This small island in the Indian Ocean is better known as Ceylon. Import of tea brought him worldwide fame. The original name of the island of Sri Lanka in Sanskrit means "blessed land."
Air Way to Sri Lanka
Most Russian tourists fly to Ceylon with a transfer. This, of course, is inconvenient, because the duration of the flight increases significantly.
Unfortunately, direct flights “Moscow - Sri Lanka” are quite rare in the flight schedule (flight time is 8 hours). Only two airlines organize such flights:
- S7 - 1 flight per week;
- SriLankan Airlines - 2 flights per week.
The most convenient flights with transfers are operated by passenger aircraft of airlines from the United Arab Emirates:
- Flydubai and Emirates with transfers in Dubai;
- Etihad Airways with a change in Abu Dhabi;
- Etihad Airways with a change in Sharjah.
With a minimum waiting time (2 hours), the flight Moscow - Sri Lanka will significantly extend (flight time - from 12 hours). In connection with the above-mentioned temporary difference, experienced tourists made the right conclusion for themselves: when buying a tour to Sri Lanka, be interested in how to get there: without a transfer or with one. Of course, the first option is more preferred.
Also significant is the difference in time zones between Moscow and Ceylon: in the summer - 2 hours, and in the winter - 3.
Location. Climate
Tourists usually arrive on the island in the so-called dry season. He is also considered high. Planes arriving at the Blessed Land land at Colombo Airport. With this, in fact, begins for most tourists a vacation in Sri Lanka.
Reviews of tourists about the time spent here are eloquent, they should be read by those who doubt whether to fly to Ceylon or not. For example, the hotel complex, which is the subject of this article, is located in the wonderful resort town of Hikkaduwa, which locals call the “coral reserve”. Its coastal waters are shallow and remarkable for the wealth of the underwater world, the local coral gardens are highly rated by divers.
Therefore, among tourists traveling the 146-kilometer distance from the airport to the Lavanga Resort Spa 5 * hotel , there are usually divers. This transfer takes 3 hours.
About hotel
Hikkaduwa resort is located 17 kilometers from the provincial capital, the city of Galle. It is favorable for a budget holiday resort: there is a fairly developed network of comfortable economy hotels and inexpensive cafes. Any tourist can choose for himself a hotel complex of a price category of interest to him. Rating hotels (Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka) are presented on the websites of tour operators. For example, among three-star hotels, Sunils Beach, Bensei By Hotel; and of the four-star, the Avenra Beach Hikkaduwa network complex of Thai origin can be recommended.
The considered hotel complex Lavanga Resort Spa 5 * (Sri Lanka, Hikkaduwa) has a more developed infrastructure and, therefore, is more comfortable.
Infrastructure
Once in the territory of this modern and comfortable hotel complex, tourists, of course, pay attention to a compact five-story residential building, a large clean pool located next to it, the royal palm trees of a tropical garden.
The hotel of the first line Lavanga Resort Spa 5 * has a fairly developed resort infrastructure. Attention is deserved by the hotel spa, diving center, cinema, library.
The hotel complex has free parking, dry cleaning, laundry. Guests can rent a banquet hall, a conference room. Businessmen, if necessary, can communicate with colleagues using the business center.
The hotel restaurant serves Sri Lankan and Chinese dishes. There is a playground for children. If necessary, parents can hire a nanny to rest themselves.
Rooms
The housing stock of a small comfortable hotel Lavanga Resort Spa 5 * consists of 20 rooms. Among them:
- deluxe suite (studio with a fenced-off berth);
- deluxe twin share (oversized studio with double bed);
- deluxe king (double room with a double bed);
- family suite (two-room superior room);
- grand suite (VIP number).
In the guest rooms made a modern designer renovation. There is a balcony, a bathroom with a good shower. The floor is lined with light artificial stone; combined walls: modern plaster alternates with wooden elements; original ceiling with built-in lights. Light alternates with dark.
The internal doors are mostly austere, made in dark colors, enlivened by light glazing. The rooms are furnished with modern, low, stylish Asian furniture. There is also a desk and a safe. Air conditioning, satellite TV. Hairdryer and Wi-Fi at the hotel are free.
According to the impressions of tourists, the cleaning of the rooms is not just neat, but scrupulous. Plumbing reliable, British.
Beach vacation
Experienced travelers give new arrivals good advice: for the first three to four days it is minimally to be on the street, while using sunblock. You should get used to the local sun.
Lavanga Resort Spa 5 * is located on the first line from the sandy beach. He is well-maintained, provided with sun loungers and umbrellas. There is a buffet on the beach where you can buy refreshments. However, hotel guests recommend walking about seven minutes to the left along the coast to select a bathing place. In the bay located there, the sea is calm and the waves are smaller.
To the right of the hotel you should not look for places for swimming. According to tourists exploring this area, the coast there is crowded, dirty, uninteresting merchants pester tourists.
Following the reviews of hotel guests, we pay attention to the features of swimming in the Indian Ocean. It is very important.
Here you should not swim alone, but it is generally safer for young children and low-swimming to swim in the pool. You can’t turn your back on the Indian Ocean, you should look at the waves. With a relatively calm water surface, approximately every minute a large wave approaches the shore (one and a half meters higher than the growth of the bather). From it, in order to avoid injuries, one should not swim ashore. On the contrary, you need to dive horizontally under this wave, or, having dived, swim up with a “float”.
Sometimes the ebb forms a current, pulling people into the ocean. Most often, the places where they occur are indicated on the shore with warning signs. A person caught in them needs to swim out, in order to avoid wasting precious forces, not to the shore, but first parallel to him. Such a maneuver is performed until the swimmer feels that he has freed himself from the "embrace" of the stream, and only then he should row toward the shore. Sometimes such a “lucky guy” will have to overcome 400 meters to a kilometer before saving land under his feet.
Nutrition
The restaurant of the hotel complex Lavanga Resort Spa 5 * feeds tourists according to the buffet method differentially, depending on what type of food (breakfast, half board or board) the tourist paid for. They cook, according to customers, tasty, but a little expensive: a large dish of fried shrimp with sauce will cost the hotel guest 400 rubles, and in the resort restaurant they pay only 250. And this is not surprising, because Lavanga is considered not the cheapest hotel in the resort.
Most tourists prefer to eat in local restaurants. Food there is more varied and cheaper than on the hotel menu. They are located at a distance of 2 km from the hotel. It is best to get to them by mototaxi (tuk-tuk), the price of the service is 40-50 rubles. Institutions are large, but budget. They deliciously cook seafood. Of the expensive dishes, tourists especially noted the following: lobster costs about 1000 rubles, shark steak - 250 rubles.
Active rest, excursions, shopping
The best Sri Lanka hotels offer many excursions. Of interest are the ancient architecture of British colonization, sea tours, visits to Buddhist temples.
Note to tourists: the currency in Sri Lanka is most advantageous to change at the airport (there is an optimal rate).
At the hotel complex, you can easily rent a scooter or car. The winding roads of Ceylon and tea plantations are picturesque . In Sri Lanka, there are often various animals: monitor lizards, monkeys. Amusing chipmunks rush through the trees fun and stupidly. Even the best hotels in Sri Lanka can run brisk lizard.
Shopping is original here. Many experts say that it is in Ceylon that they grow the best tea in the world, which is then imported into 145 countries of the world. According to travelers, local handmade souvenirs, especially masks, are very original.
Here is the mass of factories of various corporations. Defective branded items can be profitably purchased in local markets. Sometimes the marriage is that the buttons are sewn unevenly, sometimes the whole thing is in a small inconspicuous spot. However, you should understand the brands, check the quality of the seams, etc., because fakes are also sold along with good things.
Conclusion
Judging by the reviews of guests, the hotel complex Lavanga Resort Spa 5 * provides comfortable conditions for living, improving health, getting acquainted with local exoticism, as well as for shopping. The magnificent nature of Sri Lanka. However, it is advisable for a tourist who arrives here to draw up a plan for his stay in Ceylon in advance.
You should not rely excessively on the advice of guides regarding excursions and shopping, as well as similar advice from the local population. After all, tourists for them are nothing more than walking wallets. Get carried away on these things in a strictly dosed manner (this adds variety to relaxation).
Rest in Sri Lanka has its own communication features. Reviews of tourists contain, among other useful information, advice to be smiling and good-natured in communicating with local residents. This is justified, because it will pay off with reciprocal attention and respect. But criticism and discontent in Ceylon can not achieve anything. Local tourists consider such tourists to be idiots.