Hi guys!
After reading TT for a while we (me and my wife) decided to go to SL for our 2 weeks in November.
I've got a couple of questions that you may be able to help me with:
1. We are going in early November 3 to 17th. Is it wise, or should we postpone the travel on December? I'm not sure about the weather in November. We can manage, if it's like 1 hour PM rains everyday, but don't want to be locked in the hotel for the whole evenings.
Itinerary:
Arrive on 3rd, planning to spend a day at the beach in Nigombo to rest from the flight. Starting from 5 till the 12 we will travel the country. I've spoke with Jagath (http://www.geocities.com/jagath_in_srilanka/home.html) who is much advertised here and we came up with the following preliminary route:
5th Negombo / Dambulla /
AM After breakfast, checkout from the hotel and proceed to Dambulla. Visit the Rock Caved Golden Temple of Dambulla. Evening Safari at Minnariya or kaudulla National park. Stay in Dambulla or Habarana.
6th Habarana / Polonnaruwa / Habarana
AM After breakfast, proceed to visit Polonnaruwa. In the late afternoon, visit Sigiriya. Return to hotel.
7th Habarana / Matale / Kandy
AM After breakfast, checkout from the hotel and proceed to Kandy. On the way Nalanda / Aluviharaya brief stop at Matale to visit a spice garden. PM Proceed to Kandy and visit the city and the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha. In the evening view Kandy dance. Check in at the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
8th Kandy / Pinnawela / Peradeniya / Kandy
AM After breakfast, proceed to visit the elephant orphanage at Pinnawela. PM Return to Kandy. En route, visit the Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya. Return to hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
9th Kandy / Nuwara Eliya
AM After breakfast, checkout from the hotel and proceed to Nuwara Eliya. En route visit a tea plantation and a tea factory. PMArrive in Nuwara Eliya and visit the city. Check in at the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
10th Nuwara Eliya to Ella
Drive to Ella Going to visit Ravana Ella Falls, Hikeing Little.Adam s Peak. Stay in Ella.
11th drive to Yala stay in Yala.
(safari and visiting Kirinda)
12th Yala to Unawatuna Relax on the beach.
(Diving or snorkeling/ visiting Galle Fort)
There we'll say farewell to Jagath. Next, from 12 to 16 we will stay somewhere on South Coast(?) and relax. On 16th move to Colombo, do some shopping, spend a night in hotel and we will depart 17th.
2. This is a very siple plan and probably not the best one, but I'd like to see your comments on it. My wife will bring a damn huge photo camera, so if there are any specific places/events to see, that would make a beginning photographer happy - please, let me know, so we wont be dragging it along for those "me and the elephant" kind of shots.
3. mr. Jagath proposed US$ 60/day for his services, including "Van with full A/C and comfortable seats/ My services as driver and guide/Petrol/ My accommodation/ MY food/ Local insurance and taxes/ Parking/ My entrance tickets" - is that a fair price? I've read that most guides ask for $40-50. Actually, I don't mind paying a little extra if he as good as they say, but want to know, how much is that "little" =)
4. Where to stay during the trip? Clean double room with bathroom, hot water and fan, good breakfast and nice view tops my expectations. Rates from anywhere near $20 up to $50 are fine. Mr. Jagath advised us not to book those in advance, but rely on his help instead, so he will drive us, we will see the places first and then decide. Thats probably a way to go, but if you know by experience any hotels name that would be good to stay, please tell me.
5. Last one: where to go for the last 4 days at the beach?
Thanks much, that was a long reading =) Any advise will be much appreciated by us.
May you be well and happy.
- The itinerary seems fine to me. You're visiting a couple of places that are not typically seen - like Nalanda for example - which is good. You might want to lose the spice garden visit though - they are underwealming in the extreme. Unless, of course, you have a fascination with botany.
2. USD60 is pushing the envelope a bit. It is a tad on the expensive side, but plausible. I'd like to see it pushed back to USD50. But hey, USD60 could be okay if you not too worried. Remember that he is going to make a fortune off of you, even at USD50 a day. this is just a trivial matter though.
3. Finally, I am a little reticent about the guide choosing the accomadation. Don't forget that some guides get kick-backs from certain prearranged establishments. Now you might not mind about that - and he might not be crooked anyway - but it is something to account for. Anyway, these things are difficult to control.
If you don't mind the guide making all the arrangments than there is no problem. However, some travellers like more control over their travels, and having guides who fuss over your plans can be a major headache. And anyway, teh last thing you want is to spend your trip in trinket stores at your guides behest. But if this guy has been recommended then you can probably disregard this concern, but it is something to consider.
Regards,
James
Thanks much, James.
You've pointed out exactly my concern. I love to keep trip under control (or try at least), and I really like to plan things like hotels ahead.
Regarding my guide: lookin through the forum again, it seems more like all the posts are self-advertising rather then recommendations. However, he does have some good words about him on the his web. I think, I'll take my time to compare few more proposals. So if anyone can recommend a good guide - please, let me know.
rgds.
No problem - I only wish I could recommend a driver, but as I've said elsewhere, I've had no luck with them. Someone else might be able to supply a good driver/guide or at least vouch for this Jagath fellow.
Also, call me a cynic (I am), but as soon as I heard about the spice gardens alarm bells started ringing. Spice gardens are widely associated with toutism, so if it was his suggestion then that is a potential mark against him. But again, that is my cynicism shining through.
Also, if you haven't already, go and get a Lonely Planet (or another guide if you don't like the brand). Guide books a really invaulable in my opinion, regardless of whether you are having the trip planned or not.
But the plan as it stands is a good one, so even if you end up scrapping your driver your work won't have been wasted.
In any case, you are guarenteed to have a great time in Sri Lanka!
Kind regards,
James
Make sure to check if the $60 also includes his accomodation and food if you want to stay somewhere that doesn't have driver's accomodation. We had a bit of a falling out with our guide and driver about this.
With your budget the two options at Habarana will be too expensive. We stayed there last March and prices and gone up from the prices mentioned in the LP.
In Ella we stayed at Ravana Heights, whioch was excellent! In Unawatanu, I highly recommend Sun n Sea guesthouse. Both are in your pricerange. We enjoyed Unawatuna, but the diving was really pretty bad (viz of 5 m and less).
Thanks for the tips, Minimi.
I've just ordered a LP 10th ed (2006). Is it much out of date on hotel prices and stuff, or still can be trusted?
Hi Op, I posted a quite detailed account of my trip some time ago, which stated a few things that weren't accurate anymore in that LP (which we also used). Here you go.
Have fun in SL!
Hi,
I think drivers/guides get their accomodation & food free of charge from the hotels where we stay. And also they (guides) dont need to pay entrance tickets to sites. They dont pay special taxes & insurance, just bcoz of the tours. (if they have a vehicle they should pay as usual, i mean there are no extra costs as tourist guides). Those are just words to show us their expences. Anyway if you have a round tour i reccomand you to ask the price per kilometer. It will be around SLR 35 per kilometer.
hope this helps.
Petra.
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<hr>I think drivers/guides get their accomodation & food free of charge from the hotels where we stay<hr></blockquote>
This is true sometimes, but not always. And if you get to a place that has no rooms for the driver or refuses to supply food, things can become tricky. So one needs to be very clear about what the expectations are before one sets out.
Regards,
James
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