Rooms
3 bedrooms with en suite bathrooms. Each of the 2 bedrooms of Shela House has a four poster double bed and an additional single bed, mosquito nets and electric fan. The additional Nuba House offers one Suite with a king size bed, nets and electric fans. Nuba House can only be rented together with Shela House whereas Shela House can be rented alone. The minimum stay is 3 nights (Low and High season) and six nights (Peak).
Cook „on demand“ at about € 25 per day.
The service of the caretaker (e.g. cleaning) is included.
You can rent Shela House with 2 bedrooms or the whole complex with 3 bedrooms (the 3rd bedroom with seperate roof-top terrace (Nuba House) can not be rented alone).
| season | Shela House only (two bedrooms) |
whole complex |
| Low 16. april – 15. december (min. 3 nights stay) |
320 € per night |
700 € per night |
| High 16. january – 30. april (min. 3 nights stay) |
450 € per night |
800 € per night |
| Peak 16. december – 15. january (min. 6 nights stay) |
650 € per night |
900 € per night |
Use of extra bed per person and day 25 €
Policies
Check-in/check-out time
Completely flexible if no concurrent booking. If other booking then check in 14:30 hrs; Check out 12:00 hrs.
Maximum Persons
Up to a Maximum of 8 including children
Deposit policy
50% Deposit on Booking. Balance 4 weeks prior to arrival.
Normal Cancellation policy
50% of the deposit refundable 4 weeks prior to arrival.
Payment Method
Prior to arrival – direct Bank transfer or via PayPal
Minimum stay restrictions
3 nights and 6 nights during the peak season over Christmas and New Year.
Terrace walls of Shela house are very solid, however they do not correspond to Western security standards – little children have to be watched.
Location
Shela House is in the “Deep South” of Sri Lanka, about 190 km south-east of Colombo. (Google maps coordinates 6.002599, 80.758284). The drive from Colombo takes approximately 2.5 hours via the Southern Highway. Calculate 3 hrs from Bandaranaike International Airport (north of Colombo).
The “old” route parallel to the coast line along alluring beaches and through bustling villages is very picturesque (5 hrs from Colombo). There are interesting spots and diversions along the way. Enjoy the gardens of Lunuganga at lunch (I km inland from Bentota, www.lunuganga.com) or Galle Fort on your way to Shela House.
After the 190 km marker post, proceed for another 800 m, passing first a temple on the left then going over a little bridge and when the road veers left, one would see another temple. Directly opposite this second temple, take a right turn onto a dirt road on the sea side. Proceed parallel to the Beach and after another 300 meters you shall find Shela House up the hill on the left side (opposite the light blue gate of Lansiya). Cinnamon Airlines runs a Sea Plane/ Air Taxi to Dickwella (10 mins away). For details please go to www.cinnamonair.lk or www.srilankan.com. Deccan Aviation’s helicopter flight from the international airport to Tangalle is 45 minutes at a cost of aprox. US$2,300 it accommodates 4 Adults and a child under 1year.
Climate
Sri Lanka’s climate is characterized as tropical and is subject to the Southwest and Northeast monsoons. Travellers will experience different weather depending on the time of year and which part of the country they visit. The four seasons are as follows.
- First Inter-Monsoon Season : March – April
- Southwest Monsoon Season : May – September
- Second Inter-Monsoon Season : October – November
- Northeast Monsoon Season : December – February
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|
Maximum Temperature |
30° | 31° | 31° | 31° | 31° | 29° | 29° | 28° | 28° | 29° | 29° | 29° |
| Low-temperature | 22° | 22° | 23° | 24° | 26° | 25° | 25° | 25° | 26° | 25° | 23° | 22° |
| hours of sunshine | 9h | 9h | 9h | 7h | 6h | 5h | 6h | 6h | 6h | 7h | 6h | 8h |
| Water temperature | 27° | 28° | 28° | 28° | 29° | 29° | 28° | 27° | 28° | 28° | 27° | 27° |
| Rainy days | 7 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 19 | 18 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 19 | 16 | 10 |
Travel Information
Visas
An Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) is required for most visitors to Sri Lanka. For detailed visa requirements, please visit Sri Lanka Immigration And Emigration Website.
Language
Sinhala 74% (official and national), Tamil 18% (national), other 8%. English is commonly used in government and spoken competently by about 10%.
Tipping
- Employee/helper: We suggest 8-10 € a day per employee/helper.
- Driver/guide: 3-5 Euro per day.
- Sites: When visiting temples that do not charge entrance fees, a small donation (LKR 1000 / 3 €) is always welcome.
Population
21,866,445 (growth rate 0.86%); birth rate: 16.24/1000; infant mortality rate: 9.47/1000; life expectancy: 76.35; density per sq mi: 836.6.
Time Zone
GMT + 5.30 hours
Measures
Metric system
Voltage
230 volts
Mobile Phones
GSM 900 / 1800
Health Risk
The health risks in Sri Lanka are different from those encountered in Europe and North America. Watch out for bowel diseases such as diarrhoea and amoebic dysentery, vector borne diseases such as dengue fever and a variety of fungal infections. Sri Lanka’s physicians, many of whom have trained in the West, are particularly experienced in dealing with locally occurring diseases.
Before you go
No inoculations are compulsory unless you are coming from a yellow fever or cholera area. (Cholera is very occasionally reported in Sri Lanka, and therefore not considered a serious risk). However, the following vaccinations are recommended, particularly if you are planning a long trip or intend to visit remote areas:
Typhoid (monovalent), Polio, Tetanus, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Rabies
Children should in addition be protected against diphtheria, whooping cough, mumps, measles and rubella.
Remember to plan your vaccinations well ahead. Allow up to six weeks to receive the full course: some vaccinations require more than one dose, and some should not be given together.
Water
Tab water is not recommended for drinking but is fine for tooth brushing. There is botteled drinking water at the house.
Local Health Care
Minor health problems can always be treated by doctors with practices in the resorts and elsewhere in the country. If you have a more serious problem, Colombo has a number of modern, well-equipped private hospitals.
All information is without liability and depends on actual developments.