Bangkok Floods

9 November 2011 by

Just a quick update to say that while the center of Bangkok – and the main tourist districts remain flood free, the water does seem to be creeping closer whilst it washes through Bangkok. Our local partners are doing a sterling job re-routing people and making all the necessary arrangements – and this despite being flooded themselves in some cases. Thank you so much Addie, Siriwan, Cherry and all at Destination Asia Thailand for your enormously hard work.

The rest of Thailand is now not affected at all and the sun is shining. Currently we are re-routing all clients travelling over the next week away from Bangkok – if that is what they choose. Though all flights are going through the main airport as normal.

Note though that Suvarabhumi Airport is open and functioning entirely normally. The main Bangkok Airport was built fairly recently and they had flooding very much in mind as flooding is very common in Thailand in Bangkok in particular as it is a flood basin in effect. They built huge flood defenses and no one expects these to be breached.

The Thai authorities were furious with what they felt was a very misleading picture in the foreign press recently – have a look here if you are interested –

We are putting together Thailand holidays as normal and expect the situation to normalise soon.

Our thoughts go out to all the affected people in Thailand and indeed Cambodia.

Trip Advisor – a blessing or a curse!

7 November 2011 by

The great beast lurking around any travel business these days (Google itself of course excluded) is the mighty Trip Advisor. No one in the travel business can ignore Trip Advisor and live to tell the tale. But is Trip Advisor a good thing?

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Sri Lanka Holidays in February

2 November 2011 by

Traditionally our biggest month of the year in Sri Lanka, February is generally regarded as the peak month to visit Sri Lanka. The weather is usually good and the sea is generally calm.  February also marks Sri Lanka’s independence from Great Britain: a holiday celebrated on February fourth and the national celebration is usually on Parliament grounds in Sri  Jayawardhanapura rather than individual towns or cities.

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Rafting and Canyoning in Kithugalla

1 November 2011 by

Now I must be honest, I am not really a great connoisseur of ‘adventure’ sports. Out of my friends I am definitely the biggest wimp, jumping out of my seat watching the ‘Scream’ spoof horror movies and avoiding anything that seems potentially limb breaking. So it was with a rather heavy heart that I agreed to partake in this next chapter of my Sri Lankan adventure, being nudged into it by my new bosses.

My fear and reluctance however, was misplaced as the day I spent with the crew at Borderlands, Kithugala was one of the most enjoyable of my trip. Specializing in white-water rafting and canyoning on the Kelani Ganga and its tributaries, Borderlands is the only rafting centre in Kithugala to provide safety kayakers as standard when white-water rafting. The presence of safety kayakers is essential in making sure that the river is safe to raft.

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Sri Lanka Holidays in January

One of our busiest months for holidays in Sri Lanka is January. Sri Lanka is ‘in season’ in January – calm seas and clear skies are generally the order of the day and who wants to be in the UK in January?

January is a memorable time for Sri Lankan Hindus, as the colorful Pongal festival is celebrated mid-month. Spanning two days and nearly every Sri Lankan location, the Thai Pongal festival (also known as the Harvest Festival) pays honor to the Hindu Sun God. The first day is celebrated with the traditional Pongal meal, featuring a sweetened rice dish that is first offered to the Sun God. It is customary for the meal to be shared between Hindus and non-Hindus alike, so tourists may find themselves experiencing some genuine Hindu hospitality. The second day of the festival honors the oxen and is known as Mattu (“Cattle”) Ponga. Decorative wreaths are placed around the necks of the oxen and the animals are groomed and washed. Koloms, festive decorations, are also drawn in the yards and floors of houses with flour paste. The Harvest Festival is a celebration of kindness and hope, and as such should offer enjoyment to any Sri Lankan tourist.

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