Outstanding service from the outset. We had some difficulties due to personal reasons meaning our holiday had to change twice. Harvey was nothing put patient, courteous and professional. Out holiday was fantastic and went smoothly. I will definitely use again and would recommend to others.
John Huff arranged another perfect holiday for us. From start to finish he thought of everything. It’s so nice to travel stress free. The resort he chose was absolutely perfect. Big thank you's!
Over the moon with the experience from start to finish. We will definitely use you guys again.
100% perfect! Well done
Check in reminder for return flight would have been helpful but other than that DialAFlight delivered the goods yet again. Have been using them for over 10 years and their calm, professional and efficient service is always so much appreciated. A special thanks to Gino on this trip. It went like a dream in spite of some irritating last minute changes made by me.
All arrangements went like clockwork. Very good flight, transfers and hotel was excellent
Ethan Fell was first class. Everything went smoothly
Advance advice on Maldives entry requirements and forms would have been helpful.
Kennedy Thrower goes beyond the call of duty to make sure everything is understood.
We have dealt with Chris Coulter for more than 20 years and he always strives to provide the best possible service and advice.
Very helpful and professional. We had a great holiday and thanks to Michael we did much more than we intended
We are very pleased with the way Theo handled all our issues and questions. My mum is especially grateful for her January journey and she got back to England a happy bunny. I am recommending more friends and family to DialAFlight.
Top marks to Neil and his team again, wonderful trip.
My husband and I have just returned from a magical holiday in Mauritius. Towards the end of our stay our flights had to be changed. Conrad immediately contacted us to discuss options. He confirmed our new flight and transfers emailing the details that we needed. Without his professionalism it would have been a very stressful end to our holiday. I highly recommend DialAFlight.
Amazing hotel, amazing service - definitely would recommend and go back!
Taylor was fantastic. He listened to what we wanted from our honeymoon and went above and beyond to deliver. Absolutely top quality service
Awesome, thanks again Guy for your recommendation for the trip!
Once again, a fabulous holiday made effortless by DialAFlight
Really helpful and knowledgeable team
Thank you to Karl for choosing our honeymoon destination - it was the best experience and he was very patient
Another successful holiday booked by Ryan, many thanks.
Ryan was absolutely excellent and we had a trip of a lifetime!
Always provide a fantastic service. We have booked with Kylie for years, she s a real credit to the company!
We had an amazing holiday and everything was organised perfectly. The only minor thing was we weren't advised if we were booked as standard all inclusive or premium all inclusive at our first hotel and thought a sunset cruise was included but it wasn't.
Yet again Reece did a fantastic job. We had a fabulous holiday.
Can’t fault our service from DialAFlight and especially Liam for outstanding, happy and chatty service. Also for his sidekick Matilda. Thanks for all your help and advice
Fantastic! I will definitely use you again. So good to be able to talk straight away to someone on the phone. You've got it so right.
Informative, knowledgeable and helpful, prepared to invest time to support making choices. Nothing too much trouble. Pricing competitive. Responsive to queries and keen to deliver satisfaction.
We will definitely use you for our next holiday
Seymour was an absolute star
We're sitting in a balcony restaurant in the Old Town, with views over the ramparts to the becalmed Indian Ocean beyond. It's our first night.
'Ah, wonderful,' says an Englishwoman, emerging from the stairs below.
'I was up at 5am swimming with sea turtles just off Galle Fort. You should try it. What a way to see the sun come up.
'Watch out for the snake-charmers on the harbour walls and the thrill-seekers hurling themselves off the rocks.
'I'm Juliet Coombe, by the way.'
It turns out she's lived here since 2004, so we listen up.
'This island has really changed since I first arrived,' says Juliet. 'It's become like St Tropez. You're in for a treat.'
She's right.
I first came here eight years ago, and now, with its jewellery shops, cocktail bars, ornamental Buddha statues and lounge music, Galle has completed its transition from hippy backpacker town to a boho-chic enclave.
Bang in the middle of the fort (but still only five minutes' walk from the sea) is our hotel, The Fort Printers.
It's an engaging modernised 18th-century colonial mansion, which was a private school during Dutch rule, so all the rooms have scholarly names: The Headmaster's, The Prefect's, History and Geography.
The rooms are elegant and spacious, and the Frangipani tree overhanging the pool means the water is covered in white flowers.
Breakfast is a treat — traditional Ceylon tea, fresh fruit and buffalo curd every morning.
Or you can have bowls of fresh fish curry.
Five minutes away is Amangalla, the most famous hotel in Galle (part of the ritzy Aman Group), with 130 staff and its own library, private swimming pool with individual cabanas and a magical garden. We eat famously here.
The whole set-up oozes colonial decadence.
Galle Fort is a UNESCO heritage site, so it's bound to attract the crowds.
But travel ten minutes beyond the walls in a tuk-tuk (a mechanised rickshaw) and you can watch local fishermen sell their wares with ruthless efficiency.
Galle cricket ground is a joy, and try the escorted bike rides through local villages behind Dalawella Beach with British-owned start-up company Idle Bikes (fifteen minutes away from Galle by tuk-tuk).
For 2,000 rupees (£10) per person you get a guided cycle tour through quiet paddy fields, a bird sanctuary, cinnamon and banana tree allotments, and past open fires where wives cook curry.
Immaculately dressed schoolchildren wave and Buddhist shrines enchant.
Best time to go is dusk or early morning. Grab a drink at Wijaya Beach Restaurant afterwards.
Our guide, Kingsley, drives us to Balapitiya Boat Safari — where we take a tour of 64 tiny islands in an enormous inland lake near Bentota.
This is a wonderful way to see Sri Lanka's wildlife: baby crocodiles, fruit bats, monitor lizards, monkeys, and even a brief stop-off at a cinnamon-growing island and a Buddhist temple.
You can get a personal boat for two hours for 6,000 rupees (£30).
And make sure you dangle your feet in the local fishing nets for a genuine fish pedicure.
On our way back to Galle, we swing past The Bentota Turtle Hatchery to see the famous snow white albino turtle ('One in a million, just like Michael Jackson,' jokes Kingsley) and watch the 24-hour old baby turtles being guided back to the sea under the cover of darkness, protected by the wardens.
After a few days, we drive three hours east along the spectacular southern coastal road for one night at Coco Tangalla — a pretty boutique beach villa with four rooms overlooking Tangalla Bay.
It's wilder here and less touristy, and the enormous palm trees and ocean breeze make it feel like Hawaii.
Our final hotel is Ellerton, seven hours drive north from Tangalle (and 2,400ft above sea level), set in the spectacular tea plantations above Kandy.
It's a long drive, but you won't regret it.
It is owned by a British couple, Richard and Cary Goode, and the gardens are immaculately kept in eight acres of what used to be a colonial tea estate.
Bicycle rides, bird-watching from the balconies, tea-tasting and home cooked food make this an excellent choice for adventurous couples and the artistic crowd (Christian Louboutin, the shoe designer, stayed here last year), especially if you like painting, drawing or just gazing through your binoculars at the Alagalla mountains.
It also offers easy access to Kandy's Temple of the Tooth (containing the relic of the tooth of Buddha) and botanical gardens, 30 minutes away.
Sri Lanka has come out of the shadows of civil war and political unrest.
Last year marked the tenth anniversary of the devastating Tsunami and a new president was elected in January. Optimism is in the air — and rightly so.
First published in the Mail on Sunday - October 2015
More articles below...
Not quite what you're looking for?
We can easily customise an offer to suit your exact requirements
Clients range from TV companies to Space agencies, investment banks to firms recruiting nurses, doctors and teachers around the world. One saves tigers, elephants and and orang-utans, another clears landmines around the world.
But they all have one thing in common. They love the unique DialAFlight approach. Read more here
Let us extend the personalised service of your booking into your holiday with great prices on business class flights ready to add a touch of class to your trip.
Take the stress out of travelling with a host of wonderful perks on offer from priority check-in and premium lounge access to chauffeur service and fine in-flight dining, plus the supreme comfort of a fully-reclining seat.
Call us to see how much you could save on Business Class flights.
Airport Lounges from £25
Once you’re through security leave the crowds, kids and chaos behind you with a visit to one of our comfortable airport lounges.
All offer complimentary food, drinks, wifi and newspapers with some also including Fastrack through security. Prices from £25.
Use our speedy private transfer service to avoid the stress of finding your way out of the airport terminal and looking for a taxi or bus on arrival.
With our meet and greet service, our driver will meet you in the arrivals hall. They will monitor flight arrival times giving you peace of mind that someone will be waiting for you with a name board even if your flight is late.
They will then assist you with your luggage and organise a private transfer directly to your hotel - there’s no waiting around for other passengers for shared transfers!
So no queues, no delays and less stress.
What could be better than giving someone the Gift of Travel?
Starting at just £50, with no maximum value, DialAFlght's 'Gift of Travel' vouchers make the perfect present for any occasion or celebration.
And it couldn't be simpler to organise, just contact one of our travel experts today and they will organise a personalised travel voucher to be sent out.
BACK TO TOP
