Hi everyone,
I wanted to share our travel experience with a Sri Lankan French-speaking guide.
This is Mr. Deen, a guide who speaks French as well as you and me. He studied French at the University of Rouen and knows every corner of his island. He specializes in the country's history, botany, and gemology, a field in which he earned his degree in Paris. What a pleasure to discover Sri Lanka this way, thanks to Deen!
We traveled as a couple with our four older children (ages 15 to 19). We had decided to explore this country with a lot of uncertainties, worried it might not appeal to everyone... Deen was a wonderful guide.
From our arrival at the airport, he knew just what to say, and throughout our trip—which we largely planned on the spot with him—he found the perfect pace to satisfy everyone.
He showed us the essentials but also the details of daily life, knowing when to stop by the roadside to introduce us to fruits, a lime factory, must-see temples, and charming little temples where no one goes, a kindergarten... not to mention the best tips for attending the Kandy Perahera or the more intimate one in Dondra, as well as the train to Ella.
We also really loved some of the hotels: a few kilometers from Dambulla, the Boulder Range (tip: the early morning birdwatching walk and a beer at sunset on the lake dam), and in Ella, the Ambiente, with a breathtaking view.
We also won’t forget our driver Jonny, whose kindness was both efficient and reassuring, nor Agnès, Deen’s wife, who was so pleasant.
It was a wonderful and unforgettable trip, and the last few days in Tangalle at FrenchRésidence were very comforting, in a warm and family-like atmosphere.
We won’t soon forget such an experience.
Sandrine and Philipe.
Highly recommended without hesitation.
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