LANKA FOR LESS
Note! The contents of this blog are the property of
Amyn A. Ghulamali and are just some tips and advice on how to have a great
travel experience and at a lesser cost.
Should you wish to share this blog please feel free to do so but kindly
do give credit to the author at hand! If
you wish to follow the advice I give to you in this public space, then please
note that you will do so of your own free accord and not hold the author
responsible or liable in any way!
Travelling
anywhere be it for business or pleasure these days can be a bit hard on anyone
because the cost of living has gone up and the world is globally connected so
tourism costs are quite high. Most
families save up money for a long time and when they go on vacation they hit
their travel agents with an overwhelming and very ambitious wish list. More than money, time is the biggest
commodity that one has to consider when going on a vacation anywhere and Sri
Lanka is one of the most perfect destinations to consider. I myself have visited this country so many
times yet it never ceases to amaze me!
Sri Lanka is
a unique country that has been through a lot and despite the odds that it faced
during its civil war that went on through the 80’s & 90’s it is a perfect
example of how the peoples of one nation decided to come together and unite for
the prosperity of their nation. Located
smack in the tropics region Sri Lanka is better destination to visit other than
the sinking Maldives because it has way too much to offer to the business or
family tourist who would like to explore Sri Lanka!
Weather –
The weather in Sri Lanka is always like your average summer day in London or
Boston. You get a really good mix of
warmth and sunshine that is not too uncomfortable and because Sri Lanka is surrounded
by the sea on all sides you always have that breeze or wind that will never let
you down. Oh yes you always get a really
amazing shower as the Gods are kind to this country and it rains very
frequently off and on!
Topography
& Infrastructure – Sri Lanka or “Lanka” is pretty awesome because you have
the hill stations and the beaches to its open plains. There are no major highways only main roads
and whilst the distance is not too long a 10 kilometer ride in a bus or a van
can take up to 45 minutes due to the moderately slow speed they drive at here
also keeping in mind you have a lot of traffic on the roads. The architecture is from the 1800’s and
basically colonial that gives you the feeling that the British Empire never
left and colonialism still exists however Sri Lanka is one nation that provides
cellular communications & electricity all across length and breadth.
Religious
Affiliations – The Sri Lankans are a peaceful lot of people and whilst you
travel in the country an average city slicker might get frustrated to their
laid back approach to things. The
Lankans believe in “live a& let live” so don’t get confused if you find a
Buddhist Temple next to a Muslim Mosque which is next to a Church which is next
to a Hindu place of worship. Yes, for a
lot of the people coming from the Middle East where people struggle for
religious diversity it is a real shocker at how so many religions co-exist
together with complete tolerance and acceptance of each other’s perspectives
and sometimes it even baffles them how as a nation everyone simply just gets a
long with a smile! So irrespective of
your religious beliefs Sri Lanka will welcome you as it does to all!
The People –
Over the years and in all my visits to Lanka I have made some amazing
friends! One of the first most dynamic
people who I got to know in my childhood years was my mother’s friend who hails
from Sri Lanka and is probably the most dynamic woman I ever came across in my
life. I only understood her after I
visited this country and realized that irrespective of what odds you face you
cannot change the past only make your future better so everyone needs to play a
part in that. As a nation the Sri
Lankans are probably the proudest and patriotic hospitable and tolerant people
around. They are filled with love and
one thing you will see across the nation are a lot of genuine smiles backed
with a lot of honest warmth stemming from the heart. Over these past few years I made so many
friends in Sri Lanka that when I or anyone comes here they simply feel at home!
The Cuisine
– So where there is good there has to be a bit of bad – The Sri Lankans are
not at all great at cooking beef or buffalo as first the local quality is not
that great so whilst you will find a beef stew to taste like warm liquid jerky
– you will always have options like awesome sea food and chicken. With regard to the spice levels you need to
let them know about your spice preferences.
If you hail from the Western or more developed world then just consider
an average Sri Lankan palate to be accustomed to eating the hottest of chilies.
What you might consider to be
explosively hot in your mouth is very normal for the average Lankan. If you let them know the Sri Lankans will
cater to your every culinary need as they have a lot of experience in dealing
with foreigners for over the past two decades. Hey if your Muslim no worries as they are
extremely sensitive to Islamic religious beliefs and will ensure you do not
feel uncomfortable at all.
Soft Drinks
& Alcohol – Sri Lanka has a diverse range of alcoholic drinks across its
expanse and you can pretty much get what you want and if you would like you
should try their locally produced alcohol known as Arak (a very refined
industrialized version of quality moonshine) – Alcohol is fairly expensive as
are any and all carbonated non-alcoholic drinks because everyone tries to
encourage you to drink the natural drinks that are more healthier.
Duty Free –
I travel a lot and Airport Transit Lounges are frequent abodes to me globally but
the Duty Free at Bandarnake International Airport in Colombo by far has the
best value for money and deals on everything from cosmetics to alcohol to you
name it and is actually worth shopping from.
Drugs
Narcotics Etc. – Whilst the Sri Lankans are very tolerant of most things and
will accept you having that loud party with all your buddies on the beach, the
law prohibits consumption and possession of any form of narcotic or
recreational drugs. Simple possession of
even a tiny amount that the US or UK would consider insignificant will
definitely land you a death sentence.
This is a uniform law across the country that applies to not only
foreigners but the locals as well! But
in Sir Lanka you don’t really needs drugs because the minute you land you have
so much of Gods natural blessings around you that you are constantly high on
nature!
What Nature
will offer you – Irrespective of their skin tone you will notice that almost
all the Sri Lankans are glowing with life!
This country has the richest of spices growing at an abundance and on
every roadside across the entire country you will get a wealth of local fruits
to choose from. The fruits are cheap and
whilst they fuel an immense cottage industry they are the purest one will find
anywhere free from chemical influences.
The Sri Lankans eat all these locally produced fruits and vegetables and
their fish that they get from the seas are rich with so much protein that the
average Sri Lankan is very healthy. As a
nation they have stayed away from processed fast foods and they love to walk
and bicycle across the land thus their longevity of life is much more than
other countries. Whilst in this country
I strongly advise you to leave your carbonated drinks and processed foods and
delve into the local cuisine and fruits offered as not only are they very
affordable but extremely nutritional.
Attractions
and Adventures – Lanka has been managing tourists for the longest period of
time and the entire eco system completely is geared to cater to any and all
needs. Sri Lankans are filled with love
so they also love babies and if you have a two-year-old daughter like I and my
wife do – they will go all out to help parents in every way! This country thrives to please anyone from
the 7 Star luxury traveler to the low budget back packer – they simply don’t
care how much money you have but as long as you are there you are their
guest! You can pretty much do anything
from hiking to rock climbing to white water rafting all the way to jet skiing
and a few other exotic adventures. It’s
entirely up to you! Whatever you do you
can be rest assured that everyone will help you in every way possible and even
if you are disabled they will ensure you get all the love and relaxation you
need.
Somethings to
Definitely Do – You definitely need to visit their Batik Factories (locally
printed cloth) and their Tea Factories other than tourism Tea is their biggest
exports and if you think the British know their tea then Sri Lankans will shame
the most amazing European tea brands with their vast varieties and immense
range of quality. Other than that you
definitely need to go to Sigiriya (the Lions Rock) and the elephant orphanage
in Pinnewalla. Lanka will give you this
amazing reality check of how an entire nation is one with the eco system and
all of Gods Creations. If you are in
Kandy be sure to keep your windows shut as you might get a few adventurous
monkeys in your hotel room after the fire shows that are a signature of that
town. Quite honestly Sri Lanka never
gets old because the people are awesome and your variety of flora and fauna
that surrounds you is so immense that if you miss out on anything once then
even if you repeat the same journey the next time you will have an entirely
different pleasurable experience if not satisfactory.
Currency
Exchange – Ok this is a bit tricky – Look the Lankans are there to make money
and whilst tourism is one of their main exports ever since I have been coming
here since 2007 I came to realize that I prefer to exchange money from the
local vendors and not the hotels. The
locals are hardworking people that deserve to be supported and in general very
honest. The reason for this is that the
locals offer a much better rate and are easier to deal with – you might need to
haggle with them a wee bit but they are really out there to give and get the
best deal. Also note that Euro / US
Dollars & British Pound Sterling are commonly accepted and you can pay in
foreign currency and get a great rate of exchange rate in the form of change!
What Make Up
& Clothes to take with you! - Look
as far as clothes go you simply need shorts and a T-Shirts and Tank Tops – Sir
Lanka is very informal and if you are a woman and have make up then leave it
behind because no matter what your brand names promise you the Sri Lankans will
you deliver it in the form of the purest creams and lotions that are reasonably
priced at their local Spice Gardens. – so chill out and go informal – the best
way to see Sri Lanka is not having to worry about most amenities that you would
in your professional life. If you have a
baby then daily medicines, personal hygiene items such as baby wipes diapers /
sanitary napkins and tampons should be carried in an excess as hey other than
Kandy, Negombo, & Colombo everything is a bit off the beaten track!
Shopping! –
Sri Lanka has amazing local handicrafts that are amazing decoration pieces and
the items are amazing. However, if you
belong to the western world then focus on the best deal and leave your
individuality behind. If you are in a
group go to the sales counter all at once with one person speaking to the
counter person and buy your things collectively – in numbers, you will have
strength to negotiate a better price and get a better deal. Do not be ashamed to haggle down prices
because the Lankans are used to it. If
you won’t ask for a discount, then you will not get one and the best way to get
a discount is to buy from one shop and in bulk.
Also don’t get fooled by all the shops at the attraction sites as they
are extremely expensive compared to the local market shops.
Tipping & Other Savings – if you look at any bill, receipt or invoice, gratuity is always included. Further to that if you belong to a SAARC country then you get really huge discounts across the board so if you are from a SAARC country it is best to google and discover what discounts you will get real time vs booking them via your travel agents – just to give you an example – it costs 2,500 Sri Lankan rupees to visit the Pinnewalla elephant orphanage but when I showed my Pakistani passport the price was reduced to 700 Sri Lankan Rupees. You might not want to do a lot of the activities so it is best to google everything before confirming and paying your tour operator who will obviously have an inflated price due the layers of commission involved.
What gadgets
should you take with you – It’s quite simple, carry your cellphone a battery
pack of 10,000Mah, few extra charging leads and always carry a few different
universal adapter plugs because the hotels do not have a standard electrical
base (European or American) – one of the biggest problems that I used to face
was running around looking for an adapter the first time I came here in 2007
and it’s not that they are expensive but in the remote part of Sigiriya which is
really off the beaten track – there are no shops around to sell such
things! (So yes a few backups will
always help you) Make sure you bundle everything in something like a travel
pouch to help you find things in the madness and excitement of your journey. And an essential and additional item to always carry with you
is a dual port car-lighter adapter to charge your phone. If you are smart you will go to your local
electronics shop and buy yourself a Dc to 110/220 volt (minimum 5,000 Mah)
converter adapter so that you can also charge your laptop whilst on the move in
a car. Another item that you should
invest in is a MiFi device and keep it with you where you can buy a local data
SIM for US $ 12/- for 14Gb and use it for your laptop and tablets.
Cell
Coverage in Sri Lanka – As you exit the airport it is best to buy your
connection before you exit the departure area.
My advice is to not go cheap rather spend on a huge data package which
will cost you US $ 12/- (Etisalat is my preferred choice) because Sri Lanka is
geared to be connected due to its tourism industry and there are four major
Telco’s here. Do not get your connection
outside the Airport as the rates are too high and the Airport gives you the
best value for money and with the least hassle!
The Telco Providers are listed in their order of popularity and coverage
with Dialog being the best and most favorite network of the locals, then
Mobitel trying to catch up and then Airtel & Etisalat jointly in the 3rd
& 4th places. You
will get voice coverage throughout the country but the calling rates are super
expensive. SMS charges are also very
exorbitant so if you have a massive data package you can use the really good 3G
network to meet your social media and quick email needs if you are not carrying
your laptop. Please note that if you use
Whatsapp, Viber and Skype then your 3G package will go a very long way as these
services use minimal data because their encryption to relay voice packets is
very solid and their voice packet compression ratios are fantastic.
How to go
about coming to Sri Lanka? Be it for
Holiday or business Lanka is filled with local tour operators who are in
abundance. However, the big tour
operators may seem expensive but in actuality they are not! The big tour operators all across Sir Lanka
have a strong partnership with a local travel agent in your home country so it
is best to deal through you own local travel agent! Online sites in my personal opinion do not
give you a reality of the here and the now and spot deals where you can get
savings… Sri Lanka is all about tourism
so they will do anything to appreciate the volumes and it is an honest
destination to take a family and come to relax and rebuild old
relationships. The best value for money
one can get in Sri Lanka is for a Group of people between 8 – 10 – based upon
this volume the group is easy to manage for any one member and it is the best
value for money on tickets and hotels bundled together.
How to
arrange your journey – it is always best to get breakfast added into your meal
because that is the most important meal of the day. The buffet breakfasts across Sri Lanka are
diverse and have a lot of variety so it will not bore you! Other than that it is always sensible to make
sure you get a half board tour package where your dinner is also paid for. In Sri Lanka you will have a lot to do and
its quite physically exhausting to run around looking for a restaurant as most
of them close by 930pm in the cities and 830pm in the remote areas. At hotels
where you will be staying the food items on an a la carte menu can be extremely
expensive and if you combine the food with Alcohol or beverages the end bill
will be quite ridiculous. Don’t go for
lunch as you will be on the move all the time and the lunches at local joints are
very inexpensive and add flavor to the variety in your life.
Visas – You should check these requirements from google or via Wikipedia and from the closest Sri Lankan consulate or embassy – if you require one these visas then they are painlessly available and hassle free and very cheap to obtain. Once you have you desired information – your local travel agent can process this for you and make the process much easier via a one window operation or so can the airline you will be using.
Airlines – All the major air carriers come to Colombo, I always prefer to fly Sir Lankan because it is extremely cheap and for the price of any other carrier’s economy ticket I get a business class ticket which is awesome. The Sri Lankan Airline staff is awesome and very hospitable and in my travels with a 2-year-old it made the journey a pleasure rather than adding to any form of stress one might have
This Blog
was written to promote an honest country and its people but if you would like
more advice or help you can contact my Dubai office to help you further. www.tripaxis.com or email me at amyn@tripaxis.com (click on the image below)
If
you are from Pakistan then contact www.supertravels.com.pk
or call them on (+92-21) 111-111-785 or email your requirements to them at tour@supertravels.com.pk / tour1@supertravels.com.pk
& copy iqbal@supertravels.com.pk (click on the image below)
If you like the contents of this blog post then please do share it!
Note! The contents of this blog are the property of Amyn A. Ghulamali and are just some tips and advice on how to have a great travel experience and at a lesser cost. Should you wish to share this blog please feel free to do so but kindly do give credit to the author at hand! If you wish to follow the advice I give to you in this public space, then please note that you will do so of your own free accord and not hold the author responsible or liable in any way!
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