Travel, for Swaroop – an international business manager with a leading automobile firm, is like breaking the ice from a sedentary lifestyle, and taking some time off from the monotonous routine of their daily lives. And this is exactly what Swaroop tried to accomplish on a 4D/3N family trip to Sri Lanka. Along with his family, he traveled with a group of two more families, and here’s what he wrote about his experience which felt nothing less than a roller-coaster ride.
I have been a frequent business traveler and I have traveled to about 13 countries as of now. However, travelling with family and friends to remote locations that comprises of hills, and beaches is something I enjoy the most. For the past 9 years that I’ve been married, I make sure that I travel at least once in a year with my family and enjoy some quality time with them.
Trip Type: A fun-filled vacation with family and friends
Duration: 4D/3N
Total no. of travelers: 6 adults and 3 children
Budget: INR 65,088
Agent Name: Direct Link Pvt. Ltd.
Inclusions: Accommodation at Earl’s Regent in Kandy and the Palms Hotel in Beruwala, breakfast, airport transfers, Kandy city tour, Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage, sightseeing to Spice Garden, Gem Factory, taxes, and more.
Exclusions: Flights, visa cost, travel insurance, lunch and dinner, and other personal expenses
As a part of that routine, we wanted to explore a different place this time. We were a bit confused between Thailand and Sri Lanka but decided to explore the latter as it is an economical destination. Our kids were the reason of finalizing this destination as they wanted to go to a beach location, and we wanted to travel out of the country.
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With Sri Lanka in mind, we started searching for feasible tour packages on Google which is when we came across TravelTriangle. We then put in our request and soon a representative got in touch. He put us through the best agents who offered multiple quotes for our customized itinerary. The entire process took less than a day and as they say, the rest was history. Our trip was booked in few clicks and all we had to do is just gear up for the wonderful journey ahead!
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Day 1: Hello Colombo!
On the first day, we arrived at the Colombo airport early in the morning at 6 am and were transferred to the Kandy islands. We were tired from all the journey but still the excitement level was full on.
We felt that the roads in Sri Lanka were a bit narrow but the excellent arrangements made by the travel agent covered up for it. We traveled via a private Toyota van and our friendly guide made our journey quite interesting.
On the way, we visited the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage. The kids were totally excited to see the elephants and enjoyed the rides, bathing and feeding them. It was a different experience altogether to interact with elephants.
Post that, we went to the Spice garden wherein we discovered the variety of spices used for Ayurvedic treatment were grown. All of us felt so relieved of all the tiredness on receiving an excellent head massage that too free of cost. We also bought some of the special oils for the treatment of body aches.
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It was Day 1 and we could already feel that the food was not upto our expectations. Normal hotels charged extravagant prices and that is when we told the chauffeur about our preferences.
Later on, we checked in to the Earl’s Regent Hotel which was set atop a hill and the location was amazing. We relaxed for a while, and went ahead for the Kandy city tour. It was an eventful day for us and we retired to bed early as yet another adventure awaited us.
Day 2: Witnessing The Beauty Of Bentota Islands
Our second day was reserved for exploring the Bentota Islands. Post a journey of about five hours, we finally reached the island and checked-in at the Palms Hotel in Beruwala.
It was a huge property with good environs. We had booked the sea-facing rooms and everything in the hotel was perfect as we had expected. As soon as we entered the hotel, we rested for a while and then went to play in the swimming pool.
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Kids enjoyed playing in the pool, post which we headed straight to the beach. It was a bit dark, and we had to be back by 7 pm. On returning to the hotel, we enjoyed our dinner and relaxed as we enjoyed the cultural programs organized by the hotel staff.
Day 3: Adventures On Bentota River
On the third day, we finished our breakfast early and went out to play on the beach before heading out to enjoy the watersports on the Bentota river. The rates were so expensive for all the watersports which is why we only tried a few of them.
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At the same time, though the watersports were not that extreme, we still felt it was not safe to indulge in watersports without any safety precautions taken by the organizers. Later we just went ahead with one tube ride on the river wherein we were pulled by a speedboat.
It was an awesome experience but was not at all safe. Later part of the day was fixed for a city tour showing some shopping places around Bentota, but we preferred to spend maximum time on the beach and in the swimming pool.
Day 4: Bidding Adieu To This Paradise
On the last day, we started out from the hotel by 10 am and were transferred to Colombo where we had planned to go shopping, and visit a casino. Shopping was not such a good experience in Colombo as the shops were not up to the mark.
Hence we decided to go to the mall and we were taken to one of the best malls in Colombo. We indulged in shopping for about 3 hours. We did not have enough time to visit a casino so we had to miss that. Post that, we had lunch and soon we were on our way to the airport.
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We boarded our flight to Bangalore by 6:30 pm and were only left with the best memories that Sri Lanka had given to us. Though we missed out on a few things, the best thing was that we had a great time with our family.
The Most Cherished Memory From Our Family Trip To Sri Lanka
For me, the most cherished memory would be the moment when I took an elephant ride with my 6-year old daughter at the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage.
Apart from that, the moments that I spent with my family on the beach were the most happiest. Little things like helping my daughter build a sandcastle, and fulfilling her wish to play with the sand toys are few experiences that will be etched in our memories forever.
How was your overall experience with TravelTriangle?
It was a very good experience. In fact we postponed the already booked trip once due to some personal reasons. The team at TravelTriangle was considerate enough to help us in reducing the losses that we incurred due to the booking of flight tickets. Overall it was totally a value for money experience and we loved every bit of it. Looking forward to plan a holiday in Thailand very soon. Cheers!
Highlights Of Our Family Trip To Sri Lanka
- Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage
- Our relaxed stay at the beachfront hotel
- Playing on the beach, and in the pool with kids
Low Points
There were no negative experiences as such. Only the watersports, and shopping were not up to our expectations.
Tips For Future Travelers
- Sri Lanka is a very beautiful place but plan well in advance. A lot of time goes in to travelling as the roads are very narrow.
- Expectations on watersports and shopping has to be low.
- Spend more time in good hotels which are towards the beach as they provide good services.
- We missed out on going to a Casino as we did not have time. For those who’re interested, please take a complete day out for casino.
- Never keep expectations on watersports as the prices are extravagant – 7000 SLR per individual for a normal speed boat ride.
- Very old notes of Sri Lankan Rupees are available everywhere. Exchange local currency only as much required.
- Set expectations with your guide at the beginning of the trip itself on the kind of restaurant and the type of food you want to relish.
- If not, then you will end up paying more from your pocket. There are a few Indian hotels that serve good food at nominal prices.
On the whole, our trip turned out to be quite awesome. It was one of the fantastic vacations that I have enjoyed till now. The happiness that we could see in the eyes of all the kids, looking at them enjoying each and every moment are few memories that I will cherish forever.
Exploring a different side of our own family members, their likes, dislikes, and new habits, is an experience in itself. Also, the warm hospitality of the travel agency is something we’d like to appreciate from the bottom of our hearts.
Want a similar experience? Customize your own Sri Lanka tour package with TravelTriangle and you’ll be just a few clicks away from creating your own forever memories with your loved ones!
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An empty vessel in Christ’s hands. Rest we can talk over chai. :)
