Madeleine & Tom
France, January/February 2017
First visit to Sri Lanka.
We chose it because we have always heard it recommended. We have been to India 3 times before and thought it was time to visit SL.
We heard about Tikalanka because of Responsible Travel.
We would love to return to SL, but still have a lot of the world that we would like to visit!
We would definitely recommend SL to family and friends.
We liked the variety of things to do there, the combination of the history and the geography, the cooler central area and the hot south. We loved the animals. We found the people very friendly and helpful and our guide was outstanding.
We did not like all the vehicles at Yala. It was too overcrowded. Our guide arranged kindly for us to go to Bundala – luckily we had time – and we enjoyed it far more as it was hardly busy at all. We thought that maybe we should have been advised to go to Minneriya to see the elephants or to Udawalawe. This is what we would recommend to other people and not Yala.
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[We appreciate that Yala NP has become very busy during the high season over the past couple of years and its popularity, particularly for leopard sightings, is becoming its downfall. It is about time that the national parks authority addressed the unsatisfactory situation in Yala NP before it is too late. We are glad that Bundala NP was a positive experience for you, and we are suggesting alternatives to Yala NP during the high season more and more often now following feedback from customers like you. Regarding alternative national parks for your particular holiday, you were not travelling during the correct season to visit Minneriya NP as the region would have been affected by the northeast monsoon. Uda Walawe NP is a less visited alternative to Yala NP, although it is ostensibly an elephant reserve with good bird watching opportunities. Sightings of leopards and sloth bears are very rare.]
Accommodation – was excellent overall. We were unlucky to have a lot of rain in the first part of the holiday and the Lake Lodge [Kandalama, Dambulla] was not really equipped for this. Maybe we should have chosen somewhere with more facilities. We also thought that The Secret Ella [Ella] was a bit lacking, although the situation was beautiful. The Jetwing Beach [Negombo], the Jetwing Warwick Gardens [Nuwara Eliya], Cinnamon Wild [Yala], Maya [Villa, Tangalle], [The] Last House [Tangalle] were outstanding. We very much [preferred] the smaller quieter places.
Chauffeur Guide – outstanding and caring. The epitome of a perfect guide. He speaks excellent English. He went out of his way to do things for us and to help us. He was always present before the time agreed to meet. He could answer many questions and my husband is quite demanding as well read in history, the area etc., but Nihal knew a lot and would always go off and research if there was something he did not know. Although we had the last few days on our own to relax by the sea and then in Galle, he made sure to be available to take us from near Tangalle to Galle and then from there to the airport. We have been to a number of places around the world and had guides who have been very good, but he is certainly a cut above and we would recommend him to anyone. He always seemed genuinely interested in us and never bored. It is hard being with people constantly!
Flights there and back were very good to Sri Lanka with Emirates via Dubai from Nice and back. All went very well. We booked these ourselves.
Products bought
Blue topaz ring in Kandy.
Fair trade products in Barefoot such as cotton sarongs, little animal toys, other cotton products.
It was a wonderful holiday, a fascinating and varied journey and new experience. We saw some amazing sights, starting with ancient Buddhist temples, then climbing up Sigiriya, walking in lovely countryside, tasting tea in the plantations at 2000 metres high, seeing lots of animals and then relaxing for a few days by an exquisite tropical beach! Galle too had a lot of charm.
Thanks for the organistion.
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