Category: Sri Lanka

3 Days 2 Nights Sri Lanka Tour Package For Oman Travelers

Looking for Sri Lanka tour packages from Oman? Sri Lanka offers a charming blend of excitement and serenity the Omanis traveller usually looks for. It is indeed a stark contrast to Oman in every way. A good way to experience all facets of Sri Lankan life is trying the Olanka Travels’ 4 days travel package. It covers three cities, and offers three distinct flavors of Sri Lanka. They are, Kandy in Central Sri Lanka which combines hills, history and serenity, Bentota in the southwest coast line, which offers broad sandy beaches and warm sun shine and a scenic river safari through the mangroves, and Colombo flashing exciting night life, plenty of hearty shopping and the sophistication of the capital of the country.

The tour also includes a visit to a gem, batik and handicraft factories from which you can make purchases at factory rates.

You will be picked up from and dropped off at the airport, and be taken to all the sites by an English speaking driver in a private luxury car. The driver will help you get your currency exchanged, buy a prepaid mobile phone card etc. prior to leaving the airport to set you up for the tour. During the tour, you will relax in star class hotels at the end of the day. The meal plan includes daily breakfast.

Day 1 – Kandy

The Asian elephant, plays a significant part of Sri Lankan culture. However, the human and elephant conflict over territory has led to the existence of this magnificent beast to be threatened. The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, a captive, nursery, and breeding ground for wild Asian elephants, is stop you will make on the way to Kandy, that will captivate your heart. If you manage to squeeze your visit in during the feeding times you might even get to feed a baby elephant. You can also watch them bathing in the nearby river or resting in their sheds.

After this, you will proceed to Kandy, the last capital of Sri Lanka prior to British colonisation in 1815. Situated in Central Sri Lanka, surrounded by mountains, Kandy is home to tea plantations, biodiverse rainforests, the historical 147 acre (0.59 km2) Royal Botanic Gardens and is famed for sacred Buddhist sites, including the Temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dkmalada Maligawa), which is a UNESCO heritage site.

Upon arriving in Kandy, you will embark on a city tour and a visit to the Temple of the Tooth Relic (It is important to remember, that visitors are required to wear clothes that are not too revealing (covering shoulders and up to the knee) as a mark of respect, when visiting religious sites in Kandy.

You will have a perfect wrap-up for the first day by witnessing a cultural dance performance in the evening.

Day 2 – Colombo

On the 2nd day you will leave Kandy and head to Colombo. Colombo features the administrative capital of Sri Lanka Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte.

Colombo features a blend of colonial buildings with high-rises and shopping malls, different financial, administrative and other types of offices.

Upon arriving in Colombo, what you will enjoy the most is shopping and perhaps the thriving night life the city has to offer, Colombo provides the excitement of casinos, nightclubs, pubs and rooftop bars as well as late night cafes and lounges.

There are many interesting places that offer different types of cuisine to dine at in Colombo.

Day 3 – Bentota (Must in Sri Lanka Tour Packages from Oman)

If lounging on a beach that stretches wide and generously towards the brilliantly blue sea is your thing, you will have a perfect finale to your trip on the third day. Bentota resort town, your next destination, offers clean sandy beaches, water sports and coral rich sites perfect for diving and snorkeling. It is equally famous for its bio diverse lagoon fed by the river Madu.

Your first activity here will be a boat ride along the Madu river which creates interesting habitats for many a species among the mangled roots of the mangroves close to the river bank, as well as in the waters in the middle of the wide river. You will see, monitor lizards, several species of bird, fish, and if you are lucky, crocodiles! If you are interested in history and architecture, there are three interesting places you will see during the river safari- the centuries-old Galapota temple, the estate and gardens of world renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa Lunugangaa, and his brother Bevis’s landscaped garden, the Brief .The tour includes a session of free fish foot therapy which will be quite a natural and out-doors spa experience!

While the last evening of your trip away relaxing by the beach and enjoying the sunset!

So contact Olanka Travels to get Sri Lanka tour packages from Oman.

Looking for Sri Lanka tour packages from Trivandrum? Travelers from Trivandrum will find Sri Lanka offering an experience different enough from home but not uncomfortably so. If you are considering a short holiday over perhaps a weekend, the 3 day travel package offered by Olanka Travels will be ideal to give you a good taste of Sri Lanka.

An English speaking driver in a private luxury car will meet and greet you at the airport, and take you to all the sites. At the end of the tour he will drop you off at the Airport as well. Your accommodation will be in star class comfort on bread and breakfast basis.

The three day tour takes you to Kandy, the last capital of Sri Lanka prior to British colonisation in 1815, and to Colombo its current commercial capital. Colombo also is the district in which the administrative capital of the country Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is situated.

Both Kandy and Colombo offer a rich history and feature many interesting and exciting places to dine in. Colombo also offers the excitement of shopping, casinos, nightclubs, pubs and rooftop bars as well as late night cafes and lounges.

The 3 day tour also includes a visit to a gem factory and a batik factory. You will have the opportunity to make purchases at both these places.

Day 1 –Kandy (Must in Srilanka Tour Package from Trivandrum)

First day of Trivandrum to Sri Lanka package tour will be a visit to Kandy (approximately 105 Km from the airport)in the Central Province which is surrounded by mountains and rich in culture. . It is famous for the Temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa)-a UNESCO heritage site. A city tour and a visit to the Temple of the Tooth Relic are two of the things you will experience in Kandy. Here, similar to India, visitors to religious sites are required to wear clothes that are not too revealing (covering shoulders and up to the knee) as a mark of respect.

On the way to Kandy is the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, a nursery and captive breeding ground for wild Asian elephants. If you are an animal lover, this is a place we recommend you make a stop. You can enjoy feeding baby elephants (possible only during specific times of the day), and watch them frolicking in the nearby river while bathing or relaxing in their sheds.

After the visit to the Elephant Orphanage, you will continue to Kandy for a visit to the Temple of the Tooth Relic and a city tour.

Although not covered in the standard tour, you can stretch your day in Kandy further, by visiting three sites of archeological and architectural significance built in the 14th century , Lankathilaka and Gadaladeniya (two buddhist temples) and Embekka (a hindu temple).

You will have a perfect wrap-up for the first day witnessing a cultural dance performance in the evening.

Day 2 – COLOMBO

On the second day, as you will drive to Colombo, your mountain views will be replaced with flat land and the sea. Colombo has a long history as a port on ancient east-west trade routes. It has been under the rule of the Portuguese, Dutch and the British successively. This rich heritage and it being the present capital have resulted in Colombo featuring a blend of colonial buildings with high-rises and shopping malls, different financial, administrative, and other types of offices. It also offers public places for relax in. Galle Face Green in Colombo city and, Diyatha Uyana in Kotte are two such places.

Upon arriving in Colombo, you will indulge in a city tour and Shopping. Sri Lanka has a flourishing garment industry, and our visitors from Trivandrum enjoy the shopping experience here. The standard tour will last approximately 3 hours after reaching Colombo.

If you are not much into shopping, tweak your tour to spend more time at the National Museum, Independence Memorial Hall or to visit some religious sites within reach- Gangaramaya Temple and Sri Kailawasanathan Swami Devasthanam Kovil.

You can also be very explorative and visit the less known archaeological sites in Kotte that predate Kandy. Alakeshwara Tombstone, Kotte Rajamaha Viharaya, Baddagana Weherakada Ruins, Kotte Ambalama and the entrance to an ancient tunnel complex are sites that are interesting.

So contact Olanka Travels to get Srilanka tour package from Trivandrum.

4 Days 3 Nights Sri Lanka Tour Package For Bangladesh Travelers

If you are flying all the way from Bangladesh to holiday in Sri Lanka, we suggest you make the most of your holiday, by going on the 5 day tour package designed by Olanka Travels. It will give you a well-rounded experience of the natural beauty and the historical splendor the island has to offer. You will visit Sigiriya, one of the best preserved examples of ancient urban planning, Kandy the last capital of the country prior to British rule, Galle, a city much loved by authors and artists alike and Bentota, a beach town that offers many interesting activities that will be liked by the young and the old.

Day 1 – Sigiriya

You will be picked up at the Bandaranayaka International Airport by an English speaking driver in a private luxury car, after which you will embark on your journey to Sigiriya.

Sigiriya, the rock fortress built by King Kasyapa (477 – 495 CE), is a UNESCO world heritage site. The palace, built on the top of this rock, is surrounded by an extensive network of fortifications, vast gardens, ponds, canals, alleys and fountains. The western face of the rock decorated with colourful frescoes, is said to have featured 500 beautiful ladies. However, only a few remain to be seen today.

The famous mirror wall made of brick masonry was highly polished originally so the king could see himself as he walked by it. It is now partially covered with verses scribbled by visitors, some of them dating from as early as the 8th century. No writing is now allowed on this wall for the protection of the old writings.

In the evening, you will enjoy a walk in the village. There are many aspects in Sri Lankan village life you will find similar to that in Bangladesh, but in many ways you will find it is different too. One of the biggest Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have in common is the friendly hospitable nature of the villagers.

Day 2 – Kandy City

The second day will take you to the hill country and its famous Temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa), another UNESCO heritage site.

You will also visit the stunning 147 acres (59 hectares) Peradeniya Botanical Gardens that dates as far back as 1371, and houses a fine collection of orchids, a giant Javan fig tree with its umbrella-like canopy of branches, the extraordinary cannonball fruit tree, 40m-high Burma bamboo, a fernery with a fern collection of about 100 indigenous and exotic species amongst other interesting plants.

You will have a perfect wrap-up for the first day witnessing a cultural dance performance in the evening.

Day 3 – Galle

On your way back from Kandy, you will visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, a nursery and captive breeding ground for wild Asian elephants. You can enjoy feeding baby elephants if your visit coincides with feeding times, or watch them playing with each other in the nearby river.

Then you will head straight to Galle, the famous and beautiful city in the southern coast of Sri Lanka, which features the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by European occupiers and world heritage site- the Galle fort. It is a place out of a novel with its impressive Dutch-colonial buildings, imposing mansions, ancient mosques and churches. You can easily and happily lose yourself for many hours in the stylish cafes and interesting boutiques while walking along the endless network of lanes in the fort. Other prominent landmarks in Galle include the city’s natural harbor, the National Maritime Museum, St. Mary’s Cathedral founded by Jesuit priests, one of the main Shiva temples on the island, and Amangalla, the historical luxury hotel.

Day 4 –Bentota

Bentota is a resort town known for its clear access to the sea, clean sandy beaches, water sports and coral rich sites perfect for diving and snorkeling. It is also equally famous for its bio diverse lagoon fed by the river Madu. Here you can decide to stay back at your hotel and relax or engage in some interesting activities Bentota offers.

Boat rides along Madu river will thrill you with many interesting sites natural and manmade. Mangroves, a centuries-old Galapota temple, Lunuganga, the estate and gardens of world renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa, and the Brief Garden his brother Bevis’s landscaped garden and languid village life on the banks.

If you have children travelling with you, a visit to a turtle hatchery which conserves several species of endangered turtles is recommended. You will be allowed to hold baby turtles in your hand. This is an experience many animal loving children will treasure!

For more inquires about Sri Lanka tour packages from Bangladesh contact Olanka Travels.

3 Days 2 Nights SriLanka Tour Package For Coimbatore Travelers

Searching for Sri Lanka tour packages from Coimbatore? Travellers from Coimbatore can make the maximum of their stay by taking advantage of the Olanka Travels’ 4 days travel package that covers three cities, that give three very different flavors of Sri Lanka. They are, Kandy in Central Sri Lanka which combines hills, history and serenity, Bentota in the southwest coast line, featuring broad sandy beaches and a scenic river safari, and Colombo flashing exciting night life, plenty of hearty shopping and the sophistication of the capital of the country.

The tour also includes a visit to a gem factory ,batik factory, and a handicraft factory.

You will be picked up from and dropped off at the airport, and be taken to all the sites by an English speaking driver in a private luxury car. The driver will help you to have your currency exchanged, buy a prepaid mobile phone card etc. prior to leaving the airport to set you up for the tour. During the tour, you will relax in star class hotels at the end of the day. The meal plan includes daily breakfast.

Day 1– Kandy (Must in SriLanka Tour Package from Coimbatore)

First day of the Coimbatore to Sri Lanka tour package will be a visit to Kandy, the last capital of Sri Lanka prior to British colonisation in 1815. Situated in Central Sri Lanka, surrounded by mountains, Kandy is home to tea plantations, biodiverse rainforest, and is famed for sacred Buddhist sites, including the Temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dkmalada Maligawa), which is a UNESCO heritage site. It also is the home to the historical 147 acre (0.59 km2) Royal Botanical Gardens that features more than 4000 species of plants, including orchids, spices, medicinal plants and palm trees.

On the way to Kandy you will make a stop at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, a nursery and captive breeding ground for wild Asian elephants, a favourite among the young and the old alike. You can enjoy feeding baby elephants (possible only during specific times of the day), watch them frolicking in the nearby river while bathing or relaxing in their sheds. After spending some time with these intelligent giant beasts, who are very much a part of the Sri Lankan culture, you will proceed to Kandy.

Upon arriving in Kandy, you will embark on a city tour and a visit to the Temple of the Tooth Relic (It is important to remember, that visitors are required to wear clothes that are not too revealing (covering shoulders and up to the knee) as a mark of respect, when visiting religious sites in Kandy.

You will have a perfect wrap-up for the first day witnessing a cultural dance performance in the evening.

Day 2 – Colombo

The second day will be a stark contrast to the first, visiting Colombo which features the capital of Sri Lanka Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte. Colombo has a long history as a port on ancient east-west trade routes, and has been under the rule of the Portuguese, Dutch and the British successively. This rich heritage has resulted in Colombo featuring a blend of colonial buildings with high-rises and shopping malls, different financial, administrative, and other types of offices. Upon arriving in Colombo, you will indulge in a city tour and Shopping. Sri Lanka has a flourishing garment industry, and our visitors from India enjoy the shopping experience in Colombo.

Day 3 – Bentota

Bentota will be the last on SriLanka Tour Package from Coimbatore. Bentota is a resort town known for its clear access to the sea, clean sandy beaches, water sports and coral rich sites perfect for diving and snorkeling in Sri Lanka. It is also equally famous for its bio diverse lagoon fed by the river Madu.

Your first activity here will be a boat ride along Madu river which will thrill you with a host of interesting sites natural and manmade. Mangroves, a centuries-old Galapota Temple, Lunuganga, the estate and gardens of world renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa, and the Brief Garden his brother Bevis’s landscaped garden, are a few of the popular stops. All of these sites are not covered in the standard tour, but special tours can be arranged depending on the time you have and your interests Tour includes a session of free fish foot therapy which will be quite an experience !

After the river safari, you will check in at the hotel and enjoy the sunset and a relaxing evening by the beach!

For more inquires about Sri Lanka tour packages from Coimbatore contact Olanka Travels.

Complete Guide on Best 5 Beaches in Sri Lanka

Our mother Sri Lanka is no short of natural beauty. Beaches of Sri Lanka have the turquoise water of the Indian Ocean which kisses the sands. The first thing which comes to our mind when we speak about Sri Lanka is beaches indeed; It is true notion that Sri Lanka is mostly famous for sun-kissed beaches, It is more like a paradise in its entire splendor. All you can see in Sri Lankan beaches are icing sugar sand,cristal –clear turquoise water and off –shore coral reef. People from all around the world visit Sri Lanka in order to stopover the beautiful sandy shores for escapades. Whether you’re looking for peace of mind or a party, shallow waters or pounding surf, the Sri Lankan beaches are the perfect getaway in order to quench your travel thirst.

Hikkaduwa and Arugam Bay ,Unawatuna, Ahangama, Weligama, Mirissa or Yala can be highlighted as the favorite surfing destinations in Sri Lanka. Although the beach hot spots are mostly located in the south and west of the country. Yet the east coast also is the best to snorkel or go on whale watching.

Arugam Bay

Arugam bay is one of the favorite destinations for its surf and a delightful snorkeling paradise. If you are travelling from Colombo Arugam Bay can be reached via Monaragala and it is a just a seven hours drive. The wide sweeping sandy beach is also a tourist attraction for swimming all year –round.

Passekudah Bay and Kalkudah Beach

Passekudah Bay is located in the East Coast of Sri Lanka. This is a wonderful spot for sea bathing. During the month of September this is an ideal for surfing and wind surfing.

Negombo Beach

Negombo beach can be considered as an ideal beach town for sea lovers. It will just take an hour from Colombo to reach there. Negombo beach can be considered to be one of the best beaches in the area. It has been one of the favorite tourist destinations so far.

Hikkaduwa Beach

Hikkaduwa beach can be identified as the best beach for almost all the beach activities. Whether it is sunbathing, scuba diving, boat rides, snorkeling or even surfing. This can be brought out as the perfect beach. The beach can be reached in one and half hour if you go on the Southern Expressway, from Colombo.

Mirissa

“Mirissa “Breathtaking sandy beach will never fail to transform your dreams and visions of a tropical paradise into a reality. When there is a lot of hustle and bustle in your life Mirissa beach is known as the perfect place to relax and forget them. When in Mirissa beach you can envision Sri Lanka’s best and most stunning sunsets and sunrises.

Contact Olanka Travels to arrange a beach tour in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is the best place to travel around and experience the joy of beauty. This country offers, sightseeing, beautiful sceneries, beach, water sports, suburb experience and much more interesting things.
It is a safe country to travel and not as dangerous as many other countries, although travelling solo is a risk and the travelers needs to be more alert and safe. In most cases, women travelers need to be more concerned when travelling to unknown or deserted parts of the country.

Public transport is the easiest and most preferred mode of travelling in Sri Lanka when covering short distances. You can get into route buses or alternatively hire a tuk-tuk to reach your desired spot. Tuk-tuk drivers in Sri Lanka are very helpful – they take you to the exact place through shortcut routes, explain you of the safety measures, dos and don’ts, and may also be your travel guide. However, there could be instances hiring a tuk-tuk turning to be a threat. Whether a local, or a foreign traveler, it is always important to deal safely with tuk-tuk drivers. There are many cases today on reported fraud, misbehavior, harassment and many other crimes committed by unprofessional tuk-tuk drivers.

Here are some tips to avoid trouble and be safe when travelling by tuk-tuks.

Tip 1: Be attentive to the look of the tuk-tuk driver

Before getting into a tuk-tuk, it is important to consider the look and behavior of the driver, especially when travelling alone. Some drivers throw nasty looks or speak in a way that makes you uncomfortable. Always make sure you take safety measures when travelling with such drivers. Best is to avoid them!

Tip 2: Avoid unwanted conversations

Some tuk-tuk drivers are extremely chatty. They may be conversing just to entertain the traveler and these drivers are friendly and safe. Whereas, others may converse to get your attention and make you let out your personal information. This might lead to uncalled trouble. Always be aware of what you talk and what information you let out.

Tip 3: Be mindful what you converse with your friends in a tuk-tuk

When you are travelling by a tuk-tuk, make sure you keep your conversations low key. It is normal to speak over the phone or have a chat with our mates while traveling, while doing so make sure that you do not let out important information like, account numbers, pin codes, address, mobile numbers, etc. Some drivers may take a note of the information and trouble you later on. You never know, crime is always a surprise, it could happen to anyone.

Tip 4: Do not get into a tuk-tuk of a drunken driver

Especially during festive seasons, be sure to avoid drunken drivers. It makes your trip unsafe – they find it difficult to drive straight, tempt to start unnecessary conversations, sometimes harass with unwanted talks and finally you become totally irritated and feeling nervous. Even if you have already got into the tuk-tuk you can always ask to park the vehicle in a low voice and walk away.

Tip 5: Keep all your belongings with you

Always make sure to cover and keep your valuables close to you, body language is very important is such times. Do not let out any kinds of hint that will provoke the driver to cause harm to you. It is always a big risk in carrying large sums of money or valuables while travelling alone. When travelling on trips always keep track of the roads, some drivers take you off the route just to rob you.

Tip 6: Have an estimate of your travel cost

The latest method of charging for tuk-tuk is by the meter, and it decides the amount to be charged for the distance covered. Always make sure you book tuk-tuks from travel agencies and check whether the meter of the tuk-tuk is working before starting the journey. Some drivers may charge you extra even with a meter. In case of normal tuk-tuks, always negotiate the price before hopping into the tuk-tuk.

Tip 7: Attire is important and always dress decently

Revealing clothes may get you into trouble more easily. Sometimes, the driver may be decent, but the attire of the customer may cause his mind to deviate and unwanted trouble may arise. Especially when you are travelling alone and are a foreigner, keep low key and do not get too friendly with the drivers.

Tip 8: Pay special attention when travelling at night

Travelling at night alone is a risk in itself, especially if you are a woman. Conversing with a friend over the phone or even passing hints like, my husband is waiting for me at this place etc., may help you reach home safe. It is up to you to take precautions and be alert, just to stay safe from the crimes.

To arrange a tuk tuk tour in Sri Lanka contact Olanka Travels.

Drizzling rain and freezing weather, made us-‘Cookies’ want to try out something new, sizzling, exciting and cozy! After scrolling up and down on web for some time, we chose YUMI-Taj Samudra out of the handful of Japanese food restaurants in Colombo to grab some lunch and to cover up the long awaited chit-chat session.

Japanese food culture is something which would never end you up, bored, thanks to the broad range of flavours it comes with. Few years back, there were no many Japanese restaurants in Sri Lanka, but must be due to the huge demand by sushi lovers like us, pretty good places have come out to the lime light.

Today’s Cookie Diary by OLANKA TRAVELS is about YUMI-Taj Samudra, one of the most popular restaurents at Taj Samudra which is undoubtedly a must-try place to give a go, especially if you prefer an authentic Japanese cuisine spiced up with exquisite Japanese interior decoration and soothing music.

Walk-in

At-a-glance-ambience was pretty warm, especially with the seating-setting and the hint is, you wouldn’t ask for more, in a rainy day to spend few hours in a tranquilizing milieu! Slow-flow Japanese songs, played in the background of course gave us goose bumps, just as we walked in, as it was definitely, a lovely welcome, under the moon-like lighting.

The prolix and well explained Japanese food menu came just as we settled down and yes, the staff was full of charming smiles on their faces, and that is an absolute plus!

Appetizers and Soup

Unlike what we have seen in most of the Japanese restaurants in Sri Lanka, the choices included both hot and cold appetizers to choose from. We gave a go to Tuna Salad (cold) and Rock Corn tempura (hot) which were some pretty good selections, as we realized with the first bite.

Tuna Salad (Rs.1350.00)is a dish made of Fresh Tuna, Panko Crunch (break-crumbs) flavored with a special sauce made by the chef (must be with a secret recipe), Trying out a cold appetizer on a rainy day, may not be the best decision, but this salad was amazing, especially if you are a lover of Tuna!

Rock Corn Tempura (Rs.450.00)-was superb and we were wondering why we had never tried it anywhere before. The recipe seemed to be quite simple, as corns we usually eat had been battered up and tanged with Mayo sauce, but the finishing and presentation were excellent!

Sesame lovers had been given a bonus-by having several sesame flavored dishes to the set of appetizers which included, Chicken Karage (crispy fried chicken with spicy sesame sauce-Rs.550.00), Sawara Karage (crispy fried seer fish with spicy sesame sauce-Rs.950.00). Yasai Tempura (Rs.390.00) with vegetables or non-vegetables tossed with tempura sauce was an excellent choice for vegetarian tempura fans.

The soup we tried, Miso Shiru (Rs.380.00) – with Tofu (bean curd) and Wakami (a subtly sweet flavored sea weed) was ALRIGHT but we were wondering if we could have made a better choice by choosing a creamy soup instead of this one with a clear salt-watery texture.

Mains

‘Maguro’ (Rs.1850.00), the dish of Sashimi (a Japanese dish of bite-sized pieces of raw fish eaten with soy sauce and wasabi paste) we chose, was pretty decently arranged in an eye-pleasing way. Made with fresh tuna, fresh horseradish and pickled ginger had an overall pickle-taste (salt and sour like) and out-look of the slice of fresh Tuna was so tempting, fresh (translucent red) and of high quality! My other half, wanted the fresh tuna to be bit cooked and the response was highly admirable. (Double plus points!)

The good news is, even if you are not a fan of traditional raw Japanese cuisine, the staff at Yumi Taj Samudra would always respect your choice, and might go out of the recipe to satisfy your taste buds-Hats off to the YUMI chef!

Out of the options including Modha Nigiri (Fresh Modha fish), Unagi Nigiri (fresh eel fish on seasoned ball of rice), Salmon and Tuna Nigiri, we went for Ebi Nigiri (Rs.690.00) – a seasoned rice ball, with fresh prawns laid up on it, was one of our favorites in the list and it was not only succulent but also gave this satisfying feel of ‘Sushi-fication’ on trying with Wasabi and soy sauce. The dish was not outstanding among the rest of the same traditional recipe we had tried out at other Japanese restaurents, but there wasn’t anything to complain at all!

Maki, the best creation of Japanese food, according to me was delicious and went well with Soy sauce. The super lengthy range of MAKI options available on the Menu, made us bit shocking and tempting at the same time, to try out at least a few. However, after spending few minutes of twisted thoughts, we went for Tekka Maki (Rs.1190.00 for 8 pieces), fresh tuna in a roll of seasoned rice wrapped in Nori-the sea weed was what we tried and the portion of 8 pieces was well-enough to be shared by two. If you are a lover of Maki like me, 2-3 portions could have been tried despite the full-tummy, but the price was quite high (Rs.1190.00×3), so maybe NOT!

Yumi-Taj Samudra, is well known in town for the Teppanyaki A La-carte menu it offers!

A must-try Japanese dish of meat, fish or both, with fried vegetables on a hot steel plate usually marks a prominent place on a traditional Japanese dining table. ‘Yumi Tasting Meat Max (Rs.4480.00)’ we tried was a mixed platter of Australian fillet mignon, lamb chop, chicken, duck breast and a pretty good range of eenie-meenie vegetables. The presentation of the dish was catchy and tempting and the portion was pretty large for at least 3 people to share it!

As far as the range of Japanese restaurents in Colombo is concerned, Bento boxes are served only in few places. Tori-Teri Bento-at YUMI Taj Samudra (Rs.1900.00), is an excellent choice we made, and if you choose to lunch at this place, Bento box only would fill your tummy up without any question! Offered with Miso soup, Yumi Salad, Sashimi (of chef’s choice-we had TUNA sashimi), Teriyaki cooked chicken, Sticky rice and pickled cabbage, Tori Teri Bento came in an elegant black box, which looked more or less like a pretty Jewelry box in handy! Sadly, this is only available for lunch.

Desserts

When the Mains just went in to our tummies, the question, which popped up next was, do we really have some space for desserts? Well, in that case, Wasabi crème Brulee (Rs.610.00) of a scoop was highly effective, even if chose it blindly just because the name sounded sweet and lovely. The flavor of Wasabi lodged into cream was absolutely yummy and definitely a pleasing way to end the meal if you are a fan of WASABI, the ‘magical paste-of-joy’ according to me!

Other options available included, Maccha green tea ice cream (Rs.625), Bitter warm chocolate tart (Rs.625.00) and Fruit Moriawase (Rs.560.00) and we decide to try all of them out during our next visit.

Service

The Service at Yumi Taj Samudra was brilliant, friendly and professional! Waiters carried themselves really well and fulfilled almost all the requirements in a spur of a second, as we went along. They were not reluctant to explain what food consisted of in a clear-cut way, thus giving us the opportunity to choose the best try-outs in the menu according to our necessities.

This appreciable feature, we significantly noted at most of the Taj Samudra Restaurents should be mentioned with multiple plus points!

In a nut shell

YUMI-Taj Samudra, is a luxury Japanese food restaurant in Colombo, unquestionably one of the ideal locations to carry out business meetings and professional chit-chats! The ambience is welcoming and meets almost all the expectations of a modern Japanese restaurant setting and food is amazing! The price is bit towards the high end, but if you are wise enough to make the right decisions on the menu, the tummy and wallet both would be pleased for sure-without any food related regrets!