We are focused on providing sightseeing tours to a wide range of individual customers and private and public organizations. We offer a full spectrum of booking hotels, transfer from Colombo airport , tours vehicles with a guide-chauffeur including car, van, coach and limo. Geographically, we operate throughout the Sri Lanka and in particular in Colombo, Kandy, Galle, Sigiriya, Bentota, Beruwella, Induruwa, Aluthgama, Kalutara, Hikkaduwa, Unawatuna, Koggala, Weligama, Mirissa, Dickwella, Tangalle, Yala, Ella, Nuwara Eliya, and a number of other areas. We also serve our clients in other Area.

To ensure a wide coverage, availability of hotels in Sri Lanka, vehicles, best price and service conditions for our customers we partner with a number of carriers. We take a particular pride that the efficiency of our operations and the quality of our customer service and passenger transport sector. That is why most customers who tried us for the first time become our repeat customers and the rate of our customer satisfaction is at the industry top of 98%

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka the country is truly unique! This should go for the exotic and adventurous, with great beaches, a warm sun and crystal clear waters of the Indian Ocean! Sri Lanka - is a wonderful place to relax. During the holidays you can and should manage everything - perfect to relax on the beach, as well as get acquainted with the rich history, traditions, unique monuments of ancient architecture of the island. Sri Lanka - is an ancient country with rich history and ancient traditions - on the island there are 8 of architectural and natural sites included in UNESCO's World Heritage Fund.

About Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka- an island in the Indian Ocean (up to 1972 - Ceylon), located south of the Indian subcontinent. It stretches from north to south and 445 km from west to east 225 km. Most of the island is occupied by plains, whose height rarely exceeds 100 m above sea level. In the center of the island is the Central mountain range. The average height of the mountains - 1000-2000 m above sea level, but some peaks rise above. The highest point of the island - the mountain has a height Pidurutalagala 2524 m, however, is best known for the magnificent Adam's Peak (2243 m). Official capital: Sri Jayavardanapura-Kotte (the seat of parliament and the Supreme Court) . Actual Capital: Colombo (seat of government, the residence of the President), the country is divided into nine provinces, major cities: Colombo, Kandy, Galle, Anuradhapura, Ratnapura, Jaffna.
Sinhalese make up about 75%, Tamils ​​- about 18% of the population, mainly in northern and eastern regions. Is also home to Sri Lankan Muslims - about 7%, Burghers (descendants of interarriage with Europeans) - about 0.3%, Vedda (descendants of the ancient population of the island) - about a thousand people. About 70% of the population (mostly Sinhalese) practice Buddhism, 15% - Hindu (Tamils), 8% - Christianity, 7% - Islam (Sri Lankan Moors).

Climate in Sri Lanka

The climate in Sri Lanka, warm and humid. The temperature is very smooth, without sharp fluctuations during the year. The difference between the warmest and the coldest month of 2-3 degrees Celsius. The average temperature is typically less than 30 degrees. Most rain falls in summer. To stay most comfortable coastal areas of Sri Lanka. In large cities inside the country, the weather is hot and humid. Average water temperature in the Indian Ocean near the country of 27 ° C. For tourists it will be useful and pleasant to know that the rains in Sri Lanka are usually held at night. Therefore rest in the resort should not be overshadowed by precipitation. Enjoy the beaches of Sri Lanka can be all year round - you only need to properly define the place of rest. From November to March - a western and southern coast of the island, and from April to October - the east and north-east coast.

Currency

The official currency is the Sri Lankan Rupee state. 1 Rupee (1 LKR) is equal to 100 cents. The December 2017 Lankan Currency against the dollar and the Rupee was: 1$ = 150 LKR.
Large hotels and shops accept payment by international credit cards. It is recommended to exchange money at the airport in Colombo. Check received at the official exchange rates should be maintained until the end of the trip. In this case, the departure from Colombo you have the option to exchange the remaining money in the bank at the rate of purchase of the airport. You can also exchange money at any hotel and bank.

Visa

Citizens of the countries to visit Sri Lanka need a visa, which is necessary to issue any advance on-line at ETA , or draw directly upon arrival in Colombo airport.
The cost of entry visas is valid for one month. if you pay through the Internet - $30.The cost of entry visas valid for one month. if you pay at the airport - $40.
In the case of a transit trip, when the length of stay in Sri Lanka does not exceed 48 hours, the fee for a visa will be charged. Officer of the migration service will need to submit tickets, further confirming the flight. When making a tourist visa must also have a return ticket or a hotel booking confirmation, as the guards conducted random checks of the documents from foreigners entering the country.

Shopping and shop

Traditionally, Sri Lankan tourists bring spices, tea, jewelry, gemstones, high quality knits and gorgeous china. Around the island a large number of small shops and stalls where you can buy only what you need. In the cities are beginning to open large stores, but all the same - to European variety of products - Sri Lanka is far away. The main location of shopping, of course, is Colombo. Here you can buy very good quality jerseys at low prices, because Many well-known European brands have production was in Sri Lanka. Partial products of these companies are sold at much lower prices than in Europe. We recommend to visit the following stores:

ODEL. Address: No. 5, Alexandra Place, Colombo 7, Sri Lanka; http://www.odel.lk/

TFO The factory OUTLET. Address: Sri Sambuddhathya Jayanthi Mawatha, Colombo 5, Sri Lanka; http://www.tfostore.com/

Cotton Collection. Address: No. 40, Flower Road, Colombo 7, Sri Lanka; http://www.cottoncollection.lk/

Beverly Street; http://www.beverlystreet.lk/

House of Fashion. Address: No. 101, D. S. Senanayaka Mawatha, Colombo 8; http://www.houseoffashions.lk/

Chain stores Majestic City;

Liberty Plaza. Address: R.A. de Mel Mawatha, Colombo 3, Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka, with its fantastic tropical nature can actually be proud of any of its unique landscapes - from the golden sandy beaches, caressed by the Indian Ocean, to the numerous ridges and slopes, forming terraces, tea plantations, rice fields and dense forests. Locals cherish and appreciate the nature of the island. The first nature reserve was established here in the III century BC during the reign of King Devanampiyatissa. The purpose of the reserve has been striving to implement one of the precepts of Buddhism, "Do not kill." Now, despite the high population density in Sri Lanka, there are 12 national parks and 52 reserves, which occupy 14% of the island. Among them, miner, Sinharaja, Bundala, Vilpatu, Vasgamuva, Udavalave and Yala.
Go everywhere in Sri Lanka and talk about everything - it is impossible. The beaches of the island beckon vacationers, Ayurveda centers and gardens of spices - wanting healthier, mountains - people willing to climb, the ocean - to dive deep into his strange, UNESCO sites are waiting for history buffs, Buddhist shrines - the faithful, national parks and reserves - naturalists and contemplators of nature ... The island of Sri Lanka is ready to meet you. Time to relax! Prior to the meeting in Sri Lanka!

During the peak tourist season in Sri Lanka, Aeroflot operates direct flights to Colombo International Airport. With transfers, you can fly to Colombo using Emirates airlines (transfer in Dubai), Qatar Airways (transfer in Doha), Etihad (transfer in Abu Dhabi). A direct flight will take 9 hours, and with transfers – 14 hours. From the capital of Sri Lanka you can get to the Kogalla resort by bus or taxi. The time difference is 1.5 hours.

The climate at the resort is equatorial. The average annual temperature fluctuates around +27 degrees. The resort has two rainy seasons: the first is from May to September (southwest monsoon), the second is from October to April (northeast monsoon). The height of the holiday season begins in mid-November and continues until the end of April.

Tourists call Kogallu a magical resort, because it has long sandy beaches surrounded by tropical thickets, washed by the waters of the Indian Ocean. The beaches of this resort are recognized as one of the best in the world. There are many equipped points on the coast for fans of windsurfing, diving, water skiing and sailing.

Most hotels are located right on the coast. You can choose an expensive five-star hotel or a budget three-star hotel.

In the southern part of the island there is The Fortress Hotel 5*. This hotel is located on a wide beach, 132 km. from Colombo airport. A swimming pool and business center are available. Children's leisure and entertainment for adults are organized.

Just 14 km. from the city of Galle the Long Beach Resort 4* hotel is located. For the convenience of guests, excursion programs, water activities and sports are organized.

Right on the beach, in a palm garden, there is a complex of two Club Koggala Village 3* hotels. There are several restaurants, bars, and an outdoor swimming pool on the hotel premises. Entertainment: diving, badminton, volleyball, tennis. Fishing and animation are organized.

One of the main attractions is the famous Kogalla Lake, which is located right along the sea coast. You can take a ride on the lake motor boat. This is a turquoise lagoon with three islands: Temple Island, or the island of a Buddhist temple, Ananda Spice Garden, where a variety of spices grow, and Cinnamon Island, where cinnamon plantations are located.

The Museum of Folk Art and Culture is of great interest to tourists. The museum's exposition consists of a variety of folk crafts and household items of indigenous people.

The people of Sri Lanka worship Buddha and therefore you can find the image of this deity everywhere. It is especially interesting to look at the ruins of Polannaruwa, where the capital of the ancient Sinhalese was located. Now families of monkeys have settled in the ruins of the city.

Another unique attraction of the resort is the Vatadage Temple. This is a structure carved right into the rocks, on the northern side of which rise the figures of Buddha.

Tourists from all over the world flock to Kogalla beaches for outdoor activities. An unforgettable experience is guaranteed for lovers of diving, water skiing and windsurfing. There are diving centers in the coastal area where you can learn extreme diving with experienced instructors. All water sports are available at Kogalla beaches.

Hello everyone:) Two weeks ago we returned from Sri Lanka. Since before the trip, trying to learn more about this country, reviews from other tourists helped me a lot, I decided not to be lazy and write my review :)

We rested at the resort Koggala, Koggala Beach Hotel in September 2012. I must say, we hit the nail on the head! The hotel is cool, everything is clean, tidy, the beach is simply amazing, wide, beautiful, just like in the pictures. I want to say, for those who will choose hotels in Koggala, even the 5-star Fortress hotel does not have such a beach nearby, moreover, they do not have a beach at all :) Where the hotel territory ends, there is a small cliff and that’s it. There is no beach :) The situation is approximately the same in Koggala Village, but it’s better, closer to the normal beach.

But, most importantly, this is the OCEAN. Many have already written, but I repeat – this is Something. As we joked towards the end of the trip: the sea is a big puddle compared to the ocean. This is simply unrealistic power and beauty. There is nothing like it on planet Earth!

By the way, what they say is true: you have to be careful with the ocean. His traction is enormous. The guys swam longer, but I couldn’t do more than 10 minutes, you get tired, as if swimming in a pool, you do about 15 swims back and forth :) We usually came out exhausted :) But there was a lot of pleasure. The waves on the sea are not even close.

And in general, not only the ocean, but also the nature of the country amazed us, it was incredible. And the climate, by the way, is quite pleasant, there is no strong stuffiness and the humidity is not felt as much as in other countries of the Asian region, so it is very comfortable to relax.

Regarding the transfer. Everything was great. Thank God the Sri Lankans started building highways. A highway has already been built from Colombo (the capital) along the entire southwest coast. So we got to the hotel quite quickly, about 3 hours, of which 1 hour we drove around the outskirts of Colombo and, since the traffic there is terrible, it was a very long time :) But when we got onto the highway, the speed of movement increased significantly :)

By the way, at the airport the most favorable rate was 130 rupees for 1 dollar in mid-September, and 123 rupees at the hotel. At the airport on your return flight, using the receipt that you were given upon exchange upon arrival, you can exchange unspent rupees for dollars at the same rate. When exchanging, immediately ask to exchange several large bills into small ones (50-100 rupees each), also at the hotel you can come up to the reception and ask to exchange for small ones, but this does not always happen. It is simply necessary to always have small bills with you, at least because giving change is not part of the Sri Lankan mentality; and also for tips.

It is also very profitable and inexpensive to buy a SIM card for a mobile phone at the airport. It's better to take Mobitel, the connection is better. Costs 1000 rupees (approx. 7.5 bucks), of which 850 rupees are credited to the account. There are operator booths almost just before the exit from the airport on the left. Communication is very cheap, we talked to Chisinau, Kiev, Moscow, even at the end of the vacation we were racking our brains about who else to call to chat, to blurt out the money, so that it wouldn’t go to waste :) In Koggala they charge several times more for a SIM card, about 700-800 rupees only for the SIM card, empty.

We arrived at the hotel at about 8 am, we were immediately checked in, which was just wonderful, considering the difficult road.

We took All Inclusive and did not regret it. Guys, there is nowhere to eat outside the hotel. There are two cafes, one right next to the hotel, the other a little further. Or buy something dry from the shops. It is expensive to take lunch or dinner separately from the hotel itself. They sell alcohol only in certain shops in Galle (about half an hour by tuk-tuk). All Inclusive, according to our calculations, cost us an order of magnitude cheaper than we would have eaten and bought drinks and alcohol ourselves. By the way, who will try their famous red rum: the hotel's red rum sucks. If you want really tasty local red rum, buy Calypso rum in their liquor stores, this is the best Sri Lankan red rum, verified :) A small 375 ml bottle costs about 700 rupees (approx. 5-6 dollars), a large liter bottle costs about 1400 rupees (10-11 bucks).

Ah, I would like to warn you right away. Everyone there wants tips. Hotel staff (all of them, not just maids), bus drivers, salespeople, just passers-by. At the tea plantation, women workers immediately ran up to us to take pictures and then asked for money. At the elephant nursery, the working guys bring the elephants closer to the tourist so that he can take a photo, then they ask for money. Even in the free toilet in a restaurant in Kandy, on our way out we came across an aunty cleaning lady who was trying to ask for money. Everything is clear, the country is poor, much poorer than ours, but... Of course, you have to give sometimes, but here 100 rupees, there 100 rupees (about 1 dollar), and if you don’t hold back, you can end up without money :) We gave away in the first days, and then we began to slow down in order to avoid bankruptcy :)

More. For those who smoke, stock up on plenty of cigarettes, as there are no normal cigarettes in Sri Lanka. This is a problem. There are only lousy Dunhill (500 rupees - 4 bucks) and Marlboro smuggled from Vietnam on the beach from the locals, very strong, for 400 rupees (about 3 bucks), and they sell only 10 packs. For me, who smokes light thin cigarettes, this is a disaster. In addition, everyone is shooting cigarettes, again because they don’t sell good cigarettes, and they apparently want to smoke normal tobacco. That’s why everyone is asking: beachboys, security guards, lifeguards, etc. :) Again, maybe it’s only here, maybe not, but we smoked there much easier than at home, maybe because of the climate, but we consumed twice as many cigarettes per day as in our homeland.

Excursions should definitely be taken locally from local guys. They have everything already set up there, they have their own tuk-tuks, buses, guides, etc. And much cheaper.

By the way, I would like to mention two guys: Gemini and Nimal, especially Gemini, he helped us a lot, we went on two excursions with him, ordered delicious ready-made shrimp from him (I’ll write about this later), brought us coconuts, took us to small places Galle, to the shops in his tuk-tuk, if necessary, found us more tuk-tuks, if we had company and needed more tuk-tuks, treated us to local fruits, sweets, sometimes advised us where to go, where it was cheaper. He brought us the durian fruit for free (we really wanted to try it, since we had heard a lot about this fruit, Gemini brought us one to try, why only one - it just stinks sooo much, like rotten onions, and tastes sweet. Overall, the impression is still the same The guys ate, but I couldn’t swallow because of the smell :) As Gemini said, this fruit greatly increases potency in men :)

Gemini and I went on two excursions. I would like to note that he worked well, he watched everything in time so that we could be on time everywhere. For example, you had to be on time to get to the elephant nursery in such a way as to catch the elephants first from the nursery itself, and then they are taken to bathe; if you are late, you will miss all the fun. He stopped us in different beautiful places so that we could take photographs, and drew our attention to some things that we ourselves would not have noticed. If there were requests to stop and buy something, I told the driver to stop when we reached the place where it could be purchased. It was clear that he was trying to do a good job. Both speak Russian quite well, you can understand it. If you call, just tell which hotel you are in, they will come to the beach in the reception area or to the hotel gate from the road. When meeting, it is much easier and clearer to talk to them than on the phone :) They are not allowed to enter the hotel premises, just like the rest of the local population.

Our first excursion: the Pinavella elephant nursery + ride on the elephants (the fee for riding is not included in the price, a little expensive, about 12 bucks per person, you can ride only two at a time) + see how the elephants bathe in the river, then the spice garden, then Kandy and the temple Buddhas, then waterfalls and mountain tea plantations of Nuwara Eliya. The excursion was amazing, we were absolutely delighted. Very beautiful places. We returned full of emotions and new impressions. The excursion cost 75 dollars per person (including all entrance tickets, i.e. we gave our guide 75 bucks, and throughout the entire excursion he himself paid for us for entrance tickets, taxes, etc.), in time - from 4 am to 12 midnight. Don't be alarmed, it's worth it to get up at 4 am :) The minibus is excellent, comfortable, with air conditioning. By the way, whoever is going, do not hesitate to ask for a packed lunch at the hotel the evening before departure, so that at 4 am they give you breakfast to take with you, and in the evening they leave a packed dinner for you at the reception. We ordered rations for ourselves, and for the guys who went on the excursion with us and who did not have all inclusive, and even for the guide and driver :)

By the way, after the tea plantations, we were brought to a tea factory with a tea shop at the factory. At first WE didn’t want to buy anything, we thought it was a scam and it would be cheaper in supermarkets in the cities. They turned out to be WRONG. There is no such tea in supermarkets; they mainly sell cheap trash tea for locals. By the way, the choice in duty-free in Colombo is also not that great, and it’s expensive. So we didn’t regret that we decided to buy real mountain Ceylon tea there in Nuwara Eliya; we even ordered the guys at the hotel who went after us to buy more tea. The cost of a 100 gram pack is approximately 2 dollars, 300 grams is about 3 dollars for black tea, green tea approximately 3 dollars for 150 grams. There, next to the shop, you can sit on the terrace and try tea, they bring it for free. Silver or White tea very expensive, they have some special varieties, but again on the terrace we asked, they brought out the brewed one for us to try, we didn’t feel anything special. Maybe we're just not experts :)

Second excursion: Dondra Lighthouse (the southernmost point of Sri Lanka) and jeep safari in the Yalla Nature Reserve. The lighthouse is very beautiful and the area around is amazing. It’s not worth climbing to the lighthouse, honestly, you won’t see anything super interesting there, and climbing the narrow spiral staircase is quite tiring, even for our guys, although they are quite strong :) Besides, it’s very stuffy inside. The guys went swimming after the lighthouse with their clothes on, as they were all soaked through with sweat J And I soaked in the sink for about 5 minutes :)

We weren't particularly impressed with the safari. In a jeep with bad tires, moving along the petrified sandy road was a little problematic, sometimes it seemed like your teeth were going to fly out :) We saw animals: elephants (very far), buffalos, crocodiles, a lot of roe deer, magunsta (far away), monitor lizard, wild rooster, peacocks, one monkey, a boar that was eating another boar left after a predator, and even a JAGUAR. As I read earlier in reviews, seeing it is rare, so we were incredibly lucky. He ran right in front of our jeep and disappeared into the bushes and looked at us with displeasure. The other jeeps that drove up to our satisfied squeals did not have time to see anything, since the jaguar had already run away somewhere far into the bushes. And so, all the way I wanted to get out of the jeep and come closer to the animals to take a closer look, but naturally this was prohibited, so there was no special delight, since all the animals were at a decent distance. But from an educational point of view and a desire to see more of this wonderful country, it was interesting. We left the hotel at 9 am, with a stop at the lighthouse, then to Yalla. We had a snack at a restaurant, and from 3 to 6 pm we rode around the park. Then go home. The excursion cost $60 (including all entrance fees).

We were not impressed with Halle at all. A noisy town, dirty, and periodically stank of combinations of smells that were absolutely exotic for us. We wandered through the ruins of a Dutch fort; we tried to buy fruit at the local market, it didn’t work out, because seeing foreigners, local merchants begin to charge mind-blowing prices, and we went back home. It takes about half an hour to get to Galle by tuk-tuk and 400-500 rupees ($3-4) per trip for one tuk-tuk round trip. One tuk-tuk can accommodate a maximum of 3 people. If you want to go to the city, it’s better to go to Matara, it’s in the other direction from the hotel than Galle, an hour’s drive by tuk-tuk, but it’s much more fun there.

We went to a turtle farm. Everyone, including adult men, had simply touching facial expressions while holding small turtles in their hands:) Entrance costs 400 rupees (approx. 3 bucks) plus a round-trip tuk-tuk ride of about 5 minutes and 200 rupees per tuk-tuk ( 1.5 bucks).

By the way, if you are being taken somewhere in a tuk-tuk, the tuk-tuk will wait for you until the end, as long as you are there, look at it.

We went to Lake Koggala. A fairly ordinary motorboat ride. We stopped at some peninsula where monkeys were sitting very high on two trees, almost nothing was visible, we could only see them through the camera lens. We saw one monitor lizard in the water. The motorboat trip cost 10 bucks per person (plus 200 rupees for a tuk-tuk to the lake), don’t give us more, our guide Gemini immediately told us that it was 10 dollars, so when we told the boatmen about this, they immediately agreed without talking, although At first they tried to make it bigger. I don’t even know if it was worth going, I wouldn’t recommend it. But again, for the sake of sporting interest it is possible.

We ordered shrimp from Gemini several times, he brought them ready-made, they came with a delicious garlic-tomato sauce, or they were simply boiled in water and salt. Very large, Cost 800 rupees per kilogram (approx. 6 bucks). Lunch!

We really wanted to have a picnic on the beach for my birthday. Did not work out. By the way, if they tell you that this is possible, don’t believe it. The police don't allow it. The locals promised to do this for us a few days before our birthday, but on the birthday itself they told us that it wasn’t possible, and suggested we just bring ready-made shrimp and hang out on the beach together. It was clear that they just wanted to eat and drink nashara. At the market in Galle, fish and shrimp are again impossible to buy, since seeing foreigners, prices increase sharply. For 1 kilo of shrimp they charged us 15 bucks.

Be careful with the “whale watching in the ocean” tour - whales swim off the coast of Sri Lanka from about November to April, if you are offered such an excursion at other times of the year, it’s a scam.

As already written in other reviews - when planning any trips, consider the length of the day. Day and night here are 12 hours long. It starts to get brighter at 6 and by 7 it’s already light, it gets dark at 18 and by 19 you can’t see anything.

Gemini also took us to a shop of various wooden products. Beautiful, mostly made of ebonite or rosewood. We bought a small Buddha figurine, pink tree, approx. 18 centimeters, 2000 rupees (15 bucks), an ebonite ashtray 600 rupees (4.5 bucks), a rosewood elephant 1200 rupees (9 bucks) and a nice tuk-tuk made of plywood for 600 rupees. No expense was spared, everything is very beautiful, good memory about the trip. You can immediately see how the boy working nearby in the workshop is turning all these figures. If you buy more than one piece they give a good discount. In other places, we specifically looked, much more expensive. I’m generally silent about the hotel. At the prices they charge there, you could buy half a shop.

About insects. The mosquitoes there are just nasty. Unlike ours, they are not heard and practically invisible. When sitting outdoors in the evening, it is better to smear yourself with something. And so, everything seems to be in order. There were no extreme insects. There is a small iguana on the hotel grounds, which lives mainly in the grass between the pool and the beach, and several very funny chipmunks. We fed them nuts and cookies.

Also, it’s worth taking with you a stronger sunscreen and definitely an after-sun cream with panthenol, since the sun is very strong, even guys who had already tanned before got sunburned. And also a first aid kit with native medicines, if the medicine is not very good, their main focus is on alternative medicine :)

Regarding the linen, I read reviews before the trip that the linen was dirty and gray. We had nothing like this. Everything is white, clean, towels are changed every day, i.e. everything is part of normal hotel management :)

There is a safe at the reception, it costs a lot of money, we paid 2 bucks for 10 days. You come up with your key, which is kept with you all the time, and you take from your cell everything you need day and night. Very convenient and safe.

The hotel also offers laundry services. We also laughed for a long time when we saw the prices. For the mountain of underwear that we threw off upon arrival, which included two pairs of pants, two pairs of T-shirts, a warm jacket, socks, panties, that is, everything we were wearing, we paid 5 dollars! I have never seen anything like this. My husbands and I felt like bourgeois when we put things in the laundry for the nth time. And they wash well, they never spoil anything, the clothes are neatly folded and smell very nice. It’s just that because of the humidity, things take a long time to dry, so we even took slightly dirty things to them to wash, although the main goal was to dry things :)

About the sockets. Inconvenient, because they are not ours. At the reception they can give you an adapter, but there is not enough for everyone. If you are unlucky, the socket is like one hole on top, two on the bottom, so take the handle and poke it into the hole on top, don’t be afraid, there is no current there, the two bottom holes will open and you can insert

A little more about prices:

The guys bring coconuts - 5 rupees each;

Local beer Lyon - 200 rupees (approx. 1.5 dollars) per 650 gram bottle;

Plain water 0.5 - about 40 rupees (30 cents)

Fanta, Cola 0.5 – 90 rupees (70 cents)

In cafes, Lyon beer - 370 rupees (3 bucks)

Massage at the Koggala Village hotel – $10 per hour (great, from earlobes to toes);

Prices in the restaurant right next to the hotel (by the way, a very nice restaurant and delicious) - 600-900 rupees (5-7 dollars) for a decent dish with something seafood (fish, squid, etc.) + fries + salad. Plain water in a bottle 100 rupees 1 liter. Milkshake – 250 rupees (2 bucks).

By the way, who has children, grandchildren, nephews. Very cheap children's clothing. We don’t have children, but our Kiev neighbors bought a whole package of all kinds of clothes for ridiculous money. For example, a very cute dress for a girl (the fabric is good, don’t think it’s cheap) cost $1.

For guys who fly from Kyiv with low-cost airlines AirArabia and FlyDubai. Airplane food is very expensive. Something very small, like shawarma, costs 5-7 dollars, beer 0.33 - 7 dollars, juice 200 ml or plain water 0.5 liters – 3 dollars, strong alcohol 50 grams – 7 dollars. Watching TV series - 3 dollars, movies - 9 dollars. For comparison: at the Dubai airport, during a transfer, if you have a snack at McDonald's: a cheeseburger - 3 dollars, a double cheeseburger - 6 dollars (one double cheeseburger is approximately the same as two shawarmas on the plane in size and degree of "filling":) Sweet water, mineral water at the Dubai airport - 1 dollar . You can easily carry it on the plane. So stock up on food and drinks in Kyiv and Dubai.

About magnets, knowing that many people buy gifts for friends, including us, I can’t help but say. The hotel is very expensive, if you see nice ones somewhere in the cities, shops - take them, on average they cost 300 rupees (2-3 bucks), at the airport the choice is very meager, the prices are the same, not cheaper than in the city. We read somewhere earlier in reviews that it is cheaper at the airport. Nothing like that, the entire airport was raided.

About the visa. In principle, travel agencies should tell you, but I’ll clarify anyway. There is electronic visa registration on the official immigration website eta.gov.lk. Everything is quite simple there. Fill out a short form and pay by card. The visa costs $20. You can also apply for a visa upon arrival, but there are queues and time, and the visa costs $25. Therefore, Sri Lankans recommend registering online. You need to print out the notification that will be sent to your email and show it when you arrive in Colombo.

For tea lovers, a little about the varieties of Ceylon tea (for example, I didn’t know, maybe it will be useful for you):

Orange Pekoe - black leaf tea from leaves following the bud;

Pekoe is a rolled leaf of black tea made from side shoot leaves or from the third and fourth leaves;

BOP – Broken Orange Pekoe, i.e. chopped Orange Pekoe. Considered the golden mean among teas;

BOPF – Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings, i.e. very finely chopped Orange Pekoe. Typically used in sachets;

Fop - flowery orange pekoe, black leaf tea made from leaves following the bud, having a sufficient content of tips (buds, which are the main source of tea aroma)

FBOP - flowery broken orange pekoe, crushed Fop tea

Dust is dust, the finest tea is what remains as a result of processing tea leaves. It is mainly drunk by Sri Lankans, because... the cheapest.

As they explained to us at the factory, the finer the grind of the tea, the stronger it is.

If you decide to go on holiday to this city in Sri Lanka in 2019, then you will not have problems with housing. There are a sufficient number of prestigious and comfortable hotels here that will offer their guests excellent service and access to excellent spas. If you prefer not to spend large sums of money for comfort and luxury, then it makes sense to pay attention to cozy boarding houses or guest houses. It is worth noting that the cost of living in the best hotels is about 10,000 rubles, but can reach 20,000 rubles. At the same time, you can find accommodation for the night much cheaper, starting from 800 rubles per night.

Holidays at the Koggala resort: attractions and entertainment

First of all, people go to Koggala for a beach holiday. The five kilometer long beach is considered one of the best in the country. Sand, gently sloping land and a fairly convenient entrance to the water distinguish Koggala beach. And the waters of the Indian Ocean here are very clean and have a pleasant blue hue. But if you have already enjoyed the stunning beauty of this place, have sunbathed and swam, and want to see something and have some fun, this is also possible in Koggala and the surrounding area.

Sights of Koggala

One of the main attractions of the resort is the Museum of Folk Art, which presents an exhibition of objects folk art. In it you can look at a fairly extensive collection of rare art objects, as well as things related to ordinary life population from different regions of the country. The entire exhibition is divided into 25 different parts. The objects in each part of the exhibition cover one area of ​​human life. It could be things self made related to music, architecture, clothing, medical instruments, etc.

The natural highlight of Koggala is the lake of the same name. There you can look at a wide variety of birds. This place is not only a stunningly picturesque lake with a lot of different types plants and birds, but also a common destination for ecotourism. Also on this lake you can see hermitages scattered here and there on the islands. They are considered the sanctuaries of the first Buddhists. For this reason, this place is so popular among religious pilgrims. If you decide to follow the path of the pilgrims, you can use the catamarans offered specifically for this purpose.

You can admire the lake in the video:

There are several traditional Sinhala villages around the lake. It’s worth getting here to get acquainted with the local exotic way of life, as well as to take some very colorful pictures.

Not far from Koggala is located ancient temple called Katalyuva Purvarama Maha Viharaya. This Buddhist sanctuary was built back in the 13th century. The temple is very picturesque due to the traditional style paintings done by ancient masters on its walls. In the drawings you can find scenes from the many lives of Buddha.

A little further, about 20 kilometers from the resort, there is a nature reserve - the Hiyare Rain Forest. This is a perfectly preserved corner of tropical vegetation, a reservoir, and also a good place for lovers of exotic representatives of the animal world. There is also a hospital for wild animals, whose staff treats wildlife with love.

Most often, tourists from Koggala go on excursions to the ancient city of Galle. The trip takes no more than twenty minutes. Here, pay attention to the ancient Galle Fort. It is one of the best preserved from colonial times in all of Asia. Ancient walls, an old lighthouse and the remains of other buildings, as well as a beautiful panorama of the city await tourists here. The 18th century colonial temple building, St. Mary's Cathedral, is also interesting. There are also several museums in the city with very fascinating exhibitions, for example, the Dutch Museum or the Maritime Museum. Nearby you can visit the Buddhist island of Ratgama Lake, which is particularly beautiful and can give a feeling of harmony and tranquility.

Excursions to the Habaraduwe turtle farms, visits to the Kalutara temple, spice garden, cinnamon plantations are also popular from Koggala, and you can also go to Weligama, where you can take windsurfing lessons. In Colombo, if you decide to go that far, there are also many attractions: a fort, temples of different faiths, the best of which are the Buddhist sanctuary Gangaramaya, St. Anthony's Church and the Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque, as well as many museums.

Entertainment Koggala

For lovers active rest in Koggala there is the opportunity to go diving (in the appropriate season), surfing, windsurfing, water skiing, and fishing. Speaking of fishing, near the town you can see local residents fishing on poles, which is a very colorful sight. You can ride on a yacht or boat.

For lovers of nightlife, Koggala is not the best place, since the resort is, rather, intended for those who want tranquility and unity with nature, so you will not see a vibrant nightlife here. But there are cafes and restaurants here, because tourists, despite the fact that the resort is still developing, are already actively visiting this place - which means we need to feed them. Sri Lankan cuisine is distinguished by the presence of a large number of spicy dishes. Due to its location near the ocean, you should definitely try seafood and fish; rice and vegetable dishes are also popular in the country. And, of course, wonderful coconut, which is added to dishes, and delicious juice is also prepared from it.

There won't be much shopping in the city, since Koggala is not the largest city in Sri Lanka. But you are always welcome to buy a few traditional souvenirs: the resort has many shops with typical souvenirs. What should you bring with you from Koggala? This, for example, could be:

• handmade wooden mask;
• other products made of valuable wood;
• Ayurvedic remedies;
• elephant figurine.

Koggala will definitely appeal to those who appreciate picturesque nature, clean beaches and waters. If you wish, you can limit yourself to the surrounding attractions, but if you want something more, you can take an excursion or go on your own to other cities. The main thing is that your holiday in Koggala will definitely not disappoint you, and the memories from the exotic nature, temples and the holiday itself will last for a long time.

Koggala: map, weather, beach

Koggala is a small but very picturesque resort in Sri Lanka on the shores of the Indian Ocean. The city is located on the southern coast, 147 km from Colombo International Airport and 14 km from the nearest major city of Galle. Sometimes in the Russian-speaking segment of the Internet the city is mistakenly called “Kogalla” or “Kagala”.

Koggala has become popular as a resort destination only recently, so tourism and the city’s infrastructure are not yet very developed, but this also has its advantages - the beach is extremely uncrowded and clean even in season.

Koggala is home to a local airport, several star hotels, a museum and a picturesque lake - a popular destination for easy river walks. Koggala is a place where tourists are taken on excursions to watch traditional Sri Lankan pole fishing.

Transport in Koggala, Sri Lanka

The town has a bus and train station linking Koggala with Colombo and Galle. Since the Koggala railway station is very small, only local trains stop there, it is necessary to clarify this point in the schedule. Express trains in Sri Lanka stop only at major stations, the nearest of which is Galle.

Koggala also has a small airport serving domestic flights to Sri Lanka. From Koggala to various cities (Polonnaruwa, Kandy, Sigiriya, etc.) you can take an air taxi.

• to the north: Habaraduwa, Talpe, Mihiripenna, Unawatuna, Galle;
• to the south: Ahangama, Midigama, Vallivela, Weligama.

Koggala on the map of Sri Lanka

How to get to Koggala from Colombo Airport

To quickly get from the international airport to the city of Koggala, you can use the airport taxi services.

The official Colombo Airport taxi counter is located outside the arrivals hall. The prepaid taxi counter is open 24 hours a day; taxis do not require pre-ordering.

In order to get to Koggala by public transport, you need to take the 24-hour bus No. 187 at the airport and take it to the Central Bus Station.

If you arrive during the day, you can drive from the airport to Colombo, walk to Colombo Fort railway station and from there take a train to Koggala or, in the case of express trains, to Galle, and then take a tuk-tuk to your destination. Be sure to check whether the train you need stops at Unawatuna station or whether it passes by without stopping, so that this does not become an unpleasant surprise.

If you arrive at night, it makes sense to take buses departing from Pettah bus station, located a 10-minute walk from the Colombo Fort railway station and the Central Bus Station. Buses No. 2, 32 in the direction of Matara run 24 hours a day.

In order to use the express bus traveling along the highway, you need to take a tuk-tuk or bus from the airport to Maharagama station and then take the express bus to Matara. You can get from Matara to Koggala by buses No. 2, 32, but it is worth noting that this travel option with transfers will be very long.

Photo Koggala, Sri Lanka

Sights of Koggala

Lake Koggala
(Koggala Lake)

Lake Koggala is a huge, extremely picturesque lake framed by mangroves, with numerous small islands and channels.

Boat excursions are offered along Lake Koggala - a popular entertainment among tourists, which allows them to get an idea of ​​the local nature and life of the Sri Lankans inhabiting its shores.

Lake Koggala and its surrounding wetlands are home to rare species of birds, butterflies, fish and reptiles.

Folk Art Museum
(Martin Wickramasinghe Folk Museum Complex)

Koggala has a small but interesting folk art museum named after Martin Wickramasinghe, a famous Sri Lankan writer whose books have been translated into many languages, located in the village of Malalgama.

In his works, Wickramasinghe often described his beloved Koggala. The museum is located in the house where the writer and his family were born and raised; the building itself is currently more than 200 years old.

Kataluwa Purvarama Maha Viharaya Temple
(Kataluva Purvarama Maha Viharaya)

The Buddhist temple was built around the 13th century. Katalyuwa Purvaram Temple is famous for its wall paintings done in traditional Kandyan style.

The wall paintings depict scenes from the 500 past lives of Buddha. Some of the paintings are over 200 years old.

Traditional pole fishing
(Sri Lanka Traditional Fishing)

A local attraction of Koggala are fishermen engaged in traditional pole fishing in the coastal strip, a short distance from the coast.

Traditional fishing in modern Sri Lanka has long been mostly a form of entertainment for tourists, rather than a way to obtain food; now modern spinning rods or other devices are more often used for these purposes.

Rain forest of Hiyare Nature Reserve
(Hiyare Rain Forest)

Just 18 km from Koggala is the Hiyare rain forest with a reservoir built more than a century ago and earlier, until 2002, providing water to the water supply system of the city of Galle. The area of ​​the reserve is only 2.5 sq. km.

The reserve can be reached in 30-40 minutes. There is an educational center at the reserve. The reserve operates a wild animal assistance service, where wounded and injured wild animals are rescued, treated, nursed and released.

The Hiyare Reservoir Rainforest is a habitat for a large number of endemic species. The Hiyare Rain Forest is a secondary lowland tropical rain forest.

Considering him small sizes Hiyare contains a surprising number of endemic species: it is home to more than 150 species of fish, reptiles, amphibians, land snails and mammals, and Of these, more than 60 are endemic. If birds, dragonflies and butterflies are also included in the list of endemics, Hiyare Nature Reserve has one of the highest concentrations of unique species found in one small rainforest anywhere in the world! And every year scientists discover more and more new species.

Koggala Beach

In Koggala there is a beautiful, one of the longest in Sri Lanka, clean, deserted, wide sandy beach Koggala beach with fine light yellow sand framed by coconut palms, lasting almost 3 km to the neighboring village of Habaraduwa. Hotels are mainly located along the coastline and are perfect for a secluded holiday.

The width of Koggala beach depends on the phases of the moon and varies greatly throughout the year. It is worth noting that Koggala is not located in a bay, and therefore the waves there at the beginning and end of the season are quite strong. On the beach there are surf spots and diving centers offering their services, including for beginners. The length of the beach allows for jogging and long walks along the ocean shore.

Hotels, restaurants, shops Koggala

As mentioned above, the tourism infrastructure in Koggala is poorly developed. The choice of hotels is not as wide as in neighboring Unawatuna or Weligama, and is mainly represented by expensive 5* hotels and a few guesthouses. Restaurants are located at hotels, in the form of establishments in the highest price segment, and there are several cafes. The city has a bank with an exchanger, small shops, a spa salon and GYM's at large hotels. At the northern end of the beach, in Habaraduwa, there are a couple of chain stores: Foodcity and Sathosa.

Weather in Koggala

Since Koggala is a beach resort town, it is best to visit during the tourist season, from November to April. In other months, the weather is not favorable for beach holidays and related entertainment. The months with the most rainfall are the off-season - May, June and October, November. Swimming in the ocean out of season on beaches located in open bays, especially in May and October, can be unsafe. The air temperature does not change significantly throughout the year: during the daytime its values ​​vary from +24C to +31C.