The author booked 'Lanka Me', operated by Sri Lanka Taxi Charter Limited (SLTC), as their means of transport for their trip to Sri Lanka from 10th to 19th November 2019.
For details on the benefits of the company's services, please refer to the following website.
To summarise the convenient features of Rankami in a nutshell:
【Features of Ranka-mi】
1. Comprehensive support for travel within Sri Lanka
2. Lowest Price Guarantee in Japan
3. Assistance with itinerary planning
4. Prompt response
5. Vans are also available to accommodate large groups.
6. Over 1,300 users within the first year of operation
7. The reassurance of proven track record with major corporations
Today, I would like to share with you, in a live format, the process by which I actually used Rankami.
- Enquiry
- Itinerary discussion
- Contact with the driver
- Airport pick-up
I hope this will be of assistance to those who may use the company's services in future.
Contact Lanka Me
Now, I shall share my experience of actually using Sri Lanka Taxi Charter Limited.
In my case, I'd only booked the flight and had no plan, so I first consulted them about the itinerary as well.
Official:LankaMee | Sri Lanka Taxi Charter ServiceTo the details page
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Nice to meet you.
When travelling in Sri Lanka, the transport system is complex and it is difficult to navigate efficiently.
My itinerary is as follows.
10 November, departing Haneda Airport at 8:40
10 November 19:00 Arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport
18 November 20:20 Departure from Bandaranaike International Airport
19 November, 12:50 arrival at Haneda Airport
I am considering an itinerary of 8 nights and 9 days locally.
I wish to see all eight World Heritage Sites.
Sigiriya Rock
Anuradhapura
Boronnalwa
Candy Buddha's Tooth Temple
Dambulla Cave Temple
Central Highlands of Sri Lanka
Goal
Sinharaja Forest Reserve
I must confess, the plan is still undecided.
Could you kindly advise me on what itinerary I should arrange?
I would also be grateful if you could provide the price for the plan for an 8-night, 9-day stay.
I look forward to working with you.
I made the request to see all the World Heritage Sites, being greedy.
Incidentally, the distribution of Sri Lanka's eight World Heritage Sites is as follows.
Frankly, I was rather apprehensive about whether I'd receive a reply, as it felt like I'd simply handed it over to them.
However, contrary to my worries, the following email arrived the next morning.
The promptness of the response was also a point that impressed me.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude for your enquiry to Rankami.
We are able to accommodate you at the proposed date and time,
First, regarding the plan,
This is likely the most efficient route for you to take,
I am extremely grateful that,
＜Quotation＞
(9 days using a standard car)
10 November to 18 November
¥89,000 (including tax) ※ Lowest price guarantee included
(Review Promise 20% Off Promotion Price Applies)
<プレミアムドライバープラン>
¥103,000 (including tax)
※Premium Driver PlanTop drivers including Japanese drivers
※Should your designated driver suddenly become unavailable, (
In the event of a change to the standard plan,
※Standard cars refer to Japanese domestic sedans.
The above fee includes the total cost for chartering one vehicle, covering the period from the initial airport pick-up (or your designated pick-up point if not at the airport) until the final day. This naturally includes the charter fee for a Japanese domestic vehicle.
・Vehicle insurance premium
・Driver expenses
・Driver's food and accommodation expenses
・Fuel costs
・Motorway tolls
The amount will be stated as the total sum rather than per person.
<【お客様限定】日本語ヘルプデスクについて>
Sri Lanka Taxi Service provides Japanese-language assistance locally throughout your travel period.
Regarding Driver Requests
We are able to accommodate requests for specific drivers even under our standard plan.
Furthermore, whether it be the standard plan or the premium plan,
In this regard, particularlyI absolutely require a Japanese driver to be guaranteed.
This concludes the information regarding your quotation.
If this is acceptable to you, we shall provide details and outline the next steps.
Should you have any queries or questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
I look forward to working with you.
That's a reply that gives a sincere impression.
Having received your message, I had a few questions, so I put them to you.
Thank you very much indeed for sending such a detailed plan!
I would like to make the most of Sri Lanka using your company on the dates provided below.
I have several points that remain unclear and would appreciate your guidance on.
【Point of Concern ①】
11/
Additionally, if staying in Nuwara Eliya, 11/
【Point of Concern ②】
On-site Japanese helpdesk and driver,
I imagine Wi-Fi or similar will be required,
Points on which I would appreciate your guidance
This is my first trip to Sri Lanka,
If possible, I would be most grateful if you could recommend a hotel.
Moreover, staying at the same hotel on the nights of 11th and 12th November will incur a significant
This time, we are planning a trip for two.
I would appreciate it if we could proceed with the Premium Plan!
I sent it in the evening, but a reply came back by the following day at noon.
Once again, a prompt and sincere response.
It makes sense that the person running the service comes from a general trading company background.
We are most grateful that you are able to use our services. First, we shall address your enquiry.
【Point of Concern ①】
Reservations for the highland train are currently unavailable online,
(
Advance bookings are difficult,
Even if you are unable to board the train, we can arrange taxi transfers to your hotel in Nuwara Eliya on the 14th, so there is no need to worry about changes to your subsequent itinerary.
【Point of Concern ②】
As we shall explain later, the WhatsApp application (
Regarding the Wi-Fi environment,
At Colombo Airport, Dialog's SIM card offers 【4GB・4G・
※
Incidentally, the going rate in Sri Lankan towns is just 150 rupees (approximately 90 yen) for the SIM card itself, with data costing 100 rupees (approximately 60 yen) per megabyte – making it extremely affordable to use.
Points on which I would appreciate your guidance
Regarding the hotel,
It is a little pricey,
Staying at the same hotel on the 11th and 12th is perfectly acceptable.
That concludes my response,
Regarding the details of the forthcoming proceduresごI shall show you the way.
Thank you for your kind attention.
＜Regarding Dates and Fees＞
(Premium Driver Plan for Standard Car, 9 Days) 10th November to 18th November
¥103,000 (including tax)
＜Regarding Payment＞
The following payment details are omitted.
<ご予約の確定とキャンセルについて＞
Reservations are confirmed upon receipt of payment.
Payment itself may be made up to one week prior to your trip; however, should another customer book the same itinerary, we require final confirmation at that point.
Should another customer make a booking, we shall always contact you in advance.
However, should it prove difficult to confirm your booking at that time, or should we not receive your confirmation within a few days, we must regretfully inform you that we may prioritise other customers. We kindly ask for your understanding in advance.
Cancellations made in advance are free of charge; however, please note that we are unable to offer refunds for no-shows without prior notification.
＜Regarding Means of Contact＞
Following payment, we shall provide you with the assigned driver's telephone number no later than two days prior to your journey. (You may contact the driver directly via SMS, WhatsApp, or similar means.)
Last-minute bookings and during peak periods, we may be unable to contact you in advance. (Rest assured, we will definitely arrange a vehicle once your booking is confirmed.)
Furthermore, as communication with the driver will primarily be in English, should you contact us via this email, we can translate messages for the driver and handle any necessary confirmations on your behalf.
<必要情報>
Please provide the following information regarding the collection. (If you have already provided this information, please disregard this request.)
・Customer's full name (in English)
・Pick-up location (Airport or Hotel)
※If you require an airport pick-up, please also provide your flight code.
・Pick-up time
・Your preferred sightseeing route and destinations (please inform us if you would like to discuss this)
<当日の流れについて>>
On the day, the driver will meet you at the airport arrival gate. (If not at the airport, we will meet you at your specified location and time.)
We shall be waiting with a card bearing your name, so we should recognise you immediately.
Should you be unable to locate the driver under any circumstances, please do not hesitate to contact our company. (Rest assured, we have never encountered a case where the driver could not be found.)
After meeting up with the driver, we recommend briefly discussing the overall travel route and sightseeing plan, and exchanging contact details.
To avoid telephone charges and enable messaging, we recommend installing the WhatsApp application beforehand.
＜Important Notes When Using the Japanese Helpdesk＞
The helpdesk telephone number will be provided during the final confirmation shortly before your departure.
Please use on site.
Please note that while calls and chats within the WhatsApp application are free of charge, standard telephone calls will incur local call charges.
Please be advised that Ishara, our helpdesk representative, also serves as a lecturer at a Japanese language school. Consequently, she may be unable to answer calls during the day or respond to messages immediately.
(Should you be unable to answer the call, we would be grateful if you could leave a message such as 'Please call me back')
Please note that we may not always be able to respond immediately as outlined above. Should you require further assistance, we would be grateful if you could allow ample time for your enquiry.
(Whilst not guaranteed, it is often relatively easier to accommodate requests in the evening.)
Please note that Ishara does not have knowledge of the specific itinerary for individual tours. Therefore, it should be used solely as a means of interpreting for the driver and answering general enquiries.
As the driver will be more knowledgeable about the tour details, please use this service as an interpreter between you and the driver in such instances.
That concludes our information. Should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us.
I look forward to working with you.
I was relieved to hear that even if I couldn't catch the Nuwara Eliya mountain train, I could still reach my next destination by taxi.
As mentioned in the text, WhatsApp is a widely used tool overseas for local communications.
I'd already downloaded it, but since it's easy to install on a smartphone, I'll go ahead and put it on.
I was also surprised by how cheap the SIM cards are. For example, even if you use a relatively large amount like 10MB, a SIM card costs 150 rupees and 10MB is 1000 rupees, so the total comes to 1150 rupees.
Currently, one Sri Lankan rupee is worth approximately 0.6 yen, so you can use 10MB for about 700 yen.
However, if your device is not currently SIM-free, you will need to unlock it.
The method for unlocking your SIM card is explained below.
Related:A comprehensive guide to securing internet access in Sri Lanka! Consider SIM cards and pocket Wi-Fi.
Interactions with the Driver
This is the email that arrived after I paid the following fee.
Thank you for your continued support.
The driver has been confirmed. Please kindly verify the pick-up details accordingly.
Should you have any queries or require assistance during your travels, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We shall also provide the telephone number for the Japanese-language helpdesk available locally.
Thank you for your kind attention until the very end.
| Name | Mr Masahiro Saito | |
| Customer contact | ||
| Driver | Rangena | +94-76-319 - ×××× |
| Start date | 10 November | |
| Finish day | 18 November | |
| Days | 9 | |
| Pick-up point | Airport | |
| Pick-up time | 7:00 pm | |
| Flight code |
Japanese Helpdesk Telephone Number
Person in charge: Ishara
Telephone number: +94-71-125-××××
※ To use this service free of charge without incurring call charges, please install the WhatsApp application, register your number, and conduct all communication via the app.
We will communicate with the driver via WhatsApp, so I would like to explain how to install WhatsApp and how to use it for communication.
How to install and set up WhatsApp
On your smartphone's app screen, type 'WhatsApp' and download the top result, 'WhatsApp Messenger'.
After downloading, click Start Messages.
You can obtain the contact details by clicking 'New Contact' on the next screen.
After entering your name and selecting Sri Lanka for the country code, please enter the provided telephone number and press the save button.
Subsequently, we will proceed with the exchange.
Contact with the driver
The following is written in my rather poor English, but I hope you will find it useful.
Incidentally, it seems that Lanka-Mei employs a small number of Japanese drivers.
If you're feeling particularly anxious about your English, you might consider making a request.
It seems that adding a Japanese driver through HIS etc. incurs an additional charge of ¥10,000 per day, whereas with Rankami it can be arranged for within a few thousand yen.
I digress, but as I can manage a little English, I decided to travel with an English-speaking driver. (Though it's only at secondary school level...)
I briefly introduce myself and provide airline details, then ask where you will be picking me up on the day.
The paging area designated as the meeting point is the fenced-off area located after you have completed immigration and baggage claim at the airport.
I believe every airport has a designated area where tour guides wait holding nameplates.
It is precisely there that I am waiting with my name.
How to meet your driver at Bandaranaike International Airport in Sri Lanka
I should like to recount the circumstances when I actually met the driver at Bandaranaike International Airport on the first day of my trip.
The Paging Area is located as follows. It is situated immediately outside the exit after collecting your luggage.
Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, Sri Lanka, is very straightforward in its layout, so I was able to meet the driver without any confusion.
The following is a live account of the journey from exiting the baggage claim gate at the airport to meeting the driver.
Exit the building and you'll find the Paging Area directly behind the bank in front of you – you simply cannot miss it.
Free Wi-Fi is also available at Bandaranaike International Airport.
As it worked immediately without any registration, I hope those who, like myself, do not own a pocket Wi-Fi will find it useful.
『#FreeWiFi@BIA』 is the WiFi that actually works.
The English spoken by Sri Lankans, including the author's driver Mr Asanka, features pronunciation and grammar that are easy for Japanese people to understand.
This is because their mother tongue is also Sinhala, so English is a language they have learnt and acquired.
They spoke slowly using solid grammar, so even with my TOEIC score in the 500s, I was able to communicate without any problems.
Details of the author's trip to Sri Lanka, supported by Asanka, are provided below for your reference.
Summary
Lanca Mee gave the impression of treating each customer with great care, which left a favourable impression.
We are being smoothly guided from plan formulation to driver instruction.
This taxi charter company is highly recommended, offering prompt and sincere service at very reasonable prices.
Why not consider using this company as your travel partner for your trip to Sri Lanka?
Official:To the Lanka Mee details page
