Some last questions before Sri Lanka... Mohammed?
Oct 24th, 2007, 07:16 PM
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Some last questions before Sri Lanka... Mohammed?
A couple of last week before departure questions...
We are flying Thai Air out of Columbo, and the flight leaves at something like 1:20 am. We will be driving that day from Tea Trails, so will have probably a 4 or 5 hour drive to Columbo. I'm thinking we should leave Tea Trails after lunch, and was hoping for a stop for a nice dinner in or near Columbo... maybe even some last day shopping. Any suggestions?
Is there a Thai Biz Class Lounge in the airport? How is the airport? I'm guessing we'll end up with a few hours there before our flight unless someone has a better suggestion.
And last, I'd like to buy some tea in Sri Lanka, both for us and as gifts for friends. Wher is teh best place to purchase? Do they have jasmine pearls there, or is that olny a Chinese tradition?
We are flying Thai Air out of Columbo, and the flight leaves at something like 1:20 am. We will be driving that day from Tea Trails, so will have probably a 4 or 5 hour drive to Columbo. I'm thinking we should leave Tea Trails after lunch, and was hoping for a stop for a nice dinner in or near Columbo... maybe even some last day shopping. Any suggestions?
Is there a Thai Biz Class Lounge in the airport? How is the airport? I'm guessing we'll end up with a few hours there before our flight unless someone has a better suggestion.
And last, I'd like to buy some tea in Sri Lanka, both for us and as gifts for friends. Wher is teh best place to purchase? Do they have jasmine pearls there, or is that olny a Chinese tradition?
Oct 25th, 2007, 03:26 AM
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Kathie,
Maybe Mohammed can confirm this but the Araliya business class lounge is the contracted lounge at the Colombo airport. I know it is used by Singapore Air. It would most likely be used by Thai as well but I have seen nothing on line that would confirm that.
Alternatively, why not do what we were planning to do before our flights were changed and reserve a room at the Villa Araliya in Negombo 10 minutes from the airport. That would give you a chance to "freshen up" before your trip and have a meal at a nearby restaurant. At a nightly rate of $65, you can't go wrong even if you check out at 11 PM to catch your flight.
Maybe Mohammed can confirm this but the Araliya business class lounge is the contracted lounge at the Colombo airport. I know it is used by Singapore Air. It would most likely be used by Thai as well but I have seen nothing on line that would confirm that.
Alternatively, why not do what we were planning to do before our flights were changed and reserve a room at the Villa Araliya in Negombo 10 minutes from the airport. That would give you a chance to "freshen up" before your trip and have a meal at a nearby restaurant. At a nightly rate of $65, you can't go wrong even if you check out at 11 PM to catch your flight.
Oct 25th, 2007, 05:48 AM
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Thanks for your thoughts, Craig. We've also thought about getting a room at the Villa Araliya for that last evening. We stay there right after our midnight arrival from Bangkok. If we don't get any other ideas. I expect that's what we'll do.
I've had this idea of a bit of shopping followed by a luxurious dinner at an interesting place perhaps in Columbo (the Galle Face? The Cinnamon Grand?). Or perhaps there is a lovely place for dinner in Negombo.
(Craig, by the way, I seem to remember a post of yours indicating that Singapore Air had changed your flight times to daytime flights in and out of Columbo? Thai has kept night time flights since August, but I continue to check on them.)
I've had this idea of a bit of shopping followed by a luxurious dinner at an interesting place perhaps in Columbo (the Galle Face? The Cinnamon Grand?). Or perhaps there is a lovely place for dinner in Negombo.
(Craig, by the way, I seem to remember a post of yours indicating that Singapore Air had changed your flight times to daytime flights in and out of Columbo? Thai has kept night time flights since August, but I continue to check on them.)
Oct 25th, 2007, 05:51 AM
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I've not yet been to SL (but I'm looking forward to your trip reports Kathie and Craig)....I came across a link for this hotel/restaurant/store in Colombo....looks quite chic.
http://www.casacolombo.com/
http://www.casacolombo.com/
Oct 25th, 2007, 07:30 AM
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Kathie, presumably you can find a place to have a luxurious dinner in either Colombo or Negombo but its probably going to be a big letdown after your food orgy at Tea Trails.
On Tripadvisor, one poster mentions that there is a nice place to eat near the Villa Araliya. The hotel itself also has a limited Italian dinner menu.
The first thing I did when I saw your post was to check the Thai web site to see if the flights had been moved to the daytime like those of Singapore Air. I was kind of surprised that they were not.
On Tripadvisor, one poster mentions that there is a nice place to eat near the Villa Araliya. The hotel itself also has a limited Italian dinner menu.
The first thing I did when I saw your post was to check the Thai web site to see if the flights had been moved to the daytime like those of Singapore Air. I was kind of surprised that they were not.
Nov 3rd, 2007, 01:10 PM
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A thousand apologies, I just saw your post today! Kathie, I was away on a business trip in Germany and just returned two days back to a mountain of work at the office. I hope this response reaches you in time.
Tea Trails to Colombo should take a cool 5 hours drive so if you leave after an early lunch at 1pm you should drive into Colombo about 6pm. There are two roads into Colombo from the hills, better to take the Hatton, Kitulgala, route.
For dinner in Colombo, if you like to have a quality western style I suggest the Chesa Swiss Restaurant which is a very special relaxed fine dining place and very good. There are quite a few other restaurants in Colombo depending on ones tastes and preference.
The airport is one hour further away from Colombo and one needs to report two hours before the flight, so for a 1.20 am flight you need to report by 11.20pm, so need to leave Colombo by 10.20pm. I strongly suggest you to give this an extra half hour. Trust me, I almost missed my flight to Germany last week. Please don't delay as the main access road known as Baseline Rd, is closed at 10.30pm and all traffic is detoured via the old Prince of Wales Rd which is also the main access Rd to the port and can get blocked with heavy container traffic at night.
Negombo is another half hour futher past the airport so forget this option as you would also have to back track after dinner and the Negombo restaurant area is not as nice as they write about.
Colombo airport is not very big, quite nice, clean and efficient. There are several lounges and I am sure as a Thai biz class passenger you will be invited to one of them.
My advice, please do definitely stay on till the last day at Tea Trails and don't waste a night coming down to Negombo, at worst if the drive down on the last day takes longer than expeted you can skip the dinner in Colombo and head straight for the airport - there is a Mc Donalds on the airport Rd!
Regards
Mohammed
Tea Trails to Colombo should take a cool 5 hours drive so if you leave after an early lunch at 1pm you should drive into Colombo about 6pm. There are two roads into Colombo from the hills, better to take the Hatton, Kitulgala, route.
For dinner in Colombo, if you like to have a quality western style I suggest the Chesa Swiss Restaurant which is a very special relaxed fine dining place and very good. There are quite a few other restaurants in Colombo depending on ones tastes and preference.
The airport is one hour further away from Colombo and one needs to report two hours before the flight, so for a 1.20 am flight you need to report by 11.20pm, so need to leave Colombo by 10.20pm. I strongly suggest you to give this an extra half hour. Trust me, I almost missed my flight to Germany last week. Please don't delay as the main access road known as Baseline Rd, is closed at 10.30pm and all traffic is detoured via the old Prince of Wales Rd which is also the main access Rd to the port and can get blocked with heavy container traffic at night.
Negombo is another half hour futher past the airport so forget this option as you would also have to back track after dinner and the Negombo restaurant area is not as nice as they write about.
Colombo airport is not very big, quite nice, clean and efficient. There are several lounges and I am sure as a Thai biz class passenger you will be invited to one of them.
My advice, please do definitely stay on till the last day at Tea Trails and don't waste a night coming down to Negombo, at worst if the drive down on the last day takes longer than expeted you can skip the dinner in Colombo and head straight for the airport - there is a Mc Donalds on the airport Rd!
Regards
Mohammed
Nov 4th, 2007, 02:53 AM
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Mohammed, thanks for your post. I'm reading it in Bangkok. I appreciate the advice on our return from Tea Trails to the airport. We had decided to stay at Tea Trails for lunch, then drive toward the airport.
Any recommendations for a reataurant with superlative Sri Lankan food? Also, any recommendations on tea buying?
Any recommendations for a reataurant with superlative Sri Lankan food? Also, any recommendations on tea buying?
Nov 4th, 2007, 08:08 AM
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Hi Kathie,
By the time you read this you should be already in Sri Lanka. Hope all goes well.
Sri Lankan Food - You should find a selection of local food at most of the hotels you stay along the tour, especially popular at breakfast time are the hoppers, kiribath etc. If I recall correctly you are going to Kandalama Hotel where they have a lavish buffet with almost everything.
In Colombo the most famous and lavish Sri Lankan buffet is at the Colombo Hilton every night, great garden alfresco atmosphere, and a favourite when I entertain clients.
Another good Sri lankan restaurant with a distinctly Jaffna cuisine style is called the Peninsula restaurant on Nawala Rd, and this should be not much off your route when coming from the hills and going to the airport. Please tell your driver to turn at Nugegoda to Nawala Rd, and then after dinner tell him to head to the airport via Borella.
Tea - you should find many Tea centers enroute especially in the hills. They should also have a sales center for Dilmah at Tea Trails.
For a wide and fancy variety including some gorgeous golden tea pots etc the best exclusive tea shops are Mlesna Tea Centers. There is also a good shop in the departure lounge at Colombo airport but prices may be high.
When driving down from Tea Trails you will pass a largish market town called Hatton and about ten km past Hatton you will pass a quaint little tea center stop off point called "The Big Tea Cup". This is run by Watawala Plantations and they serve a great cuppa as well as sell good tea. Great view too.
Kathie, I am also a tea taster and a tea exporter and my family has been in this trade since over 70 years. Please check out http://www.abidally.com Weare commercial tea exporters and don't do any fancy gift style packs. Only straight Pure Ceylon Tea. I would love to gift you a small case of fine tea bags which we do for the Russian market, we only have one variety, plain good ole English Breakfast Blend, but they are the very best you can find anywhere on the planet. You could call me on 077 77 44 777 perhaps we could meet for a quick drink when you stop over for dinner enroute to the airport on your last day. I may be at Nuwara Eliya with my family/kids over the weekend 9-11th Nov, because it is the Deevali holiday weekend.
Regards
Mohammed
By the time you read this you should be already in Sri Lanka. Hope all goes well.
Sri Lankan Food - You should find a selection of local food at most of the hotels you stay along the tour, especially popular at breakfast time are the hoppers, kiribath etc. If I recall correctly you are going to Kandalama Hotel where they have a lavish buffet with almost everything.
In Colombo the most famous and lavish Sri Lankan buffet is at the Colombo Hilton every night, great garden alfresco atmosphere, and a favourite when I entertain clients.
Another good Sri lankan restaurant with a distinctly Jaffna cuisine style is called the Peninsula restaurant on Nawala Rd, and this should be not much off your route when coming from the hills and going to the airport. Please tell your driver to turn at Nugegoda to Nawala Rd, and then after dinner tell him to head to the airport via Borella.
Tea - you should find many Tea centers enroute especially in the hills. They should also have a sales center for Dilmah at Tea Trails.
For a wide and fancy variety including some gorgeous golden tea pots etc the best exclusive tea shops are Mlesna Tea Centers. There is also a good shop in the departure lounge at Colombo airport but prices may be high.
When driving down from Tea Trails you will pass a largish market town called Hatton and about ten km past Hatton you will pass a quaint little tea center stop off point called "The Big Tea Cup". This is run by Watawala Plantations and they serve a great cuppa as well as sell good tea. Great view too.
Kathie, I am also a tea taster and a tea exporter and my family has been in this trade since over 70 years. Please check out http://www.abidally.com Weare commercial tea exporters and don't do any fancy gift style packs. Only straight Pure Ceylon Tea. I would love to gift you a small case of fine tea bags which we do for the Russian market, we only have one variety, plain good ole English Breakfast Blend, but they are the very best you can find anywhere on the planet. You could call me on 077 77 44 777 perhaps we could meet for a quick drink when you stop over for dinner enroute to the airport on your last day. I may be at Nuwara Eliya with my family/kids over the weekend 9-11th Nov, because it is the Deevali holiday weekend.
Regards
Mohammed
Nov 5th, 2007, 04:03 PM
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Mohammed, thank you for a most gracious offer. I will contact you via email and see if we can work out an opportunity to meet before we leave Sri Lanka. I do not have remote access to the email address at which we corresponded previously, but I will email you today from my on the road email address.
