British Expats - Visa for Sri Lanka

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- - Visa for Sri Lanka (https://britishexpats.com/forum/goa-170/visa-sri-lanka-748146/)

Re: Visa for Sri Lanka

Quote:

Originally Posted by dreadsoc (Post 9914172)

Hey Hem

You having a bit of tourettes at the moment ? that's the second post containing xxxx - and you're usually so restrained :rofl::rofl::rofl:

Dread - x

Hem is in the holiday mood, bless him. Enjoy your holiday.:nod:

Re: Visa for Sri Lanka

Been in Sri Lanka for 5 days and suprised at no power cuts!!ha ha

Went out for dinner and after 15 mins a power cut.Was off for over 2 hrs and just come back. Fortunately the small place I was in had a generator. Obviously a rare event here as places don`t seem to have inverters.

It meant I had to stay out longer than normal and drink too many beers and have a dessert and my bill was still under Â£8.

That was for a whole grilled fish of my choice with a delicious garlicky /sweet sour sauce with salad and chips,3 lge beers and banana pancakes and waiters with a good sense of humour.

Had a beggar woman at my table this evening gave her 20 slk(10p) she turned her nose up at me so I took it away! 1st beggar i`ve actually seen and only 2 or 3 lamanis on the whole stretch of beach!

Re: Visa for Sri Lanka

Can you imagine a Goan rickshaw driver telling you to pay what you want as he is returning to his base anyway !
Happened to me today here in SL.
I was totally gobsmacked!

Re: Visa for Sri Lanka

Quote:

Originally Posted by msj5 (Post 9919023)

Can you imagine a Goan rickshaw driver telling you to pay what you want as he is returning to his base anyway !
Happened to me today here in SL.
I was totally gobsmacked!

Sad to say that is one of their many sales techniques as you would have probably paid more than if he had told you the price. They do it all the time..fortunately the Goans have not read the same sales text book..its all part of the fun but nothing is done in SL is for free or for generosities sake.

Re: Visa for Sri Lanka

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisjolly (Post 9919558)

So being aware of the scam means I can travel around for peanuts!:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Re: Visa for Sri Lanka

Quote:

Originally Posted by msj5 (Post 9920376)

So being aware of the scam means I can travel around for peanuts!:thumbsup::thumbsup:

They have half a dozen friends a whistle away.

AndyD 8-)#

Re: Visa for Sri Lanka

Quote:

Originally Posted by msj5 (Post 9911482)

Found a fab one tonight at the end of roas where Im staying as didn`t want to be out for long.
Local curry and rice(pork,chicken,prawn) plus Dal,pumpkin curry ,brinjal curry and salad ,poppadom and a big bottle of beer for 550slk and NO service charge!AboutÂ£3 at current rates.

The 10% service charge is a killer!

Had various vadas and prawn cakes for lunch at Negombo beach park.50p for a bagful that was too much to eat...in a bag made from a used school exercise book....was a bit dubious of things that could get attached to the like!!

Nice to taste some local food as most restaurants have menus similar to Goa with the addition of Devilled whatever you fancy.

Have you been round the fishing port in Negombo yet? Its very interesting and the market is amazing..

Re: Visa for Sri Lanka

So is the smell......never been on a more stinking beach than Negombo.The smell is industrial in strength......!

Re: Visa for Sri Lanka

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisjolly (Post 9921325)

Have you been round the fishing port in Negombo yet? Its very interesting and the market is amazing..

Yes all very interesting and loved the old Dutch part of town and the lovely Ice Bear Cafe.

PJ ..Don`t know when you were last in Negombo but the beach is 95% cleaner than Calangute /Candolim.

Re: Visa for Sri Lanka

Negombo is much better than Goa, nicer, more peaceful and maybe a bit more expensive, but I would sooner spend my money there than Goa.

Re: Visa for Sri Lanka

Quote:

Originally Posted by msj5 (Post 9921366)

Yes all very interesting and loved the old Dutch part of town and the lovely Ice Bear Cafe.

PJ ..Don`t know when you were last in Negombo but the beach is 95% cleaner than Calangute /Candolim.

Hi Jill, We were in SL last year and spent a month travelling around. We started and ended our trip in Negombo as we liked it very much. Nothing like what we read in the guide books. We stayed at Marine Guest House and the owner was great. The second night we were there I played in the German Bar in Colombo with a friend who plays in a band called Wildfire. The thrid night I played with a guy called Arjun and if you look for Arjun and Chris on Youtube you will see us jamming at his place. take care and have a great time...

Re: Visa for Sri Lanka

I agree its a shame that Sri Lanka is now starting to charge for visas, everything is so expensive there now. everything goes up everyweek, no wonder many sri lankans try to rip you off, they are poor! and struggling. still there seems no end of tourists who pay an awful lot for accomodation there, no wonder they think us guys have money! and charge you commission for everything, unless you are related to a native (which I am)

Re: Visa for Sri Lanka

Quote:

Originally Posted by fabflowers (Post 9934793)

So today I`ve been to the Bureau of Immigration to extend my visit visa!Shame it wasn`t as easy and cheap(less than Â£10) as the initial on-line application.
On their web site it says visit visa extendable for another 2 months from the initial 30 days you get on arrival.It says nothing about extra charges.

So after filling in forms, getting photos done and waiting in four different places that totalled up to close on 3 hrs I finally get my passport back with my extension for 1 week, cos thats all I need and Â£33 the worse off!!There is only one price for extension from 1 day up to 90 days.

The price of accommodation is ridiculous -you`re looking at Â£15-Â£20 for a basic room in a guest house.OK for a couple but damned expensive for single travellers.
The Lonely Planet book I have is only 2 years old but the prices are horribly out ot date(prices of rooms have tripled).
One of the main tourist attractions in SL is at Sigiryia "The Lion Rock" ...entry fee $30....up until a month ago you could purchse a ticket that covered 5 or 6 of the major cultural sights for $50 but that has now been stopped.It`s not exactly encouraging tourism!
But you can have buffet lunch at the Taj in Colombo for Â£10 or the Sri Lankan equivalent of a Thali (but better) in a local restaurant for less than Â£1 so there are some good points.
Some of the taxis actually use their meters too!

Re: Visa for Sri Lanka

Quote:

... The price of accommodation is ridiculous -you`re looking at Â£15-Â£20 for a basic room in a guest house....

that's exactly what we found a year or so ago - but for less than Â£100 you could have a house for a month with maid and cook!
It must be some crazy tax system.

AndyD 8-)#

Re: Visa for Sri Lanka

You can get some lovely places with pool for 50 euros for a couple for HB per night, but with your air fare... its cheaper to get all inclusive!

Did anyone see the follow up programme on channel 4.. with Jon snow the killing fields about the civil war? I found it very distressing
:(