One of the great travails of being a tour operator that specialises in Sri Lanka has been the constantly fiddling of dates involved in making sure that ‘flying direct’ with Sri Lankan airlines actually meant flying direct. Until now, the daily London to Colombo (and vice versa) flight with good times has touched down in The Maldives on 4 days of the week, adding two hours to the overall flying time. While there has always been an additional direct flight on all of these days, they have been at very unsociable hours, either arriving into or departing from Colombo in the middle of the night. This has led to a constant struggle to fit in all the conflicting requirements of the clients with the reality of the dates and times. To the great relief of everyone here at Experience Travel this problem is no more!!
Posts Tagged ‘Sri Lanka’
Sri Lankan airlines to increase its direct flights from London to Colombo
Sri Lanka Honeymoon Locations
As one of the most romantic destinations in the world – Sri Lanka has too many honeymoon locations to easily fit into one itinerary. At Experience Travel we would always look to talk in detail about your trip and ensure that what we put together is right for the both of you. After all, we would want this holiday to set the tone for your future family holidays with us!
Experience Travel’s Trip Selected by Wanderlust!
We are pleased to say that our ‘Sri Lanka’s North and East‘ tour has been selected by Wanderlust Magazine as one of their 50 best new trips for 2012.
Kandy Esala Perahera Dates Confirmed!!
We have finally been given the dates and details for next year’s Esala Perahera! Yay!
The festival, held in the city of Kandy, is thought to be a fusion of two Peraheras (Processions), the Esala and the Dalada. Dating back to the 3rd century BC, the original Esala Perahera is a ritual enacted to request rainfall from the Gods. The more recent Dalada Perahera began when the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha was brought to Sri Lanka from India during the 4th Century AD.
Trip Advisor – a blessing or a curse!
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?
Sri Lanka Holidays in February
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.
Rafting and Canyoning in Kithugalla
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.
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.
Experience Travel Organise Guardian Trip to Sri Lanka
The travel section of the Guardian last Saturday published an excellent article by travel journalist Ben Tarring about his family visit to Sri Lanka. I thought it was an excellent piece and we were proud to have been involved in suggesting and planning the trip. Have a read: http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2011/aug/26/sri-lanka-family-knuckles-mountains.
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Why you need to book a holiday in Sri Lanka with your family!
This is an ad for a competitor – not quite sure who they are or what they do, but they certainly can put an advert together!
I could not have put it better myself (or indeed anywhere near as well) – this is exactly what you can get from booking a holiday through us in Sri Lanka! The villas and hill country ‘bungalows’, fully staffed and fully luxurious, for me, make the best possible base for a family holiday. Add to that some activitiy and adventure in a safari camp such as Kulu Safaris or an eco lodge such as The Mudhouse and you have a real holiday of lifetime for the whole family… Contact us for a holiday with family and/or friends in Sri Lanka.
However, many thanks to Inspirato Epipheo for a brilliant video – whoever you are!
