Amara Lanka Travels, Colombo, Sri Lanka – In case, anyone likes getting duped or being taken for a jolly good ride, this travel company is the best choice.
We were very unfortunate to have finalised with them, the car hire for our entire trip of 6nights/7days (From 8th to 14th August 2017), covering Kandy, Nuwaraeliya, Yala, Bentota and Colombo, with airport pick up and the drop. The agreed deal was all inclusive i.e. Car service, Driver’s stay, parking charges and toll. Before finalizing, their Executive, Mr. Ashok pretended to be very kind and courteous with us. Then he insisted for an advance of INR 2000/-. Once I made this payment, he started showing his true colours. He instructed me to pay balance amount to the driver before the start of our tour. The driver cum tour guide, Mr. Janath, whom they sent to the airport, in the beginning itself, passed a racist remark saying that he didn’t entertain any Indians and catered only to Westerners. Further, during our entire tour, he skipped many places which were originally in our itinerary, under some pretext or the other and took us to some places which were not in the itinerary, namely Herbal Plantation and Gem Museum where the prices were exorbitant and he had a setting for the huge commission. Also, every day he used to drop us at our hotel in the afternoons and vanish for the rest of the day, although we had paid them full amount for the entire day. In Yala wild life safari, he overcharged us by about LKR 5000/- and for Madu River cruise safari by LKR 4000/-, the real costs of which, we got to know after enquiring with other tourists. I didn’t dare to complain about him to Ashok, because we had already paid the full amount and was afraid that he may abandon us (Me, my wife and daughter) at some remote place in the middle of the tour. In Bentota, we stayed for two nights and had paid extra amount towards the car hire for this additional day. However, the driver vanished with his car once we checked in to the hotel and reappeared only after two days at the time of check out. He then dropped us at our hotel in Colombo at 1330 hrs, without showing us any places on the way as per the itinerary. To our utmost surprise, he told us that since he had another tour, the next day, he would ask some other driver to drop us at the airport. Though, we were to be shown some more places as per itinerary, he was to manage the car only for our airport drop. While leaving he asked for the tips, which I refused to pay and told him that he may consider LKR 9000/- which he overcharged us for above two safaris, as his tip. He was furious and started abusing me with racist remarks on Indians. I tried to contact Ashok to apprise him about this but he never answered my calls/whatsapp messages/emails, neither did he return the calls, the whole day. Next day was our flight and I was worried if the new driver wouldn’t turn up. So, I called up Ashok from the hotel phone which he picked up, not knowing who the caller was. Surprisingly, instead of listening to me he started taking driver’s side and reasoned with him. When I cautioned him about the dire consequences, he confirmed he would send the replacement car. However the car arrived very late, and by God’s grace, we were finally dropped safely at the airport, well before the departure time, giving us a great relief. As mentioned above though we had paid for the toll too, they never took us via, the toll paid expressway route, inconveniencing us by driving through the crowded streets. In reality, by paying for 7 full days, we actually used the car for only 3 days i.e. 6 x ½ days.
I hope, all the aspiring tourists take a note of this harrowing experience of ours with Amara Lanka Travels and driver Janath, before they finalise any deal with them.
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