I need to go back to the UK in Feb 2015, & thought I would stop off at one of these places, with the wife for a week--then she could return to Thailand, I have never been to any of them before, looking at the hotels on some sites, I am quite amazed at how expensive they are. Be grateful for any tips on what place is the better/what hotel ...etc...etc

Thanks Guys

Not sure I'd want to spend a week in Mumbai, unless you were heading out quickly to another location. At least in Sri Lanka, you can hit the nearby beaches or head inland relatively easily.

Nothing in Mumbai that would last a week it is a stopover spot for 2 nights at most, India has plenty of amazing place but Mumbai isn't one of them.

For international-standard accommodation, Mumbai has some very expensive hotels.

In this respect, we are spoilt in Thailand, so it's a culture shock when you go there.

i would opt for Sri Lanka. Mumbai is a huge metropolis of 20 million whereas Sri Lanka is a country of the same number but pace of life in Sri Lanka is vastly slower making it an easier place to visit. You'll both need an e visa which is a breeze and $30 and when I travelled there in May Cathay were offering business class returns from Bangkok for around 20,000 baht. One point is beach hotels can be on the expensive side compared to Thailand.

Good luck.

Now hotels are a bit expensive here in Sri Lanka.

What are your interests? Beach, cool mountains, historical places?

if you go to Sri Lanka I sugest The Galle Face Hotel in Colombo This a old british army head quarters, there are other good hotels also, very laidback and peaceful

If you want to just stay on a beach for a week, there are decent beach towns near the Colombo airport, which is north of the city. You wouldn't even have to go into Colombo if you didn't want to. But a better plan would be to rent a car or van and a driver and see a bit of the country. (It's not too expensive.) You can go up to Kandy and then from there to, say, Nuwara Eliya, a former British hill station - up in the cool mountains. There's another lovely little town called Ella up in the mountains. Gorgeous views of the Ella Gap - from a lovely $30 a night hotel. (Picture attached.) From there you could head down to Galle on the south coast before heading back up to Colombo - or just go directly back to the airport from the highlands. It just depends on how much time you want to spend on the road vs. relaxing in one place. Keep in mind, though, that in February it can get quite cold and rainy up in the highlands. I was there during the months of March and April, and the weather then was spectacular: Cool to cold, and mostly clear but with occasionally rainy days. Just what I was looking for to escape Thailand's hot season.

If you do decide to go to Sri Lanka, PM me with details of the towns you plan to visit and I can recommend some hotels for you. In Nuwara Eliya, for example, I spent a few weeks in a gorgeous old British colonial former governor's mansion for less than $20 a night back in 2010. (Picture attached.) There are fancier places for ten times the price if that's your style.

The Lonely Planet Thorntree Forum is also a very good place to get information about traveling in Sri Lanka, as there are a few very knowledgeable people on the forum there who are happy to share their knowledge with you.

By the way, I should also add that Sri Lanka's "Lion Lager" is the best beer I've ever had outside of Germany. I would import it to Thailand if it were possible as it puts every Thailand-brewed beer to shame.

As for Mumbai, well, it's just another big, hot, dirty, crowded city. Between the two options you mentioned, Sri Lanka would be my choice - hands down.

India do not do transit visas,6 or 3 month one about £93 10 days to delivery

If you want to just stay on a beach for a week, there are decent beach towns near the Colombo airport, which is north of the city. You wouldn't even have to go into Colombo if you didn't want to. But a better plan would be to rent a car or van and a driver and see a bit of the country. (It's not too expensive.) You can go up to Kandy and then from there to, say, Nuwara Eliya, a former British hill station - up in the cool mountains. There's another lovely little town called Ella up in the mountains. Gorgeous views of the Ella Gap - from a lovely $30 a night hotel. (Picture attached.) From there you could head down to Galle on the south coast before heading back up to Colombo - or just go directly back to the airport from the highlands. It just depends on how much time you want to spend on the road vs. relaxing in one place. Keep in mind, though, that in February it can get quite cold and rainy up in the highlands. I was there during the months of March and April, and the weather then was spectacular: Cool to cold, and mostly clear but with occasionally rainy days. Just what I was looking for to escape Thailand's hot season.

I agree with all the other posters and the detailed itinerary above.

My only minor quibble is the weather. I don't doubt that the weather was "spectacular" when BKKHank visited. I was there in March 3 years ago and it was ridiculously hot. As hot as Thailand in March -- 40°C everyday and not much cooler in the mountains.

that's the great thing about the weather -- no one can predict what the weather will be like in February.

btw, the beach town north of Colombo and the airport is Negombo.

If you want to just stay on a beach for a week, there are decent beach towns near the Colombo airport, which is north of the city. You wouldn't even have to go into Colombo if you didn't want to. But a better plan would be to rent a car or van and a driver and see a bit of the country. (It's not too expensive.) You can go up to Kandy and then from there to, say, Nuwara Eliya, a former British hill station - up in the cool mountains. There's another lovely little town called Ella up in the mountains. Gorgeous views of the Ella Gap - from a lovely $30 a night hotel. (Picture attached.) From there you could head down to Galle on the south coast before heading back up to Colombo - or just go directly back to the airport from the highlands. It just depends on how much time you want to spend on the road vs. relaxing in one place. Keep in mind, though, that in February it can get quite cold and rainy up in the highlands. I was there during the months of March and April, and the weather then was spectacular: Cool to cold, and mostly clear but with occasionally rainy days. Just what I was looking for to escape Thailand's hot season.

I agree with all the other posters and the detailed itinerary above.

My only minor quibble is the weather. I don't doubt that the weather was "spectacular" when BKKHank visited. I was there in March 3 years ago and it was ridiculously hot. As hot as Thailand in March -- 40°C everyday and not much cooler in the mountains.

that's the great thing about the weather -- no one can predict what the weather will be like in February.

btw, the beach town north of Colombo and the airport is Negombo.

Of course there are different places / elevations in the mountains, so I suppose it would depend on which specific place one visited. According to this climate chart: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuwara_Eliya#Climate , the average HIGH temperature in Nuwara Eliya in February is 21.2 degrees C, and the record high was 25.6. For March the average high is 22.5 and the record high was 26.8. I just noticed that February is the second lowest precipitation month there after March, so I think it would be a great time to visit.

Your point is taken, though, about the heat at lower elevations. Negombo was absolutely boiling, and even Kandy, somewhat up in the hills, was still quite hot in the daytime in March. But to escape heat at that time of the year - without too much precipitation, I think one would have the odds in one's favor in February and March.

I am in Bombay now, en route from the UK. I stayed at an airport hotel that was OK (Suba International), it cost about £38. Bombay is OK, especially if you like Victorian architecture. How about Madras/Chennai? Airasia flies from there to DMK and there are BA flights to LHR (BOM-BKK flights are pricey). I saved a lot of money by routing this way in the high season (business class).

If you do decide on visiting Kandy and Ella be sure to jump on the Viceroy Special.

http://www.bestoflanka.com/train-travels-kandy-to-ella.htm

If you do decide on visiting Kandy and Ella be sure to jump on the Viceroy Special.

http://www.bestoflanka.com/train-travels-kandy-to-ella.htm

I second Mahseer's suggestion: That train ride from Colombo - or even Kandy - to Ella, would be a nice trip in itself. Then just hang out in Ella, enjoying the cool weather and the scenery, and perhaps a bit of hiking if you're into that. Then at the end of your trip take the train back to Colombo. With this option you could dispense with the need to hire a car and driver. Of course the logistics of getting tickets for the train - and getting to the train station from the airport - are a little tricky, but certainly not insurmountable. I only rode that train from the station near Nuwara Eliya to Ella, which is the most scenic part of the journey.

I am in Bombay now, en route from the UK. I stayed at an airport hotel that was OK (Suba International), it cost about £38. Bombay is OK, especially if you like Victorian architecture. How about Madras/Chennai? Airasia flies from there to DMK and there are BA flights to LHR (BOM-BKK flights are pricey). I saved a lot of money by routing this way in the high season (business class).

Not so bad if a yank,but UK those visa fees are a put off.

thought the 30 day VOA was going to be up and running this month,have to check another 10 years or so

Just received mail from Cathay and on selected dates BKK-CMB-BKK in business class can be had for 15,205baht all inclusive. Dates I used were 12 Feb out & 20 Feb return but there are other options. I flew this back in May and its full Cathay business service.

Great deal if you can flexible with dates.

Short stay...Sri Lanka, good hotels cheaper than in India, cleaner too, less obvious polution great sites and all easy to reach, Better range of food too, been to both countries both have there good points but for me Sri Lanka wins hands down.

I did a couple of free stopovers in Sri Lanka as part of a flight to the UK recently (12 and 20 hours). What I experienced made me inclined to go back there for a week or so to look around, especially as I can use up some FF-miles to do it. It was especially nice not to have to fight my way through hordes of mass tourists everywhere.

India seems much less attractive for a short trip.

If you want to just stay on a beach for a week, there are decent beach towns near the Colombo airport, which is north of the city. You wouldn't even have to go into Colombo if you didn't want to. But a better plan would be to rent a car or van and a driver and see a bit of the country. (It's not too expensive.) You can go up to Kandy and then from there to, say, Nuwara Eliya, a former British hill station - up in the cool mountains. There's another lovely little town called Ella up in the mountains. Gorgeous views of the Ella Gap - from a lovely $30 a night hotel. (Picture attached.) From there you could head down to Galle on the south coast before heading back up to Colombo - or just go directly back to the airport from the highlands. It just depends on how much time you want to spend on the road vs. relaxing in one place. Keep in mind, though, that in February it can get quite cold and rainy up in the highlands. I was there during the months of March and April, and the weather then was spectacular: Cool to cold, and mostly clear but with occasionally rainy days. Just what I was looking for to escape Thailand's hot season.

I agree with all the other posters and the detailed itinerary above.

My only minor quibble is the weather. I don't doubt that the weather was "spectacular" when BKKHank visited. I was there in March 3 years ago and it was ridiculously hot. As hot as Thailand in March -- 40°C everyday and not much cooler in the mountains.

that's the great thing about the weather -- no one can predict what the weather will be like in February.

btw, the beach town north of Colombo and the airport is Negombo.

40°C in Nuwara Eliya?

Hmmmm... never heard about that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuwara_Eliya

Thanks for the feed back--- sorry for the delayed thanks..but I got the flu just after posting that, what a knockout, 10 days recovering-- Like most Thai Ladies, I think markets etc take my wife's fancy more then the beach.

But thanks for all the links suggestions & ideas..............................

Actually I was in the same situation

Going to Mumbai then Goa or Colombo then Maldives

I went for the latter

You know, the Maldives are only an hour away from Colombo and it might be, from what I have heard, a nice "honeymoon" weekend ( depending on which airline you are flying it could be a bargain )

Actually I was in the same situation

Going to Mumbai then Goa or Colombo then Maldives

I went for the latter

You know, the Maldives are only an hour away from Colombo and it might be, from what I have heard, a nice "honeymoon" weekend ( depending on which airline you are flying it could be a bargain )