May 22, 2021
Mangrove Ecotour - Me and a friend did the lagoon eco tour. It was lovely we got to see elephants playing in the water, a crocodile, and loads of birds. It’s was so quite on the lagoon due to the Covid situation so it was a very peaceful trip around the mangroves. Our driver and guide were so kind and I would really recommend if you want to experience something different while staying in Arugam Bay.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Aug 6, 2019
Best choise - The guys know what to do, we had a safari with them. A taxi and of course a hair cut in the local barber shop. Friendly guys who deserve you choice. You won’t be disappointed!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Aug 2, 2019
Lagoon safari - We had a grear experience. Our alarm didn’t go a
off in the morning so we missed our tour. They let us go on the evening tour, on the same day, no extra costs. Would certainly recommend!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Aug 2, 2019
Surf n fun - Me and my boyfriend decided to travel to Sri Lanka to learn surfing. We spent there one of the most amazing 3 weeks of our life. We had the luck to somehow find Arugambay Tours and Imam. From the beginning Imam was there to help us in anything to gratify our needs. He was really patient and kind, helped in every topic and tried to fit his offer best to our needs. Actually it exceeded all of my expectations. Imam, his team and the services they provided were the best experience for me through my years of traveling. We could always rely on him and the programs he organized for us. Everybody was punctual so we could always managed everything we wanted to do.
Surfing:
We had two ISA instructors (Sawmy&Hubi) through 15 days.They were always there on time in the morning to pick us up and took us to the surf point they considered the best for our level of surfing and they helped to finally reach our goals.
Safari :
We had two safari during our stay. Both of them was well organized and we had the chance to see every kind of animals we wanted to.
Cooking class:
Imam also organized a cooking class for us, because he realized how much we like rice and curry. So we had the chance to visit the owner of a local restaurant and see how the food is made.
Taxi drive from the airport and back:
Our driver BJ was one of the nicest person I have the chance to meet. When we arrived to the airport he helped where we should change our money, buy a SIM card, etc. With him everything was so smooth, he could answer to all of our questions, he always stayed quiet, didnt listen to music or radio, so we could sleep in the car, which was lifesaver.
Birthday:
So my bf had his birthday and I wanted to surprise him. Imam helped me with this so we could arrange a pretty cool birthday party for him. We invited the surfer guys and Imam’s friend. We took a jeep in the evening and went to the beach where we started to learn surfing. It was a present so they made everything without me. They prepared BBQ, camp fire with fireworks, birthday cake. So everything what I needed. It was a very nice and unforgattable experience for both of us.
Accomodation:
Imam also managed it for us. We had a very nice room with AC and bathroom only few minutes from the beach and from the middle of the town, so it was just perfect for us.
Last but not at least Imam organized everything so well we just had to enjoy our stay. I would highly reccomend him and his services if anybody wants a nice and pleasent stay in Arugam Bay.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oct 2, 2016
Simply the best in the region. - No pressure. No stress. Completely understanding and always ready to help.
Imam and his team are simply excellent. No matter what you are after they will provide it or they will be able to find someone else who can.
Hotel room? What size? Air con or not? What price range? BANG! DONE!
Tour of the island? What do you want to see? How much do you want to spend? How long do you have?
Sorted.
Problems arise on tour? One phone call and they are dealt with.
Change of plans? No problem.
We spent over two months in Sri Lanka starting in Arugambay and ending there after a tour. Imam never once made us feel pressured to take up any tours or trips but he always managed to suggest exactly what we needed.
Safari.
Boat safari.
Charitable trips to schools.
Surf lessons.
Visits to local temples.
Breakfast in the village.
Fishing village visits.
Camping.
Elephant watching.
The perfect sunset.
Picnics...
...and that was just around Arugambay.
Imam sorted our visa extension using contacts to help us get through in the fraction of the time others took (still a long process but trust me without his help it would have been all day).
Imam then managed to get us an amazing driver and van for our tour of the island and ensured every step of the way that our needs were taken care of.
I absolutely could not imagine anything worse than seeing Sri Lanka with the impersonal big business tour companies. I would detest being herded around like a sheep. With Arugambay tours we were at the centre of the tour. Our needs were the only ones that mattered. Everything was adapted, shaped and based purely on what we wanted, enjoyed and had the energy and cash for.
Honestly don't bother with anybody else. Imam, Mahroof, Suji and everyone else who works with or for Arugambay tours are simply the best. My children grew spiritually and intellectually due to this holiday and the part that Imam etc played in that cannot be overstated.
The best.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jun 27, 2023
do not recommend - Driver was great, instructor was good, but it didn’t fit the description… there was only one hour of surfing not two so it was too expensive and also when I just got Into the water some girls board landed on the top of my head so I had to finish the lesson that i had barely started… they offered me a substitute lesson but i had to pay extra 10$… so overally I do not recommend this service and i would rate this experience as very poor… also when compared with others at the same place.
Review provided by Viator