Author Topic: Sri Lanka Master Thread (Read 17568 times)

Emkay · « **Reply #20 on:** March 09, 2016, 02:52:41 PM »

Quote from: Chapshnell on March 09, 2016, 02:46:24 PM

You should feel honored actually that no DDF'er has been there.

except they have been.

Drago · « **Reply #21 on:** March 09, 2016, 03:03:05 PM »

Quote from: Emkay on March 09, 2016, 01:08:52 PM

Bump. Ill give it one last shot

Damaxer, CBS, Suave, Superflyer......

Please keep us abreast of your planning

Emkay · « **Reply #22 on:** March 09, 2016, 03:15:57 PM »

Quote from: Drago on March 09, 2016, 03:03:05 PM

Please keep us abreast of your planning

What's "planning"?

Emkay · « **Reply #23 on:** March 13, 2016, 06:01:51 AM »

Some people have requested I share my planning as I go along as they will be going also in the near future. So ill try to post some random tidbits.

Staying in Colombo is not recommended at all, nothing really do to there compared to everywhere else. Almost noone rents there own cars rather you hire a car and driver. The average price range is $50-$65 a day all inclusive, more then that and your getting ripped off and less then that and you should be nervous. Price should include miles, gas, ALL taxes and "government fees", tolls, English speaking driver, AC, drivers food. Some will have free wifi in their car as well as cover the drivers accommodations, some charge $10 a night to cover the drivers overnight stay. Most official hotels will give free lodging to the driver.

Emkay · « **Reply #24 on:** April 17, 2016, 11:41:54 AM »

Would a boring non picturesque TR be of any interest to anyone? Would likely only be useful if actually planning on going.

Adam101 · « **Reply #25 on:** April 17, 2016, 11:42:28 AM »

Quote from: Emkay on April 17, 2016, 11:41:54 AM

Would a boring non picturesque TR be of any interest to anyone? Would likely only be useful if actually planning on going.

For entertainment purposes, yes.

Emkay · « **Reply #26 on:** April 17, 2016, 11:43:02 AM »

Quote from: Adam101 on April 17, 2016, 11:42:28 AM

For entertainment purposes, yes.

I said "boring".

Drago · « **Reply #27 on:** April 17, 2016, 12:02:52 PM »

Quote from: Emkay on April 17, 2016, 11:43:02 AM

I said "boring".

Why no pics?
You don't look nearly as bad as ppl say you do.

Emkay · « **Reply #28 on:** April 17, 2016, 12:06:10 PM »

Quote from: Drago on April 17, 2016, 12:02:52 PM

Why no pics?
You don't look nearly as bad as ppl say you do.

So maybe I'll include a pic or two. But be warned that my knees and elbows aren't always covered.

Drago · « **Reply #29 on:** April 17, 2016, 12:06:53 PM »

Quote from: Emkay on April 17, 2016, 12:06:10 PM

So maybe I'll include a pic or two. But be warned that my knees and elbows aren't always covered.

So please post it in the nsfw section

Emkay · « **Reply #30 on:** April 17, 2016, 12:08:46 PM »

Quote from: Drago on April 17, 2016, 12:06:53 PM

So please post it in the nsfw section

JS?

Emkay · « **Reply #31 on:** April 17, 2016, 04:02:27 PM »

http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=62182

moisheyb · « **Reply #32 on:** November 08, 2016, 02:29:22 PM »

Any more info on sri lanka?

How long would you want to stay there for?

Emkay · « **Reply #33 on:** November 08, 2016, 02:36:24 PM »

Quote from: moisheyb on November 08, 2016, 02:29:22 PM

Any more info on sri lanka?

How long would you want to stay there for?

Depending if going with kids and season and what your looking to do.

moisheyb · « **Reply #34 on:** November 08, 2016, 02:38:19 PM »

Quote from: Emkay on November 08, 2016, 02:36:24 PM

Depending if going with kids and season and what your looking to do.

No kids...
Go to the safari...

moisheyb · « **Reply #35 on:** November 08, 2016, 02:38:37 PM »

Quote from: moisheyb on November 08, 2016, 02:38:19 PM

No kids...
Go to the safari...

How far is it to the beaches?

ponash123 · « **Reply #36 on:** January 02, 2018, 01:41:34 PM »

Anyone know if there is Zika in Sri Lanka?
CDC says not, but literally every other surrounding area has, so it seems strange

iamhappyz · « **Reply #37 on:** January 30, 2018, 08:03:14 PM »

I hope to write a trip report but in the meanwhile if anyone is planning a trip to Sri Lanka here are a few tips that I think you will find helpful. I would definitely recommend you take a driver as they drive on the right side of the road plus they drive like
maniacs, and most of the country does not have traffic lights or stop signs. We used someone called Demel, nalinlasantha69@yahoo.com. He was great, a good driver, accommodating, great personality. (If you do use Demel tell him you found his name recommended on the web as we told him we would share his info). If Demel is not available then you can email David, davidsalgadum77@gmail.com, a Sri Lankan worker from Chabad in Colombo. He doesn't drive himself but he can arrange a driver. We had emailed Chabad of Colombo who put us in touch with David who then connected us to Demel but could be if you go directly to Demel you can get a better price as they shared the profits. Not sure if Emkay's prices are outdated or just because we did a lot of traveling in a day (we took for two days and was about 8 hours of long distance driving a day) but we were quoted $100 a day from every place that we emailed for a quote.
Another pointer which I wish I knew before we went was that there is another Chabad which is about 2 hours from Colombo in the south by the beach. The one by the beach has more of a chance of having a minyan on Shabbos especially in season as that is where all the Israeli's hang out. They do not have a web site but if you email the Chabad in Colombo they can give you the other Chabad's info.
You can do Sri Lanka in 3 weeks and go backpacking and by train and will cost you next to nothing or you can do the fast route and hire a car and see most of what you want to see in less then a week. The big tourist attractions are the Buddhist Temples so if you are not going to see that then can see most of the country in a couple of days. We were on the way to the Maldives so didn't go to the beaches there but if this is your end destination then can spend some time at the beaches. Because we did not go to the beaches I have no idea how nice or private they are.
I am glad we went but not sure if I would recommend going so far just to see Sri Lanka but it worked for us as we were on the way to the Maldives and wanted a place to be that had more of a Shabbos atmosphere and close enough to the Maldives so we could get there early Sunday morning. It is a beautiful country but it is third world so a little dirty and chaotic. Currently 152 lkr to the dollar so everything is really cheap.

mmgfarb · « **Reply #38 on:** January 30, 2018, 08:22:38 PM »

Quote from: iamhappyz on January 30, 2018, 08:03:14 PM

I hope to write a trip report but in the meanwhile if anyone is planning a trip to Sri Lanka here are a few tips that I think you will find helpful. I would definitely recommend you take a driver as they drive on the right side of the road plus they drive like
maniacs, and most of the country does not have traffic lights or stop signs. We used someone called Demel, nalinlasantha69@yahoo.com. He was great, a good driver, accommodating, great personality. (If you do use Demel tell him you found his name recommended on the web as we told him we would share his info). If Demel is not available then you can email David, davidsalgadum77@gmail.com, a Sri Lankan worker from Chabad in Colombo. He doesn't drive himself but he can arrange a driver. We had emailed Chabad of Colombo who put us in touch with David who then connected us to Demel but could be if you go directly to Demel you can get a better price as they shared the profits. Not sure if Emkay's prices are outdated or just because we did a lot of traveling in a day (we took for two days and was about 8 hours of long distance driving a day) but we were quoted $100 a day from every place that we emailed for a quote.
Another pointer which I wish I knew before we went was that there is another Chabad which is about 2 hours from Colombo in the south by the beach. The one by the beach has more of a chance of having a minyan on Shabbos especially in season as that is where all the Israeli's hang out. They do not have a web site but if you email the Chabad in Colombo they can give you the other Chabad's info.
You can do Sri Lanka in 3 weeks and go backpacking and by train and will cost you next to nothing or you can do the fast route and hire a car and see most of what you want to see in less then a week. The big tourist attractions are the Buddhist Temples so if you are not going to see that then can see most of the country in a couple of days. We were on the way to the Maldives so didn't go to the beaches there but if this is your end destination then can spend some time at the beaches. Because we did not go to the beaches I have no idea how nice or private they are.
I am glad we went but not sure if I would recommend going so far just to see Sri Lanka but it worked for us as we were on the way to the Maldives and wanted a place to be that had more of a Shabbos atmosphere and close enough to the Maldives so we could get there early Sunday morning. It is a beautiful country but it is third world so a little dirty and chaotic. Currently 152 lkr to the dollar so everything is really cheap.

Did you fly Sri Lankan's a330 to MLE?

iamhappyz · « **Reply #39 on:** January 30, 2018, 11:11:06 PM »

Yes. We paid for a one way from cmb to mle as going back from MLE we flew Etihad through AUH to JFK.
That portion we flew coach as less then 1 and half hour flight and coach was pretty decent.
The business actually looked really nice for such a short flight.
When I got home I saw that Sri Lankan air had sent me an email but went to my junk email, they had offered us an option to bid for a business seat a few days before our flight.
Unless it would have been really cheap probably would not have done it anyway.
Not that we had a lot of luggage but they let you have 30 kilo in coach.
Also, the one thing you have to be careful about is make sure to check in online but still be in the airport at least 2 hours (maybe even 3) before the flight.
We got lucky cause a new line opened up and we quickly moved over but it was crazy as there were hundreds of people trying to check in and didn't have enough lines open.
We heard someone complain that he had been waiting online for 3 hours.
It didn't seem to make a difference if you were business or did previous check in as all the lines were crazy long.