with the wrong vehicle and problems with a driver, as I remember. It's always nice to have someone you can call to fix it.
It's hard for me to know whether you can wing it easily or not. We were there when the war was still going on, and I expect there are many more tourists now.
We met some Brits at Glenburn who are living in Delhi right now and who visited Sri Lanka and they couldn't get over how clean it was in comparison to India. India-lite, indeed!
Oh, and dogster's comment about massage is well-taken. We went to a local place fro massage - I could have done without them dripping oil into my hair!
We loved the cultural triangle area. The Dambulla Cave Temples are wonderful, Sigirya is fascinating, but Polonnaruwa was our favorite, There is a wonderful museum there, and we had a guide who was superb. I'm not usually big on guides, but there are a few places where I've really appreciated guides, and Polonnaruwa was one of them. Without background info (and it's hard to come by outside of Sri Lanka) and without a guide, I suppose it would just be ruins.
Reddot isn't your only option for booking. I'd suggest you get quotes from a couple of agencies. We used Boutique Sri Lanka, and at that time, they were significantly less expensive than reddot. There are plenty of other agencies as well.
I appreciated having a driver from an agency. The agency traded out the car we'd reserved for a larger car at no charge and if there had been problems they would have taken care of it. Robbie and Fred had problems with the wrong vehicle and problems with a driver, as I remember. It's always nice to have someone you can call to fix it.
It's hard for me to know whether you can wing it easily or not. We were there when the war was still going on, and I expect there are many more tourists now.
We met some Brits at Glenburn who are living in Delhi right now and who visited Sri Lanka and they couldn't get over how clean it was in comparison to India. India-lite, indeed!
Oh, and dogster's comment about massage is well-taken. We went to a local place fro massage - I could have done without them dripping oil into my hair!
Jan 10th, 2011, 05:50 PM
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I'll be watching to see how you go. I'll be there approximately the same time as you. I am more interested in wildlife, so I've geared my experience toward that- hoping to see a lot more than Dogster did!
It took a little prodding in the beginning to get them to respond, but ultimately I booked through Red Dot (after contacting about 6 other companies). Ayanthi was able to come up with the most original itinerary. I can't wait to see how it all turns out.
It took a little prodding in the beginning to get them to respond, but ultimately I booked through Red Dot (after contacting about 6 other companies). Ayanthi was able to come up with the most original itinerary. I can't wait to see how it all turns out.
Jan 10th, 2011, 05:59 PM
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Femi, I didn't realize your trip was so soon! Leigh will also be in Sri Lanka in February. So you and crellston and Leigh should have a get together.
I'm glad to see so many people going to Sri Lanka. Indeed, a return trip is one of the places on our possibilities list for this year (Nov).
I'm glad to see so many people going to Sri Lanka. Indeed, a return trip is one of the places on our possibilities list for this year (Nov).
Jan 10th, 2011, 06:36 PM
#6
I had trouble getting replies from reddot, even after calling them. I also got a quote from Quickshaws, recommended by Lonely Planet, but I forgot to email them back at one point and by the time we sorted that out I had been communicating rather heavily with Boutique Sri Lanka. I'm traveling with Boutique Sri Lanka - reddot's eventual quote wasn't that much cheaper. (I ate lunch at their recommended Ice Bear in Negombo yesterday, and I think I'm much better off at the Villa Araliya.) If you're likely to have jetlag I'd think a night or two in Negombo would be a good way to start, but be warned that the tourist end of town is VERY touristy.
Jan 11th, 2011, 09:16 AM
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Toursim in Sri Lanka is really booming now and many hotels are fully booked/overbooked, advance booking is recomended for the more popular hotels. "Free Range" travel is very enjoyable - thats how I like to do it and is doable in Sri Lanka too, I am sure you will always find some place to stay at short notice but don't be too picky fussy.
Jan 11th, 2011, 11:04 AM
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Thanks for all the replies so far. I have emailed both Reddot and Boutiques Sri Lanka and received a v. prompt initial (& personal) response from Boutiques requesting I complete their online form but just an auto response from Reddot. Hopefully I will get quoted and itineraries from both in the next couple of days. I like dogsters idea of just getting a tour for part(s) of the trip and will probably go with this option once I get responses from the TO's.
I will now try quickshaws as recommended by thurdays.
Mohammed- thanks for the heads up on accommodation availability, As for not being "picky fussy" definitely not a problem you should have seen some of the places we stayed at when living in Sierra Leone!!
I will now try quickshaws as recommended by thurdays.
Mohammed- thanks for the heads up on accommodation availability, As for not being "picky fussy" definitely not a problem you should have seen some of the places we stayed at when living in Sierra Leone!!
Jan 11th, 2011, 06:49 PM
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A Sri Lankan GTG would be icing on the cake!
Kathie, the wait has seemed like forever and a day.
I'll be stopping in Yala (camping), at Tea Trails, and in Habarana. Let me know if any of you will be in the same areas. I won't be spending any time in Colombo though, a pity because this would probably be the best location for a GTG.
Kathie, the wait has seemed like forever and a day.
I'll be stopping in Yala (camping), at Tea Trails, and in Habarana. Let me know if any of you will be in the same areas. I won't be spending any time in Colombo though, a pity because this would probably be the best location for a GTG.
Jan 12th, 2011, 10:01 AM
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Femi A gtg would be great if our itineraries match up at some point. I finally heard back from Reddot and Boutique Sri Lanka so hopefully I will get draft itinerary soon. i have been trying to finalise in my own mind where we want to go and when we will want a guide/driver and at this point I am thinking of a driver for the cultural triangle and part of the hill country and then winging it for the rest of the trip.
Jan 12th, 2011, 09:41 PM
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We arrive in Sri Lanka on Feb 12th.
All our hotels are booked and we have booked the services of Rammuni for twelve days.
On arrival we are going straight to Habarana for four nights,then on to Kandy for two nights, Nuwara Eilya for one night, Galle for three nights and finishing up in Colombo.
A gtg would be great.
I have a feeling that we are not going to fit in everything that we have listed as 'must do', so probably a return visit will be on the cards.
Any advice regarding what have been highlights for other fodorites will be much appreciated.
All our hotels are booked and we have booked the services of Rammuni for twelve days.
On arrival we are going straight to Habarana for four nights,then on to Kandy for two nights, Nuwara Eilya for one night, Galle for three nights and finishing up in Colombo.
A gtg would be great.
I have a feeling that we are not going to fit in everything that we have listed as 'must do', so probably a return visit will be on the cards.
Any advice regarding what have been highlights for other fodorites will be much appreciated.
Jan 13th, 2011, 06:56 AM
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Have a wonderful time, Leigh. I'll look forward to your report.
crellston, have you ever heard back from Red Dot? I also sent inquiries to both BSL and Red Dot and have received a reply from BSL but not from Red Dot.
crellston, have you ever heard back from Red Dot? I also sent inquiries to both BSL and Red Dot and have received a reply from BSL but not from Red Dot.
Jan 13th, 2011, 09:22 AM
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Kathie - I got an email from red Dot yesterday evening and a phone call this morning to say that they would email a draft itinerary today or tomorrow. I was getting a little concerned as I had called several times and got the voicemail and left messages (i.e. about 4x) each time plus a couple of emails cahsing them. the guy my wife spoke to seemed avery helpful. Got a couple of email responses of acknowledgement from boutique but nothing else yet.
PS Just heard on the BBC of floods in Sri Lanka apparently affecting 1 million people! maybe this is affecting comms?
PS Just heard on the BBC of floods in Sri Lanka apparently affecting 1 million people! maybe this is affecting comms?
Jan 13th, 2011, 09:24 AM
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Info on floods @ http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSSGE70CB8P20110113
Jan 13th, 2011, 09:36 AM
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Hi
The floods in Eastern Sri Lanka are really bad, we have a relief effort underway with Rotary, hopefully things will improve soon. Colombo and the Western side of the country is not affected although the weather is really unusually cool.
The floods in Eastern Sri Lanka are really bad, we have a relief effort underway with Rotary, hopefully things will improve soon. Colombo and the Western side of the country is not affected although the weather is really unusually cool.
Jan 13th, 2011, 09:45 AM
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Hi Crellston, our trip is all DIY but of course...very much dependent on Rammuni. For Habarana we have selected Cinnamon Lodge. Yes I know there are mixed reviews and yes I know this hotel is used by tour groups but we have friends who have stayed there and they are full of praise. So......we'll see.
Kathie, thanks for your best wishes.....will do my best to provide a decent trip report.
Kathie, thanks for your best wishes.....will do my best to provide a decent trip report.
Jan 13th, 2011, 10:12 AM
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Hi Leigh. its possible we will be in or close to Habarana about the same time as you. hopefull we will finalise things in the next day or so. maybe we could meet up.
Kathie - Just c=got an itinerary of sorts from Boutique but I am not altogether sure that they actually read my brief (i.e. budget guest houses NOT 5*!) Never mind i will go back to them with clarification.
Mohammed - our thoughts are with those affected. hopefully things will get back to normailiy soon.
Kathie - Just c=got an itinerary of sorts from Boutique but I am not altogether sure that they actually read my brief (i.e. budget guest houses NOT 5*!) Never mind i will go back to them with clarification.
Mohammed - our thoughts are with those affected. hopefully things will get back to normailiy soon.
Jan 13th, 2011, 10:39 AM
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Awww, looks like I will have just missed you Leigh. I'll also be at the Cinammon Lodge, but not until Feb 20th.
Looks like my trip will be moving in the opposite direction- Yala, tea country, Habarana, Kalapitiya, then home.
I'm trying to fit in so many activities, I'll be a little busier this trip than I usually like. Depending on how things go, I might also consider a second trip as there seems to be a lot that I couldn't cram into this one.
Looks like my trip will be moving in the opposite direction- Yala, tea country, Habarana, Kalapitiya, then home.
I'm trying to fit in so many activities, I'll be a little busier this trip than I usually like. Depending on how things go, I might also consider a second trip as there seems to be a lot that I couldn't cram into this one.
