Sri Lanka as an option..
#1
Sri Lanka as an option..
For all those who have been caught by the change in rules brought in by Delhi here are some facts you should consider about Sri Lanka. First thing i must state i have no financial interests at all, as i do not reside in Sl and i live in London permanently.We did lease in Goa but got completely fed up with the corruption, garbage and hypocrisy of Goa and Goans in general.My partner and i have over 50 years of the Goan experience between us.Sri Lanka is hot, its similar to Kerala,but if you go into the hills its similar to Almora in North India. Visas are no problem for EU members as you get a 30 day visa on arrival.1 or 2 month extensions are easilly available. That said i have met travelers here who have been here for 6 months, so obviously there are more avenues to explore .Renting here is not a problem but dont listen to any Goan Travel Agents as most of them are not too be trusted.You can rent apartments here from around $200 to $250 per month for furnished 2 bedroom flats or houses.Rooms in guest houses with AC and television run at about $20 per day but if you going to stay 2 months then you can haggle. Its a buyers market here at the moment.Simple rooms with toilets and fan come in at around 1200 Rps per day. Current exchange rate is 180 rps per pound.I would suggest you head for Negombo as its only 12 minutes from the airport, 1 hour from Colombo.Its even a slightly like India here but without the cheating mentality of the Indians.I have spoken to my guest house owner about the situation in India and he said he had two persons in last week who had problems with visas.Im staying at the Ocean View Guest House,owned by Mr Thamel, who is in most travel books on Sri Lanka.I mentioned the problems people were having in Goa and he was very sympathetic, especially when i mentioned that travel agents in Goa were mentioning prices of $150 per day for rooms.This is ridiculous because its 5 star hotel prices.Sri Lanka is broke, it fought the war on credit and is desperate for foreign currency. You can bargain here.Hope this helps some of you. We go back to UK on the 17th. Glad the ice age is over now.
#2
Account Closed
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,146
Re: Sri Lanka as an option..
For all those who have been caught by the change in rules brought in by Delhi here are some facts you should consider about Sri Lanka. First thing i must state i have no financial interests at all, as i do not reside in Sl and i live in London permanently.We did lease in Goa but got completely fed up with the corruption, garbage and hypocrisy of Goa and Goans in general.My partner and i have over 50 years of the Goan experience between us.Sri Lanka is hot, its similar to Kerala,but if you go into the hills its similar to Almora in North India. Visas are no problem for EU members as you get a 30 day visa on arrival.1 or 2 month extensions are easilly available. That said i have met travelers here who have been here for 6 months, so obviously there are more avenues to explore .Renting here is not a problem but dont listen to any Goan Travel Agents as most of them are not too be trusted.You can rent apartments here from around $200 to $250 per month for furnished 2 bedroom flats or houses.Rooms in guest houses with AC and television run at about $20 per day but if you going to stay 2 months then you can haggle. Its a buyers market here at the moment.Simple rooms with toilets and fan come in at around 1200 Rps per day. Current exchange rate is 180 rps per pound.I would suggest you head for Negombo as its only 12 minutes from the airport, 1 hour from Colombo.Its even a slightly like India here but without the cheating mentality of the Indians.I have spoken to my guest house owner about the situation in India and he said he had two persons in last week who had problems with visas.Im staying at the Ocean View Guest House,owned by Mr Thamel, who is in most travel books on Sri Lanka.I mentioned the problems people were having in Goa and he was very sympathetic, especially when i mentioned that travel agents in Goa were mentioning prices of $150 per day for rooms.This is ridiculous because its 5 star hotel prices.Sri Lanka is broke, it fought the war on credit and is desperate for foreign currency. You can bargain here.Hope this helps some of you. We go back to UK on the 17th. Glad the ice age is over now.
Im afraid to tell you the ice age is not over yet in the UK.The snow is back with a vengeance and the worse thing is they have run out of grit so even the main roads at 6am this morning were lethal.
Enjoy the sun all you lucky people who are in a warmer climate
GC freezing cold and a little bit miserable this morning
& peace
#3
Re: Sri Lanka as an option..
Thanks for your very informative post
Im afraid to tell you the ice age is not over yet in the UK.The snow is back with a vengeance and the worse thing is they have run out of grit so even the main roads at 6am this morning were lethal.
Enjoy the sun all you lucky people who are in a warmer climate
GC freezing cold and a little bit miserable this morning
& peace
Im afraid to tell you the ice age is not over yet in the UK.The snow is back with a vengeance and the worse thing is they have run out of grit so even the main roads at 6am this morning were lethal.
Enjoy the sun all you lucky people who are in a warmer climate
GC freezing cold and a little bit miserable this morning
& peace
#4
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Mt Cotton Brisbane
Posts: 224
Re: Sri Lanka as an option..
.Sri Lanka?..I liked it better when it was called Ceylon and Yul Brenner was the King.
#6
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Mt Cotton Brisbane
Posts: 224
Re: Sri Lanka as an option..
I guess a late night on the stubbies has its after after effects. But (sigh) who really cares. He was bald, the movie was shite - now he is dead, and both countries are shite anyway
#7
Just Joined
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 3
Re: Sri Lanka as an option..
omg Rob, sounds like you've been on a bit more than "the stubbies..." May I suggest "a nice cuppa, a Bex and a wee lie down" as Dame Edna used to say...
#8
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 53
Re: Sri Lanka as an option..
I think a carbolic soap mouthwash would be more appropriate
#9
Just Joined
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 3
Re: Sri Lanka as an option..
Has anyone here had any experience with the relatively new Sri Lankan program for retirees: "Sri Lanka - My Dream Home"? I understand it was started a couple of years ago, maybe July 2008, and it's specially for foreigners over 55 yrs old, and their spouse, dependent children... etc.
Apparently you have to deposit $US15,000 (which is refundable upon application, and which you can use the interest from) in a Sri Lankan/international bank; you have to have a pension of $1500 per month for the first person and $750 for the others.
Other conditions are also not particularly onerous, compared to most economic migration programs.
(SNIP)
Has anyone had any personal experience with it or knows someone who has? I'm considering trying it if I can make the figures work (!) and would like to know a bit about the practical application of the rules.... thanx in advance!
Apparently you have to deposit $US15,000 (which is refundable upon application, and which you can use the interest from) in a Sri Lankan/international bank; you have to have a pension of $1500 per month for the first person and $750 for the others.
Other conditions are also not particularly onerous, compared to most economic migration programs.
(SNIP)
Has anyone had any personal experience with it or knows someone who has? I'm considering trying it if I can make the figures work (!) and would like to know a bit about the practical application of the rules.... thanx in advance!
Last edited by Mitzyboy; Jan 26th 2010 at 11:46 pm. Reason: Url removed
#10
Re: Sri Lanka as an option..
Sri Lanka - My Dream Home program appears to require a monthly inward remittance of US $2,250 = GBP £1,385 = INR 105,000/- for a couple
which seems like a LOT
AndyD 8-)#
which seems like a LOT
AndyD 8-)#
#11
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 42
Re: Sri Lanka as an option..
For all those who have been caught by the change in rules brought in by Delhi here are some facts you should consider about Sri Lanka. First thing i must state i have no financial interests at all, as i do not reside in Sl and i live in London permanently.We did lease in Goa but got completely fed up with the corruption, garbage and hypocrisy of Goa and Goans in general.My partner and i have over 50 years of the Goan experience between us.Sri Lanka is hot, its similar to Kerala,but if you go into the hills its similar to Almora in North India. Visas are no problem for EU members as you get a 30 day visa on arrival.1 or 2 month extensions are easilly available. That said i have met travelers here who have been here for 6 months, so obviously there are more avenues to explore .Renting here is not a problem but dont listen to any Goan Travel Agents as most of them are not too be trusted.You can rent apartments here from around $200 to $250 per month for furnished 2 bedroom flats or houses.Rooms in guest houses with AC and television run at about $20 per day but if you going to stay 2 months then you can haggle. Its a buyers market here at the moment.Simple rooms with toilets and fan come in at around 1200 Rps per day. Current exchange rate is 180 rps per pound.I would suggest you head for Negombo as its only 12 minutes from the airport, 1 hour from Colombo.Its even a slightly like India here but without the cheating mentality of the Indians.I have spoken to my guest house owner about the situation in India and he said he had two persons in last week who had problems with visas.Im staying at the Ocean View Guest House,owned by Mr Thamel, who is in most travel books on Sri Lanka.I mentioned the problems people were having in Goa and he was very sympathetic, especially when i mentioned that travel agents in Goa were mentioning prices of $150 per day for rooms.This is ridiculous because its 5 star hotel prices.Sri Lanka is broke, it fought the war on credit and is desperate for foreign currency. You can bargain here.Hope this helps some of you. We go back to UK on the 17th. Glad the ice age is over now.
#12
Re: Sri Lanka as an option..
To A-F-D, i never recommended Sri Lanka as a possible retirement area for the simple reason that it has always been a high end destination, either for tourism or retirement.Now which area would i recommended if you had to take the two month visa break ? Well the simplest place to get to from the airport is Negombo. Its roughly 12 minutes and its full of places that offer either simple rooms around £8 per night or you can rent furnished houses for around £200 a month. Negombo is interesting in that it has the biggest super market in Sri Lanka-Arpico. Also its a real super market on the lines of Tesco.I was impressed.
Its on the rail line to Colombo and kandy is only 4 hours away if you get fed up with the heat.Its the only town that has a Indian feel to it but strangely its 80 % Catholic because of the Portuguese......If you drink in the local bars Carlesberg is between 60 & 80 p a bottle.Fish market is Ok too.Good veg market and there are no hassles with shop keepers chasing you around like in India.The most important thing though is Colombo is only 1 hour away and you can shop until you drop there in modern Malls with food halls too.
Its on the rail line to Colombo and kandy is only 4 hours away if you get fed up with the heat.Its the only town that has a Indian feel to it but strangely its 80 % Catholic because of the Portuguese......If you drink in the local bars Carlesberg is between 60 & 80 p a bottle.Fish market is Ok too.Good veg market and there are no hassles with shop keepers chasing you around like in India.The most important thing though is Colombo is only 1 hour away and you can shop until you drop there in modern Malls with food halls too.
#13
Re: Sri Lanka as an option..
AndyD 8-)#
#14
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 394
Re: Sri Lanka as an option..
Here are a couple of links:
http://www.immigration.gov.lk/html/v...ream_home.html
http://www.migrationlanka.com/howtoapply.htm
http://www.immigration.gov.lk/html/v...ream_home.html
http://www.migrationlanka.com/howtoapply.htm
#15
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 394
Re: Sri Lanka as an option..
If anyone is looking for good modern, spotlessly clean, keenly priced accommodation in Negombo, try here, Shamila Chalets It's a bit out of the way but easy to get to town or beach by tuk tuk in about 7/8 mins(150/250rs).