General: Sri Lanka

“I can see we’ve come at the right time of year,” my wife said, for once letting her enthusiasm run ahead of her horticultural expertise. She was gazing out at the flame-trees and bougainvillea as we were driven away from Colombo Airport. Having left a bare-branched February behind in England, perhaps she could be forgiven for being momentarily dazzled by the tropical luxuriance. “April is a little bit more the right time for blossom,” our driver ...
...on the left, like we do,” I observed, changing the subject. “Yes, but here it is a little bit more optional.” Within the first few minutes, four recurrent themes of our visit were thus already established: the beauty of Sri Lanka’s flora and fauna; the easy-going amiability of its people; the hair-raising character of travelling by road around the island; and the delightfully Sri Lankan concept of “a little bit.” ****** ****** ****** ****** ****** ...

torr 25.03.2004 (30.03.2004) · Read full review
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Review of General: Sri Lanka

I'm currently as inoculated as I've ever been against all manner of disease through a series of Honeymoon injections administered in May this year, and not wanting to waste this fact on our next holiday, we scoured the malaria and rabies world hotspots, with special points awarded for a high stray dog count and any sort of lackadaisical approach to locking up cows championed, especially around busy village roads. We seriously considered Kerala in ...
...eventually settled on Sri Lanka, the fact an actual proper war had only recently ended didn't deter us tells you just how bad the flights to Kerala really were. Anyone heading to Sri Lanka, an island off the southern tip of India known as "the teardrop" or "the pearl" depending on who you ask, will undoubtedly have to encounter a naysayer or two condemning your jaunt as certainly doomed to mother nature's natural fury in one way or another, and you ...

Muffin_the_Mule 06.11.2009 · Read full review
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Review of General: Sri Lanka

Like a teardrop falling from the Indian subcontinent, the island of Sri Lanka is, despite its history of internal conflict, as vibrant and as diverse a slice of paradise as you're likely to find in the sparkling Indian Ocean. When Rufus, our driver for the day, overtook a car, which was overtaking a bus, which was overtaking an elephant, I caught sight of an approaching truck, swiftly closed my eyes and told myself that this was all part of the rich ...
...eyes open to see Rufus grinning at me in the rear-view mirror, I managed to return a rather forced and sickly smile and decided not to ask about driving test requirements on the island. We were heading south from our base in the beach resort of Kalutara (on the west coast) to our first stop, a turtle sanctuary and rescue centre. They protect the many hundreds of eggs laid at one time on the beach and buried in the sand by Ma turtle. The eggs are ...

pbryer 15.05.2008 · Read full review
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Review of General: Sri Lanka

"Sri Lanka, A land like no other" is the slogan of the Sri Lanka Tourist Board. I can't endorse or deny this, as I was only there for two weeks. But in those two weeks I discovered a beautiful country, met some friendly and helpful people, and came away with some great memories. You can see ads for packages to Sri Lanka in the weekend papers, and you can also pick from a choice of oversized featureless resorts from the glossy brochures. Before you ...
...about my experience of the Island, and in particular; Unawatuna. Looking at the map, Sri Lanka looks similar in size to Wales. Don't fall into the trap thinking that you can speed around the island in a couple of weeks, ticking off the cities and sights. Roads can be in bad condition, and traffic moves very slowly. I split my time between Unawatuna on the South coast and Kandy, an old colonial city in the highlands. At a push, you could include ...

Cargill 15.11.2004 · Read full review
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Review of General: Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, land of Serendipity, Ceylon. I have always wanted to go to Sri Lanka since seeing Duran Duran on top of Sigirya rock in Save a Prayer. In September 2000 I got my chance. And it was, quite simply, the best holiday I have ever had. No contest. Me and my partner travelled to Sri Lanka for two weeks, with Kuoni, on the “Sri Lankan highlights tour” – One week travelling round and sightseeing, and one week on the beach. Before you go it is necessary ...
...You also need to take malaria tablets, one week before you go and then for another 4 weeks after you get back. (Warning, you get malaria tablets that you must take once per week, and daily tablets for the rest of the time. The weekly tablets are THE most foul things I have ever tasted, so get your water ready and swallow VERY quickly, or you'll regret it for hours!) We flew with Sri Lankan airlines, and the holiday really starts before you get there! ...

Pauley123 12.10.2001 (15.10.2001) · Read full review
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Review of General: Sri Lanka

In January we visited Sri Lanka, on a package tour from the Tradewinds brochure. We didn’t really know what to expect, but we found a country full of culture and history. This is our experience... Day 1 – travelling. An early morning (direct) flight from Heathrow took us to Columbo. We arrived early in the morning (03.30) and the heat and humidity hit us as soon as the aircraft doors opened. Immigration and Customs clearance were quick ...
...security cordon. Lots of soldiers and military hardware were in evidence throughout the 15 minutes drive to our hotel, the Tamarind Tree. A room was waiting for us and we crashed out until 11.00. Day 2. When we awoke it was time for some further rest, under a clear blue sky, by the swimming pool – bliss! Day 3. An early start as our driver collected us at 07.00 to start our tour. He gave us some facts and figures about Sri Lanka including ...

mandyhaley 24.05.2001 · Read full review
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Review of General: Sri Lanka

Okay let’s start with being honest. My name is Mario JAYAWARDENA, so to most people I hope it is blatantly obvious that I have a Sri Lankan background (That's why I put Caps on for surname and also if your wondering, no I'm not related to the other famous Jayawardena who plays cricket for SL). My parents are both from Sri Lanka and our family go there every year. Now, I am definitely the Black sheep in the family, I claim to have nothing to ...
...(If any of my family out there is reading this, I detest the country NOT you, I love you guys!) and whenever my Grandmother would ask me to say what nationality I am I would always reply British (Born and bred). People would tell me you'll love just go out and see the sights take in the countryside. Well I hate the place. So, being the psychologist people say I am going to be most of you are either about to stop reading or are expecting a totally ...

MJRules 09.04.2001 · Read full review
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Review of General: Sri Lanka

Ciao fellow Ciaoers! This report comes to you from Sri Lanka, the land of Sun, Sea, Sand… and tea! -UPDATE Updating this opinion involves reviving my, ltes say, rocky past. But I need to reenforce that Sri Lanka is safe. You will not get attacked - attacks like these are very rare in the main touristic areas. Please DO NOT desert Sri Lanka at the time it most needs you! Thanks... dan*e -INTRODUCTION Serendib, Silon, Ceylon, or what is now ...
...England that lies off the southern coast of India. It is still developing a little, and has a population of 20 million, who generally live in small villages within the luscious green forestry. The Sri Lankan life is very laid back, and the people ave very friendly and welcoming. Most people speak English, although some just speak their native language, Sinhalese. -GETTING THERE Sri Lankan Airlines (see my separate opinion) operate a regular service ...

danieletheridge 13.03.2001 (30.07.2001) · Read full review
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Review of General: Sri Lanka

Anyone who wants to help the people is Sri Lanka please visit the following site it has a number of links to different organisations websites where you can donate in anyway possible. http://www.aidsrilanka.com Edit: More links http://www.emergencydonations.gov.lk/ website to find tsunami victims http://www.findthem.lk/dataentry.htm Don't try testing it with test data. it will just add garbage to the database. add information only if you are ...
...Registry, LAcNet & Department of Computer Science & Engineering - University of Moratuwa I have spoken to a number of people in Sri Lanka and the death toll will continue rising. there are over 1 million people affected by this disaster and the east of the coutry which has been worst hit is some of the poorest and underdeveloped areas on the island. 1 UK £ is worth over 200 Sri Lankan Rupees so even your small donations will count. Thank You A ...

iriyas 29.12.2004 (30.12.2004) · Read full review
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Review of General: Sri Lanka

Although Sri Lanka is one of the more heavily human populated countries in the world, there are still a surprising number of elephant spotting opportunities to be found. Minneriya National Park is located in the centre of the island; it is fairly small and centred around the flood plains of Minneriya Tank. The Tank is an ancient irrigation reservoir, built around 1600 years ago; a legacy of the ancient advanced civilisation that once lived here. ...
...at the park, we were escorted into the back of an antiquated four wheel drive. We were open to the elements (and elephants) excepting the safety roll bars. After 10 minute of attempting to start the engine, our driver got half a dozen local helpers to give us a push. Our still dead vehicle merrily trundled down a hill in reverse as a near blind bend loomed ahead. Fortunately, the engine eventually spluttered into life and we sped through the forest ...

Slug 03.07.2004 · Read full review
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Review of General: Sri Lanka

I spent a great six months of my life working as an English teacher in Sri Lanka, and i hope i can maybe inspire others to go and see this country. Before i left i had no ideas as to what to expect. Sri lanka is very humid and it takes a bit of getting used to the constant heat, usually around the low 30's. The best ebaches are along the south west coast, hikkaduwa and mirissa are both very beautiful and have accomodation on the shore. Hikkaduwa ...
...great guesthouse called neelas, i was there three weeks and they still email me, they were great hosts! There are many buddhist temples in sri lanka, many that are breathtaking, see the lonely planet guide to sri lanka. I remember one in anaradapurah, we had to walk barefoot as it is religiuos place and our feet got burned!! A typical day would begin at 6am, where breakfast ranges from fresh bread and some tea( You havent lived until you try sri ...

peahead15 20.12.2004 · Read full review
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Review of General: Sri Lanka

We went to Sri Lanka in April and booked most of the holiday on the net. It is very easy to find hotel sites but some hotels aren't quite as gopod in the flesh, so to speak, whilst others are better. We began at Unawatuna Beach Resort and had arranges by email to be picked up at the airport. We had booked an executive room $60 per night half board for 2 - a good price but the hotel was very run down. I would also spend the first night nearer to ...
...all drive like lunatics! I do not recommend this hotel unless you are the back-packing type! Next to Kosgoda beach where I had stayed before - lovely! Each night turtles crawled up the beach to lay eggs. We had a Duplex room - superb but others were complaining that some rooms were not too good. The sea at this time of the year is too rough to swim but there are miles of beautiful beach for walking Never book an island tour from UK you can do it ...

whetton 26.05.2002 · Read full review
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Review of General: Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has been seen as a jewel in the Indian Ocean by the many people who have passed through it in history. Today this still remains the case. However, its society has been permanently scarred by the uprising by the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam (LTTE) which has been going on for 17 years and has claimed 65,000 lives. Sri Lanka is lush and junglelike on the initial approach by air. Yet this is not the case everywhere. The hill country has ...
...zone in the south east and the north is almost savannah like. Whether you are going on an organised tour or independently, the essential sights are Adams Peak, Kandy, Sigirya, Dambulla, Anuradhapura, Polonnuruwa, Galle and at least one of the big nature reserves. In terms of beach resorts, Unawatuna, Mirissa and Tangalle are probably the best. Hikkaduwa is too commercialised and the same goes for Negombo, plus the beach is narrow and dirty. Colombo ...

blinderben 15.12.2000 · Read full review
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Review of General: Sri Lanka

I travelled around the island of Sri Lanka in early October this year and was pleasantly surprised by the variety the island had to offer. It was my first trip to this side of the world and was a little aprehensive to what I would discover. My trip began in Colombu after a comfortable 11 hour flight with Sri Lankan Airways. I was then transferred to the west of the island whereby we stayed in the Ranwelli Holiday Village. The property was lovely ...
...surrounded by lush greenary and located on the beach front. From here I headed towards Kandy, a quaint and beautiful city located in the hills around a lake 115km east of Columbo. En route to Kandy I visited the Pinnawela Elephant Orphange, which for me was the highlight of the trip. Here you can observe elephants in there natural environment. My advise would be to arrive before 9am so that you are there in time to watch them been fed and bathed ...

kayleybo 04.11.2003 · Read full review
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Review of General: Sri Lanka

i had always wanted to go to the maldives - it was my idea of paradise so when my then boyfriend proposed we decided that our honeymoon would be the perfect oppertunity to have a holiday there. (once in a lifetime thing!) we then decided that as neither of us are into big fancy white weddings, we would get married abroad, the problem being that we couldn't actually get married in the Maldives. I then saw in may brochures these twin centre holidays ...
...lanka, get married there and then fly off to the maldives for the honeymoon... perfect. this was the only initial reason i choose to go to sri lanka 1. it was near the maldives for our honeymoon and 2. it was nice and cheap so didn't add too much cost to our holiday. although i was looking forward to our wedding, i must admit, i wasn't really that fussed about visiting sri lanka - i was more excited about the maldives. my direct family decided ...

bishbash 24.01.2001 · Read full review
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Review of General: Sri Lanka