I will try to start from the beginning, but I apologize in advance for my epistolary genre. Tour operator NEWStravel. Wind Rose Airlines. The flight is heavy with a technical landing in Dubai. From Kyiv to the UAE, the flight time is 5 hours, 1 hour technical stop (liner refueling) and to Colombo another 4.5 hours. Plus the time difference is 3.5 hours.
Whoever wants to sit together and near the windows, come to check-in early, otherwise they will be scattered throughout the cabin. There were no empty seats on board. Thank you for offering free water, juices, tea and coffee.
Bottom line, it's best to take a tour for at least 11 nights. Really 2 days take off. Plus, acclimatization and shifting time zones.
With a departure from Kyiv at 23-10 on 02/27/13, we stopped at the hotel at 18:00 on 02/28/13, tired, but satisfied. Upon arrival, we were greeted by high temperatures and high humidity in Lanka. I must say right away that we were lucky with the rest, because during the transfer to the hotel we met 4 guys who really helped us out with their English and not only. At the same time, the two had previously visited this paradise island and were very knowledgeable. Tip, during the transfer to the hotel, it is better to agree with the driver on the movement on the paid autobahn. With us, from a minibus for 8 people, it cost 100 rupees per person. (6.5 UAH) But don’t ask to go faster, they have a 100 km limit on the autobahn, radars and traffic police. We ourselves witnessed how our sightseeing bus at 12 o'clock at night was braked twice by local traffic cops for speeding and fined 1000 rupees twice.
The charms of driving on ordinary roads were felt during the transfer back. Seasick. Feel free to ask to stop.
Upon arrival at the hotel, we were warmly greeted, talked in English, treated to drinks and settled. The rooms were not so hot, in terms of the view from the balcony and other amenities. Rooms 203.204, 205 (I don't remember exactly) have their own drawback - a view of the restaurant instead of the ocean, hence the smell, the roar of the hood and the eternal eyes of the waiters. But fortunately, among the hotel management there is a Czech named Petra (a tall blonde, speaks English), our campaign had a nice conversation with her and after 2 days we were settled in quite decent rooms. Mind you, no reward.
The territory of the hotel is small, chamber, but quite decent. The pool is small but pleasant. Truth in the mornings strongly chlorinated. The restaurant is right next to it. Protection from local beachboys. There were no problems. If a tourist started a conversation with the beachboys, the guards did not interfere, but they did not let them into the hotel territory. You could buy coconuts and local fabric products from them. Need to bargain. So, they wanted 1200 rupees for a women's headscarf - they gave it for 700. Directly opposite the hotel there is a supermarket and a shop with alcohol. The prices are fixed. But with features. In a supermarket, for a cola from the refrigerator, in addition to the cost of the cola itself, pay a penny for a cold service (cooling). In the liquor store for Lyon beer in glass, they will take a deposit for a bottle of 50 rupees. In any case, beneficial. In the hotel, beer is 350 rupees, in the store 200, and in a can 150. At the same time, the difference in volumes: canned beer is 500 ml, and in a bottle 600 ml. Local alcohol costs more than 10 bucks - red Calypso rum 1400 rupees, white 1390. Imported and even more. At the same time, we had a rate of 1 dollar - 125 rupees. We did not try the local arak.
Near the hotel there are many different shops, restaurants, cafes. Lack of knowledge of English is compensated by a calculator in shops and sand on the beach - to carry out the bargaining process and agree on the final cost of the goods. A trip to Galle by tuk-tuk 1000 one way and the same back. If they are waiting for you there, then it will be 2500 there and back.
About local restaurants. Avoid pretentious establishments - they are expensive. For example, to the left of the hotel there is a yellow Mambo restaurant with a surf school, where a portion of jumbo shrimp (large) is 2500 rupees, and when we went to others (in appearance eateries) there are 1700-1800. Later we learned that our tourists from another China Trans hotel were poisoned in the Red Crab restaurant (which the guide recommended so strongly) and the price there was exorbitant: 120 bucks for 4 people. The six of us went to Mambo, they charged us $ 95. In general, there are enough restaurants to go to a new one every day.
Now regarding mobile communications. We used the TEZ fuel and lubricants card, and our acquaintances used TRAVELSIM. Sometimes there were periods when there was no connection, if the local telephone operator automatically selected DIALOGUE. Therefore, who will have such glitches, I recommend that you manually select the MOBITEL operator in the phone settings. We got in touch after that.
Once we went on an excursion to Kandy from a tour operator for 60 bucks per person. There were about 20 people on the bus. As always and everywhere, they are trying to impose more shops and shops in order to leave more of their hard-earned people there. During lunch on such excursions, try to pay exactly on the bill, otherwise they may forget to bring change, they will consider it a tip.
Excursions are tiring, almost daily, we left at 3-45, returned at 00-30. Feel free to ask the guide to call the hotel and order dinner in your room.
Overall, I liked the rest, there was enough food. Three or four times there were shrimp, crab soup, squid. In general, all the reviews described earlier are true. The staff is not intrusive, but they do not speak Russian. Due to the fact that the hotel provides different types of food, at first it was embarrassing when a waiter came up at breakfast and dinner and asked to announce which room you were staying in. Apparently, this was how they monitored compliance with the BB, HB, FB regimes. When checking into a hotel, they did not wear bracelets on their hands.
One day there was a real tropical downpour, a very exciting sight, but this did not stop us from swimming in the ocean, and then in the hotel pool. Be sure to take sunscreen. For the sake of the experiment, I sunbathed for 10-15 minutes, a day later I began to climb. Some rooms had mosquito repellent (liquid Raptor) but it's better to bring your own.
In the evening, the cultural program consists of live music. At first we ignored it, but then we liked it. On the eve of departure, a local group of musicians performed songs in Russian for us with might and main. But in English they sing much better.
The return transfer took about 4-5 hours without the autobahn. At the Colombo airport, a check-in pass through a check-in pass, when the start of check-in is announced. There is also a luggage wrapping machine, a queue immediately formed. Who was waiting for the package, he got not quite comfortable seats. We were rescued by scotch bought in Hikkaduwa.
Reception desks like 18-22. In the same place at the reception there was an inscription in Russian - it is forbidden to take coconuts in hand luggage. Further on the second floor there are many duty free shops, for every taste - glasses, watches, souvenirs, tea, alcohol, perfumes, bags, fast food. Prices in dollars. Alcohol is packed in bags. On the second floor, in the duty free zone, there is a small smoking room, but it is impossible to breathe.
The most interesting thing is that when entering the GATE for boarding the plane through the sleeve, an aviation security check is carried out, up to removing shoes and putting all items out of pockets. This was a little surprising, since our tourists are very densely stocked with both alcohol and fast food products.
In general, there were no significant complaints. Everything was in line with previous reviews. Have a nice holiday. I will answer questions.
Whoever wants to sit together and near the windows, come to check-in early, otherwise they will be scattered throughout the cabin. There were no empty seats on board. Thank you for offering free water, juices, tea and coffee.
Bottom line, it's best to take a tour for at least 11 nights. Really 2 days take off. Plus, acclimatization and shifting time zones.
With a departure from Kyiv at 23-10 on 02/27/13, we stopped at the hotel at 18:00 on 02/28/13, tired, but satisfied. Upon arrival, we were greeted by high temperatures and high humidity in Lanka. I must say right away that we were lucky with the rest, because during the transfer to the hotel we met 4 guys who really helped us out with their English and not only. At the same time, the two had previously visited this paradise island and were very knowledgeable. Tip, during the transfer to the hotel, it is better to agree with the driver on the movement on the paid autobahn. With us, from a minibus for 8 people, it cost 100 rupees per person. (6.5 UAH) But don’t ask to go faster, they have a 100 km limit on the autobahn, radars and traffic police. We ourselves witnessed how our sightseeing bus at 12 o'clock at night was braked twice by local traffic cops for speeding and fined 1000 rupees twice.
The charms of driving on ordinary roads were felt during the transfer back. Seasick. Feel free to ask to stop.
Upon arrival at the hotel, we were warmly greeted, talked in English, treated to drinks and settled. The rooms were not so hot, in terms of the view from the balcony and other amenities. Rooms 203.204, 205 (I don't remember exactly) have their own drawback - a view of the restaurant instead of the ocean, hence the smell, the roar of the hood and the eternal eyes of the waiters. But fortunately, among the hotel management there is a Czech named Petra (a tall blonde, speaks English), our campaign had a nice conversation with her and after 2 days we were settled in quite decent rooms. Mind you, no reward.
The territory of the hotel is small, chamber, but quite decent. The pool is small but pleasant. Truth in the mornings strongly chlorinated. The restaurant is right next to it. Protection from local beachboys. There were no problems. If a tourist started a conversation with the beachboys, the guards did not interfere, but they did not let them into the hotel territory. You could buy coconuts and local fabric products from them. Need to bargain. So, they wanted 1200 rupees for a women's headscarf - they gave it for 700. Directly opposite the hotel there is a supermarket and a shop with alcohol. The prices are fixed. But with features. In a supermarket, for a cola from the refrigerator, in addition to the cost of the cola itself, pay a penny for a cold service (cooling). In the liquor store for Lyon beer in glass, they will take a deposit for a bottle of 50 rupees. In any case, beneficial. In the hotel, beer is 350 rupees, in the store 200, and in a can 150. At the same time, the difference in volumes: canned beer is 500 ml, and in a bottle 600 ml. Local alcohol costs more than 10 bucks - red Calypso rum 1400 rupees, white 1390. Imported and even more. At the same time, we had a rate of 1 dollar - 125 rupees. We did not try the local arak.
Near the hotel there are many different shops, restaurants, cafes. Lack of knowledge of English is compensated by a calculator in shops and sand on the beach - to carry out the bargaining process and agree on the final cost of the goods. A trip to Galle by tuk-tuk 1000 one way and the same back. If they are waiting for you there, then it will be 2500 there and back.
About local restaurants. Avoid pretentious establishments - they are expensive. For example, to the left of the hotel there is a yellow Mambo restaurant with a surf school, where a portion of jumbo shrimp (large) is 2500 rupees, and when we went to others (in appearance eateries) there are 1700-1800. Later we learned that our tourists from another China Trans hotel were poisoned in the Red Crab restaurant (which the guide recommended so strongly) and the price there was exorbitant: 120 bucks for 4 people. The six of us went to Mambo, they charged us $ 95. In general, there are enough restaurants to go to a new one every day.
Now regarding mobile communications. We used the TEZ fuel and lubricants card, and our acquaintances used TRAVELSIM. Sometimes there were periods when there was no connection, if the local telephone operator automatically selected DIALOGUE. Therefore, who will have such glitches, I recommend that you manually select the MOBITEL operator in the phone settings. We got in touch after that.
Once we went on an excursion to Kandy from a tour operator for 60 bucks per person. There were about 20 people on the bus. As always and everywhere, they are trying to impose more shops and shops in order to leave more of their hard-earned people there. During lunch on such excursions, try to pay exactly on the bill, otherwise they may forget to bring change, they will consider it a tip.
Excursions are tiring, almost daily, we left at 3-45, returned at 00-30. Feel free to ask the guide to call the hotel and order dinner in your room.
Overall, I liked the rest, there was enough food. Three or four times there were shrimp, crab soup, squid. In general, all the reviews described earlier are true. The staff is not intrusive, but they do not speak Russian. Due to the fact that the hotel provides different types of food, at first it was embarrassing when a waiter came up at breakfast and dinner and asked to announce which room you were staying in. Apparently, this was how they monitored compliance with the BB, HB, FB regimes. When checking into a hotel, they did not wear bracelets on their hands.
One day there was a real tropical downpour, a very exciting sight, but this did not stop us from swimming in the ocean, and then in the hotel pool. Be sure to take sunscreen. For the sake of the experiment, I sunbathed for 10-15 minutes, a day later I began to climb. Some rooms had mosquito repellent (liquid Raptor) but it's better to bring your own.
In the evening, the cultural program consists of live music. At first we ignored it, but then we liked it. On the eve of departure, a local group of musicians performed songs in Russian for us with might and main. But in English they sing much better.
The return transfer took about 4-5 hours without the autobahn. At the Colombo airport, a check-in pass through a check-in pass, when the start of check-in is announced. There is also a luggage wrapping machine, a queue immediately formed. Who was waiting for the package, he got not quite comfortable seats. We were rescued by scotch bought in Hikkaduwa.
Reception desks like 18-22. In the same place at the reception there was an inscription in Russian - it is forbidden to take coconuts in hand luggage. Further on the second floor there are many duty free shops, for every taste - glasses, watches, souvenirs, tea, alcohol, perfumes, bags, fast food. Prices in dollars. Alcohol is packed in bags. On the second floor, in the duty free zone, there is a small smoking room, but it is impossible to breathe.
The most interesting thing is that when entering the GATE for boarding the plane through the sleeve, an aviation security check is carried out, up to removing shoes and putting all items out of pockets. This was a little surprising, since our tourists are very densely stocked with both alcohol and fast food products.
In general, there were no significant complaints. Everything was in line with previous reviews. Have a nice holiday. I will answer questions.
Translated automatically from Russian. View original
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