Sri Lanka Island Culture and Adventure Tour

Customer Reviews

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  Merric

  · October 18th, 2024
  Vishwa Lakshan - Awesome guide Summary: Vishwa is an outstanding guide and I highly recommend him – further comments below. It was the first time my wife and I have been on holiday in Sri Lanka (19 days), our first time on a private tour, we were not sure what to expect. Vishwa met us in Negombo at an Air B&B we had booked – the air B&B was tricky to find but he showed up on time, with a smiling face and an air conditioned car, we were off to a good start. From there, there was so much sight seeing for the first few days. But before that, on the first day of travel, he asked us where we would like to have lunch, both of us immediately said, something local and with good spice. Vishwa took us to a small, but well established buffet for lunch ( and by that I mean an off the road restaurant with exceptionally good food and exceptionally good spice and if you like hot curries and chillies then you would be fine). After enjoying a really good meal (given we enjoyed the food and the spice - Vishwa said there would be no problem taking us to all the special food places he knew). Vishwa introduced us throughout the tour to some amazing foods and some awesome off the normal track places to eat. Getting back to seeing the historical sites, we saw many. Vishwa’s overall knowledge of Sri Lanka, it’s history, politics, Temples, local religions, Flora and Fauna is outstanding. What is most impressive is that he finds a way to weave it into your overall experience and not overwhelm you with too much information all at once. I actually learned things about the Sri Lankan people that I will remember. Vishwa was also very patient and caring. Climbing Lion Rock (~1200 Steps) is a major task for middle aged people like us, he never rushed us and making it to the top was awesome and he shared in our success and we all had selfies together. After climbing Lion Rock, I added another 300 steps for Dambulla Cave in the same day. That whole day almost killed me, but I made it, it was 100% worth it, and I learned more at Dambulla Cave about Buddha than anywhere else. We also chose to go off the normal track and experience Ambuluwawa – if you have the time it was well worth the trip, we climbed up to the 10-11th floor – after that it gets a bit doddgy as the stairs become very narrow, but the views are great. You can get great photos from the 10th floor. Moving on to the Safaris, we did two they both were awesome. The safari in Kawudulla National Park (lots of Elephants – about 90++ -- the most wild elephants I’ve ever seen in my entire life) and Yala National Park where we actually saw three Leopards and an elephant that wanted to get very, very close and say hello). These excursions are a must, while I can’t confirm that you will see either elephants or Leopards (as they are wilde animals) you would be doing yourself a disfavour if you didn’t try. Vishwa organise both of these for us. He also came along on the Safari but I also loved that fact that he was just as excited to see the elephants and the Leopards as we were. Trust me, seeing them in the wild is an awesome experience. Driving & Safety – Driving in Sri Lanka is nothing like driving in Australia. Having said that, Vishwa is an extremely good driver (in Sri Lanka) & I always felt comfortable. I get the feeling that Vishwa loves his role as guide and driver and he was always available and willing to go the extra mile and help in any way he could. If you are willing to lean into a rich and fulfilling Sri Lankan experience and open to trust someone like Vishwa to show you the best Sri Lanka has to offer, then you will enjoy a tour with him. I highly recommend Vishwa.
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  Mango Vacations commented on this review

  Hi, Thank you so much for taking your valuable time to give us an excellent review about your tour in SriLanka. We really value it and appreciat it.our goal is to offer our clients unforgettable travel expirence with no mistakes. We are more than happy... Show more
  
  Trip date: September 2024
• L

  Lego

  · March 24th, 2024
  We had a nice trip from 8th of March till 20 of March. Our driver Pavi who became our friend is very nice person. He was always prepared to show us the beauties of his country and had a solution on every problem we had. He is absolutely the right person for you if you are looking for a reliable guide and driver. Thank you for all Pavi!
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  Trip date: March 2024
• JB

  Joanne Frances

  · March 1st, 2024
  This tour exceeded all expectations! The cultural diversity, magnificent landscapes and beautiful smiles of the Sri lankan locals made the entire experience an absolute joy. We were also blessed to have arguably the best tour guide in Sri Lanka. Our man Hasanka looked after us so well. He went above and beyond to ensure we felt safe at all times and that we got the best possible experience. Thank you Hasanka!
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  Trip date: February 2024
• JH

  Jeremy

  · February 28th, 2024
  Self-organised tour of 19dsys supported by Thili our guide and Pavi driving (trainee). Thili enlightened us on many historical, geographical and nature facts that made our trip more interesting. Although well planned, Thili quickly got to understand our needs and interests making great suggestions. Pavi negotiated the roads extremely well, driving cautiously and I don’t think we had one bad moment despite the insane bus drivers, sleepy dogs and irrational yuk-tuk drivers. They were both ultra polite and happy which made our trip one of the best ever.
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  Mango Vacations commented on this review

  Hi, Thank you so much for taking your valuable time to give us an excellent review about your tour in SriLanka. We really value it and appreciat it.our goal is to offer our clients unforgettable travel expirence with no mistakes. We are more than happy... Show more
  Trip date: February 2024
• 

  Nikoleta

  · February 19th, 2024
  Lakee and Amila were really nice and helpful, we spend incredible 7 days with them hunting for Sri Lanka wonders and treasures. They arranged everything we wanted, could recommend nice places and were overall very helpful. We really enjoyed the trip.
  

  Mango Vacations commented on this review

  Hi, Thank you so much for taking your valuable time to give us an excellent review about your tour in SriLanka. We really value it and appreciat it.our goal is to offer our clients unforgettable travel expirence with no mistakes. We are more than happy... Show more
  
  Trip date: February 2024
• 

  Bob

  · January 10th, 2024
  Our tour was amazing. We saw so much and Sri Lanka is beautiful and the wildlife incredible. Mango Tours were brilliant. The transport and accommodation was excellent and our Guide Vish so helpful and knowledgable and now a friend for life. I have no complaints. We had the best time and it was great value for money. Nadeeka at Mango was very responsive before the tour and answered all my questions. We were 6 travellers of mixed ages and the tour was suitable for everyone. 😃
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  Mango Vacations commented on this review

  Hi, Thank you so much for taking your valuable time to give us an excellent review about your tour in SriLanka. We really value it and appreciat it.our goal is to offer our clients unforgettable travel expirence with no mistakes. We are more than happy... Show more
  
  Trip date: December 2023
• 

  Dorron Jeeves

  · December 18th, 2023
  We had an exceptional journey with our driver Hasanka, who drove us all the way up to Jaffna and right down to Unawatuna across 10 days, with several stops. Hasanka was genuinely the highlight of our journey. We were a little bit hesitant using a driver service as we had never travelled this way, but we are so glad we did. He made every aspect of the journey so easy, adapting to weather changes, and helping us make on the fly modifications to accommodation and itinerary based on his knowledge and reccomendations. Despite a pretty jam packed schedule, we were able to have a good mix of adventure and relaxation time. My only feedback is that Mango Vacations as a whole is a little laid back with communication at the commencement of the trip, but this had no impact on our overall experience. If you are still deciding whether to get a driver, absolutely do it, and if you get Hasanka, even better!
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  Trip date: December 2023
• 

  Filip

  · December 10th, 2023
  We spend a week with Lakee and Amela and it was a great one indeed! Amela is an amazing driver and could handle all the bad roads we intended to go through and always stayed positive and had a smile on his face. Lakee on the other hand was the man that arranged everything from the massage we suddenly wished for to spices garden we did not know it existed in the first place. What a great week with the guys that made our holiday even more charming. For all this we are very grateful and would recommend this amazing team to everyone traveling to Sri Lanka!
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  Mango Vacations commented on this review

  Hi, Thank you so much for taking your valuable time to give us an excellent review about your tour in SriLanka. We really value it and appreciat it.our goal is to offer our clients unforgettable travel expirence with no mistakes. We are more than happy... Show more
  Trip date: December 2023
• RR

  Rebeca

  · September 30th, 2023
  It was an amazing tour. We recommend it! Mango Vacations provides a good communication and excellent service. The hotels and places were incredible. Our driver and guide, Hasanka, was very kind, helpful, punctual and highly motivated. He always offer good recommendations and service. All respect for Hasanka who did a great job; a true sample of excellent tour guide! I would highly recommend him as a professional guide.
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  Mango Vacations commented on this review

  Hi, Thank you so much for taking your valuable time to give us an excellent review about your tour in SriLanka. We really value it and appreciat it.our goal is to offer our clients unforgettable travel expirence with no mistakes. We are more than happy... Show more
  
  Trip date: September 2023
• 

  peter

  · September 29th, 2023
  My 2 friends and I decided to do a 14 day holiday around Sri Lanka with our own car and driver. Our driver Vish was fantastic. He was not only friendly but also very flexible with our itinerary. Nothing was ever too much for him. Often things changed at short notice and Vish was happy to alter our itinerary accordingly or suggest alternatives. He has done this tour many times over the 4 years he has worked with Mango Vacations so he has a great knowledge, passion and insight into his homeland. I would highly recommend Nadeeka and Vish to look after you on a personalised trip of Sri Lanka.
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  Mango Vacations commented on this review

  Hi, Thank you so much for taking your valuable time to give us an excellent review about your tour in SriLanka. We really value it and appreciat it.our goal is to offer our clients unforgettable travel expirence with no mistakes. We are more than happy... Show more
  
  Trip date: September 2023