Re: Early August escape
 

isn't there some mosquito alert thingy in sri lanka?

Re: Early August escape
 

[QUOTE=Scamp;12291587]Thought about the Taj but even being one of their 'Gold' members it was just quite pricey for what is meant to be a cheaper, chill out holiday.

Might go see some turtles and would love to go to a good tea plantation but not if they're 5hours in a car away.

Anyway, might go for dinner. We are staying at Centara somethingsands down the road....which was cheaper because we are going to....

The turtle places are amazing- I'll try and find the name of one close by- some are a little dodgy and all money making but some are genuine and helpful/rescue places.
Get a trip to hikkaduwa which shouldn't be too far- beaches are beautiful- better than bentota but not much to see.
Not sure on tea plantations around there I think they maybe higher up north.
There's a cool tapas place like a roof top bar in the hotel just down from the taj and also a restaurant called the railway I think it was- on the other side of the road from the taj and across the railway. The owner is super friendly and helpful, even went to buy me a bottle of gin from the booze shop as I drank him dry (of gin :blink: )

If you do venture to taj then I would say the only decent restaurant in there was the seafood one, you pick your own fish/shellfish and they cook it how u want in what sauce u want, the other restaurants were just standard.
I would check out little hidden restaurants when walking out- very cheap and cheerful

Re: Early August escape
 

Yeah, Dengue Fever 'outbreak'.
Hoping to get lucky by using shit loads of jungle juice or whatever it's called with DEET in it.

Re: Early August escape
 

Denghy or something it's called- which can be really harmful. I get bitten loads and have just been there 2 weeks in the jungle areas too and as long as you have repellent then u r all good

Re: Early August escape
 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g297895-d3613160-r229581930-Sea_Turtle_Protection_Association-Bentota_Galle_District_Southern_Province.html

Think this was the turtle sanctuary we went to

Re: Early August escape
 

Having lived 4 very happy years of my life in Sri Lanka, I would recommend it to most people. The difference between up market and budget hotels is vast but even the budget ones should have really good service. Make sure that you get away from the hotels for dinner as its a fraction of the cost outside and far far better food. Hikkaduwa is superb for snorkeling as its the point on the island where all three of the surrounding reef systems come closest to the beach.

Forget the tea plantation unless you want to spend a very long day in a car. (the lowest plantation is half way up the mountain to Kandy).

All three of my kids contracted Denque when we lived there and it was touch and go for a while. Make sure that you take precautions such as mozzie repellent and a mozzie net to sleep under unless you're in the very top AC hotels. All hotels should provide you with the little moxie burning coils in your room which stick a bit, but are very effective. The worst time for mozzie bites is about 1-2 hours after sunset.

Fully recommend the Turtle sanctuaries as its a very interesting trip if you get a genuine one. If you manage to spend a few hours in Colombo on the way out or back, pay a visit to a shop called Paradise Road (all taxis and tug tugs know it) for the most amazing tea and cake, overlooking the madness of this very friendly city.

Re: Early August escape
 

My old man got dengue in Cambodia. He said it's the worst he's ever felt..... and that includes fighting / living in the jungle in Borneo for 4 months and doing SAS selection....

Enjoy Scamp! ;)

Re: Early August escape
 

We have just come back from a fabulous holiday in Sri Lanka. Did Dambulla and Nureya Eliya. Highlights: climbing Sirigiya Rock, Dambulla caves, washing the hotel elephant, train from Kandy to Ne, tea factory, Galle Face hotel in Colombo. We barely sat still and walked miles every day. The kids loved it. An active family holiday.

Re: Early August escape
 

This could have been my holiday ha- same apart from didn't do NE! Absolutely loved the elephants in Pinnawala and bathing them and feeding them. Also stayed at galle face hotel

Re: Early August escape
 

i hope these elephants are well treated - i stay away from any animal touristy place...the animals are always so badly abused and beaten.

Re: Early August escape
 

Thanks chaps.

Awesome :thumbsup:
Glad you had a great time.

Re: Early August escape
 

The Elephant Orphanage in Pinnawala is really well run and they are very well looked after and free roaming with loads of space. They are taken for a bath twice a day and babies bottle fed throughout the day and lots of green open space for them too

Re: Early August escape
 

:thumbsup::thumbsup: awesome :)