r/ForeignTravelIndia

I was recently in Sri lanka. Though I have travelled internationally a lot for work, this was my 2nd foreign trip with my parents. If anyone is looking to take their parents on a low complicated foreign trip, I definitely recommend Sri lanka. My itinerary- Negombo- Habarana (with stop at Dambull and Kandalamma lake)- Day trip to Trincomalee - Kandy(with stop at Sigirya and Nalanda Gedige temple)- Colombo.

Here are my tips -

1. Get point to point cab driver and pick me is extremely reliable for pickup from airport. People were recommending hiring a cab driver for the entire length of the trip. You do not need it. You will almost find someone at a better rate in the area you are put up. You can also trust the google reviews.

2. Food is not at all a worry. My dad is a vegetarian and Sri lanka has plenty to offer for vegetarians

3. Always get a Dialog sim. On my first trip to SL with friends, I got a Dialog sim. This time I got a Hutch sim and Hutch does not have the coverage that Dialog provides

4. If possible, do plan a visit to Trincomalee. The place is very unlike India and has a lot to offer. We did a day trip there but wish we had stayed there

5. Do plan to stay one day at Colombo. The skyline is beautiful. I know folks at Mumbai have a better skyline but this is much cleaner lol

6. Dont worry about not having the novelty factor. My parents found Sri lanka clean and pretty though we come from the south of India and found that it had a different vibe

7. People are nice but if your cab driver recommends a stop at "herbal garden" do not recommend. They sell overpriced ayurvedic oil. Not worth it. Also do not take restaurant recommendations from your cab driver. Just use google and always look up reviews from foreign travellers

8. Always withdraw from Bank of Ceylon or Peoples bank. Low markup charges. Avoid HNB like the plague

9. If you stay at fancy places that accept USD only, better to get a USD forex card to avoid markup

10. Cinnamon properties are all over Sri lanka and reasonable. If you do plan to stay in multiple Cinnamon properties, better to create a membership for better rates

Ask away for any particular questions or recommendations. Happy to help !

1. CNG : A caged auto rickshaw, to safeguard from snatching and burglary
2. Sadarghat Boat taxis : A unique economical taxi service to get from one end of ghat to the other for only 25 takas
3. Rickshaws (electric & paddle) : lifeline of dhaka city. (unlike cng, these are open sitting so burglars get fair chance to do their act :-) )
4. Bus : Find an unscratched one and I shall stop travelling
5. Ships at Sadarghat : The country of rivers connects cities of Dhaka with Barishal, Khulna (near sunderbans) , Patuakhali , Bhola, Madaripur , etc
6. Double Decker red buses : reminded me of Old Bombay
7. Mini bus : super crowded, one can go standing , hanging and seating in this :-)
8. Metro : just few days back, there was an athlete disallowed to board in shorts and T Shirt !!!! an exception but still these things happen in Dhaka

Our last trip to Yogjakarta and Jakarta

So I just came back from an 8-night trip to the UAE - spent first 5 days in Dubai & remaining ones in Abu Dhabi. I had my wife & 9 year old Son with me, and most of the planning was around activities that my Son would enjoy as it was his birthday trip. Total expenses - over 4 lakhs (because we tried a lot of activities & experiences). What we covered along with cost + my opinion-
Dubai Mall + Fountain (Free) - Good experience. The Mall is really big, has an indoor aquarium you can visit (we have been to such Aquariums elsewhere, so skipped.
Ski Dubai (~19k for 3) - Unless you are an experienced skier, this place is absolutely not worth it. They don’t allow you in the Ski area unless you know it well. Other rides or games are just not worth it & the place is just too cold This was money wasted from my pov.
Aya Universe (~7.5k for 3) - Good experience, something different, colourful & fun for the kid. Don’t expect too much, I won’t go again.
Bur Dubai - Old Dubai area full of markets like Meena Bazaar - very crowded, you’ll feel you are in Delhi, but good to visit. Al Seef street has a great vibe & good to visit. Cross the creek in a boat & get into Gold Souk. You can buy Gold at cheaper price than India.
Burj Khalifa - At the Top 124/125 floors (~15k for 3) - Almost a check-list item when visiting Dubai. Good view of the city & depends on time of day.
Desert Safari (150 AED per person + Extra charges for Quad biking) - the Desert safari itself is a Good experience. However the dinner & performance afterwards depend on your preference. For us, it was a waste of time (Cheap tasting food & place). Would recommend to go for a better premium safari company if you want better experience.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (Abu Dhabi) (10AED per person) - Extremely beautiful - a must visit if you are in Abu Dhabi. Very well managed for tourists & the praying area is separate. Just make sure you wear full sleeve clothes. They do sell scarves & sleeves for women which are not very expensive.
Warner Bros world, Yas Island AD (~37k for 3 people including Ferrari World) - This place is a lot of fun even for us & brings back our memories from the Cartoon Network Era. There a a lot of rides & visual experiences which kids & elders should enjoy equally. It took us between 3 to 4 hours to cover this & it wasn’t busy at all.
Ferrari World (We had purchased 2 park ticket along with WB) - This was also a good experience for my Son & myself. Any car enthusiast will love this place. Some roller coasters were closed, but there were still enough open for those interested. There is a Go Kart academy but it was booked for the day already so I couldn’t experience it. There was a simulation E Sports area which was really good & you get to race against others in the lobby.
Natural History Museum Abu dhabi (5.8k for 3) - Really good visit for the curious. My son loved the dinosaur & meteorite exhibits
Al Ustad Special Kebab - Bur Dubai - Very good place to eat Iranian kebabs. Loved the food here & wasn’t very expensive.

Places missed due to closure -
Legoland, Museum of the Future, Global Village

We stayed inland near Palm Jumeriah area & right next to the Tram, so it was easy to visit the JBR area which has great restaurants & the beach. We also used the Tram & the Metro a few times & it was cheap & easy. Choose your accommodation closer to the Metro/tram station if you want to save some money on Taxis. Both Dubai & Abu Dhabi have plenty of govt. Approved taxis that you can hire.

Overall, it was a great trip & the cities are really nice to visit. You feel really safe at all times & I would love to visit again.

Lengthy post, but I wanted to provide enough details for anyone planning to visit soon. Feel free to ask my anything. Will try to help if I know.

We recently did a road trip across the west coast of the USA, covering LA, Vegas, SF and a few small towns. Sharing some pictures