Beruwala / The Palms 4* in July
Here I am ready to write a review. Sri Lanka is like a local coffee, the impressions must be settled in order to get a beautiful and bright picture.
Let's start. . .
Sri Lanka has always seemed something distant and mysterious, many still think that people similar to (Vietnamese, Thai, etc. ) live there. This is not true )). We had a vacation in the month of July, and the agony of choosing where to go, so that it was not expensive and where we had not been, began. Considered Tunisia O_o, Europe for some reason shoals as an option and caught the eye of Lanka, for this period the price was more than pleasant, provided that in winter (like in season) the price rises 2 times.
Traveling out of season
They began to actively study information about trips in the "off season". People wrote differently. BUT here's what turned out. The season for the Sri Lankans themselves is from August to March. This means that the ocean becomes calmer, the weather is more even in terms of the sun. April, May, June are not considered the most successful months for a trip in terms of rainfall, but July is, let's say, a border month comparable to February. We took a risk and went. For 11 days, the rain as such was 1 time during the day, it was about an hour in time and a couple of times at night. But the air temperature is such that when it rains or it doesn't, the air temperature and humidity remain the same. The reality today is that the weather can fail at any time of the year, even in 100% season.
My old dream came true, to swim in the rain in the pool, play ball and generally play the fool, because. there was no sensation of coolness. But by the way, the constant changeability of the weather was present. That sun will be covered with clouds, and it seems that it is raining, and then the sun is already scorching, so the weather really changes, but this does not affect the rest. On excursions inland, the rains are heavier and bad weather is more noticeable. But again, I repeat, the air temperature is consistently high. There is a wave on the ocean in July, when there is more when less, but it is there, I even decided to master the board, but this is a separate story and about it later. The advantage of the hotel is that to the right of it there is a bay, fenced with reefs, there is calm water, and here you can just swim. But they don’t swim in the ocean, they jump on the waves there, this is not Turkey for you))
It is better to book a transfer if you do not want to ride in a shared bus.
There are practically no taxis as such, only tuk tuk, it is a dubious pleasure to go to the hotel on it.
The bus ride will take you 4-4.5 hours to our hotel. The transfer has 1 plus, it can go on a paid autobahn. BUT the main thing is that the driver should drive on the autobahn right next to the airport, and not at the exit from Colombo, otherwise you will still feel the whole buzz of a three-hour trip around Colombo, except perhaps from the car window. ))
Again, by the way, when we were picked up from the hotel at night, we arrived at an interval of 5 minutes from our friends who left our hotel, but only by transfer. At night, the roads are empty, and the transfer can also take you not through the autobahn, but along the usual road. To make money on this
My advice instead of a transfer, take an extra day on the tour; ) Or control the carrier.
I liked the hotel! We chose a hotel with a beautiful area and interesting architecture. Therefore, the choice fell on this hotel. Many rooms have a "seaview" which is good news.
The condition of the rooms is residential))) Nothing broken was noticed, the only thing is that the deluxe rooms have a different bathroom, we had it after the renovation, and the guys we know before. This was expressed in a visually improved washbasin and a converted shower cabin (the cabin comes without a pallet, "trapik") But as for me, this does not overshadow the rest. I advise you to take the second or third floor. From there, the view is better, and there is less chance that someone will climb into your room. And a bunch of different guests can climb into your room))) The first is chipmunks or palm squirrels as they call them. There are just darkness all over the island. Therefore, without problems, these furry balls, moving along the walls, get to your room))) We bought a large package of cashew nuts and hazelnuts at home, by the end of the holiday we already had our own army of chipmunks with which we could enslave Lanka !! ! ; )
There are also many harmless geckos running along the walls, and once a monitor lizard climbed up the sheer wall to our balcony, he hid between the roof and the side wall of the balcony, hanging his tail right at the moment when we were drinking whiskey on the balcony O_O That's where we sobered up . Having gathered a council of: the hotel administrator, the head of security, the chef, the waiter (he spoke Russian and considered it his duty to be here), the housekeeper, and three more workers who brought the stairs a mop and dichlorvos))) Well, they all together found out who it was hung out his tail, found out that the monitor lizard. Then we saw him when he drank from the pool. ; )
The pool is small, but it is enough to cool off and play ball.
There is free Wi-Fi in the lobby. In general, this is the main entertainment))) For the evening they invite either musicians or a snake charmer, it all looks like amateur performances))) You need to remember this is not Turkey or even Egypt. After the performance, they like to collect baksheesh, like everywhere else. The lobby bar also leaves much to be desired, cocktails remain cocktails only on the menu, for example, ordering Sunrise tequila you will be very surprised by its appearance and serving. But that's not what you're going there for. There is always a bottle of duty-free whiskey in the room, which you can drink quietly by the pool))) or loudly followed by night baths; ) or local Calypso rum! Excellent rum. everyone is taking gifts. ; )
Near the hotel, if you go ashore, then to the left, there is a Sun Flower bar. In it you can drink fresh juices and beer, at very good prices, as well as have a delicious meal if you are already tired of eating in the hotel restaurant. Many wrote that there is a Fresh bar further along the coast, they say it’s better and tastier there, but when we were there it didn’t work, only our bar worked on the coast.
In general, the situation is as follows for food, do not spare the money and take breakfast and dinner at the hotel, because. situations are different. Many wrote that they traveled around barchiks, every evening in a new bar, and everything costs just a penny. To begin with, I want to remind you that we went out of season, so our bar closed by 6-7 pm, and dinner at the hotel came in very handy. Secondly, in a bar on the beach you spend an average of 30 bucks for two, and if you start taking something a little more exotic, it goes up to 50 ye or more. So consider how much it will cost you to have lunch and dinner. Each of course "expensive and cheap" is his own. Naturally, many will say that there are cheaper places, etc. But personally, we were too lazy to go somewhere for lunch, go up to the room and change clothes for the trip. Plus, again, the cost of the road is an average of 150 rupees (and this is an extra bottle of beer !!! ) Therefore, our choice was breakfast - dinner plus bars on the beach.
Separately, I want to note for coffee. I drink only natural coffee, the restaurant serves local coffee (not instant), but it is brewed in the American manner in drip coffee makers, in short, this liquid flows into a large glass teapot, and it is already poured from it. At the lobby bar, of course, there is not even a coffee machine. And so on the third day, I had a clear desire to drink a cup of Americano. I go up to the beach helper Anurat (about him later) I say so and so, I want to drink good coffee, where can I? He thought meaningfully and so gave out . . there is a place... I say, well, let's go, because. I already have coffee deficiency and my heart hurts)) They bring us to a good restaurant, on the second floor overlooking the Bentota River, everything is solid. They give me a menu in which I read, Nescafe instant coffee 4 bucks in terms of, of course they start pulling a joke from me, like let's drink some coffee. I call the waiter, I say I want natural coffee with milk, he says it’s not a problem, there is local Sri Lankan coffee, I was delighted, I say bring it! In short, they brought me a teapot of the same slurry that they pour for me at the hotel for free, I never drank coffee...
In the evening, it seemed to me that life in Lanka freezes, and very early. But a good company of your friends will create an unforgettable vacation for you with night swimming, running after crabs along the ocean and other joys of alcohol tourism))) Do not forget to take a couple of bottles of vodka with you, you can exchange it with the local population for all sorts of presents, or show the locals what it is vodka ; ) Also take dark chocolate bars, they are very good to give as presents, as well as all sorts of sweets that you can give to local kids.
On the very first day, going out to the ocean, a scourge boy approached us, he is a helper, he is also a guide, his name was Anurad. A short Sri Lankan with a shock of curly hair, speaking Russian very tolerably. Word for word, he began to make excursions. Before that, they also dialed phones and other coordinates of guides on the Internet. We were approximately familiar with the prices, and began to build on them. We started a conversation at the beginning for a boat trip through the mangroves, bargained for 50 ye for two in the boat, only we, and this money also included a turtle farm, and a spice garden (one of the mulyons) for free. You have to bargain if you can do it of course ; )
A boat trip is what, as they say, is a must! must see! And it is advisable to go by yourself, or maximum with your company, strangers overboard. someone wants to go, someone wants to take a picture, and someone wants to go to the toilet.
Further, as it turned out, you can generally organize this whole trip yourself : ))
What to do: we leave the hotel on the ocean shore, and go to the left to the end, until we hit the place where the river flows into the ocean. Boats are moored there, so one of these boats can be hired as an ordinary tuk tuk for little money, something about 20 euros per boat, and the boat driver will take you to all the same necessary places. The only negative is that he does not speak Russian, but if this is not a problem for you, then go ahead!
So we sailed to the other side to the temple on the mountain. it cost us directly 100 rupees from the nose, the boatman was waiting for us on the other side until we returned. All temples are active, in all temples you need to walk barefoot. In general, looking ahead, I can say that by taking a tuk tuk you can and should ride around the local temples in the area of the hotel. Very interesting places, very energetically strong.
In general, the "guides" are based in two places, at the exit of the hotel, and on the beach)) At the exit of the hotel there is a whole gang of tuktukers who strives to trick you for money. We got into a classic fruit scam.
Leaving the gates of the hotel, a Russian-speaking taxi driver flies up to us immediately, and is interested in how to help us. Please take me to the fruit market. It was the first day, it was towards evening, in fact we had not slept for more than a day, and had a clearly dead look. In short, he brings us to the shop, and they start selling us fruit.
Small red bananas were sold to us, if I'm not mistaken, 500-700 rupees per kg. They cost from 250 to 400 rupees, pineapples generally cost a penny up to 150 rupees, coconut up to 150 rupees, durians also sold us about 700 rupees, I forgot the name of the red hairy garbage, it grows right on the trees in any yard, and it costs 100 rupees for 12-15 pieces, and so on.
In short, as then we figured we were pulled somewhere by 700-800 rupees, it seems like a trifle... but the sediment remained : ))) Also, be prepared that the outlet gives 10% to the one who brought the client, so there may be such a picture: you yourself go around the city like shopping for yourself like that, go into any gift shop and then some kind of person runs after you and so busily rubs around you, around the owner, showing with all his appearance that he brought you here. : )) In one shop, they gave me magnets for clients ; )
Then we took a trip to Kandy, a tea plantation, an elephant farm, of course, a spice garden))) and a botanical garden. At the time of the sale of the tour, Anurad (his time has come ; ) ) painted that the trips would be so exciting and so interesting that we would just be stunned, but as soon as we got to the nearest point, Anurad's ardor subsided. I will not describe trips to Kandy, there are so many reviews on the Internet, I can add from myself that it’s worth the trip, but the road is tedious as always. I can only note that different reviews of "Temple of the Tooth Relic" post different photos, beware of fakes! ; )
One day, I saw the guys trying to master the surfboard, and not far from the local boy looking after the boards. The guy's name was Papadu, he doesn't speak Russian. He came up and talked, so they say, and so, I want to ride on the board. But I say I want a long board (I taught the mat part on YouTube at home; )) He says there is a long board, let's go to me. And so I went to the local home. A decent enough house, do not expect a hut knocked down from boards and tarps. Provided that in 2004, when there was a hurricane and a flood, then almost the entire coastal strip was washed away. The board price was also very interesting. In the beginning, he gave me a price of 2000 rupees per hour for renting a board. After a short but correct trade ; ) we agreed on 1500 rupees in two hours, and my tearful promise to take the board for a couple more days at least.
This is not an easy thing, I'll tell you, and if you seriously try to master the board, then 1. you need good waves (this means you won't ride during the season) 2. well, an instructor, you should take him at least for a start; )
Another useful acquaintance at the time of renting a board is Papadu's friend, a guy named Sasha or Sasiki. Another guide who speaks Russian well, a young guy who understands our mentality. studied the language in Kyiv at the linguistic center, especially for work in tourism at home. Here we are with him everywhere and hung out.
He arranged for us a chic night barbecue on the ocean. A trip to the waterfall, and a bunch of other interesting excursions for little money. As it turned out, there are a lot of interesting places in the area. We came to his house where he lives, we were treated to freshly picked coconuts in front of us, and in general we were able to see Lanka from a slightly different, not quite tourist side. You can find him by searching, if you type "Srilanka guide" into the search, his site (of the same name) will give out, or I will write in a personal message, or here are his contacts Sasikalakmal@yahoo. com
+9.775329165. After talking with different locals, Sasha showed himself to be a decent and cheerful guy, I can safely recommend him to those who will rest in the area.
By the way, in the river at the waterfall there are small fish that make a chic fish-spa of the legs! : ))
Impressions about the country are the most contradictory. It is much cleaner than Goa and India in general. There are a lot of beautiful and energetically strong temples here. The nature is sooo exotic, the ocean makes an indelible impression (although I myself live on the seashore; )) If you are lucky, you will meet really good and open people. But you should not expect unreal comfort and other elements of the sweet life from this country, remember - this is not Turkey. ; ) You should also remember that it's not worth every penny there, as it may seem from "some" reviews. Prices for locals are very low, but tourist prices for locals are more than high. Therefore, you must understand that everyone wants to make money on you, it’s just that someone does it beautifully and efficiently, and you don’t feel sorry for paying for the work done, and someone is stupidly trying to cut money.
For information on all food and drink, the price is written on the package, if the price is overwritten, then you are being sold with a cheat.
Be sure to bring a minimum first-aid kit with you, especially medicines for food poisoning, for example Entoros gel. Because You can even get poisoned with milk bought at a local store. Remember, there is a lot of curry food, CURY EVERYWHERE!! ! GENERALLY EVERYWHERE!!! ! so if you have heartburn, be sure to take medication. Mosquito repellent and other things that are indicated in each review.
It is impossible to describe everything at once, if you have questions - ask
