What is the Premium Driver Plan?
This is a plan that allows you to directly select a top-class driver that is carefully selected among the drivers who are enrolled in Sri Lanka Taxi Service.
What are the criteria of premium drivers?
Based on the following criteria, we will decide based on the comprehensive judgment of the local supervisor.
・ Driver should have been in charge of at least 10 tours in the past and have not received any complaints from customers.
・ Should have received 5 or more reviews from customers (3 or more from Japanese drivers), and all of them are highly evaluated.
・ The above is essential, and comprehensive judgment that considers driving skills, knowledge, Japanese language skills, and humanity is also valuable.
What are the benefits of the Premium Driver Plan?
・ The designated premium driver will be in charge of the tour.
If it is determined that the tour is not safe due to poor physical condition of the driver, vehicle trouble, family reasons, etc., another premium driver can be in charge or you can choose to change to a normal driver.
If you choose a normal driver, we will refund the difference from the normal fee.
What is the premium driver plan fee?
Since it differs depending on the season and tour content, we will guide you along with the normal fee at the time of the estimation.
Premium driver introduction
Introducing the highest-level drivers of Sri Lanka Taxi Service.
Click each driver in the premium driver list to access the introduction of each driver.
No.4 Nola (Japanese speaking driver)
No.5 Mario [Japanese speaking driver]
Premium Driver No.1 Asanka
Asanka is a very smart and a leading driver who is the head of drivers of Sri Lanka Taxi Service. With a professional guide license issued by the Sri Lankan Travel Association, especially knowledgeable about history, Asanka’s commentary will always entertain you.
Number of acquisition reviews 7
(Customer feedback No.42,No.60,No.67,No.71,No.93,No.101,No.123,No.127,No147,No.159,No.176 )
Here are some examples from Asanka’s review.（Please check Customer feedback for full review.)
The explanation about the history by Asanka along the way was interesting and I talked a lot. It was fun. The lunch curry shop that I was guided to was also delicious.。
I enjoyed talking with Asanka in the car. He gave us space and would answer if only we asked something, so I felt that his sense of distance was very elegant. (Customer feedback No. 127)
The driver, Asanka, whom I’m indebted, was a very polite person who took care of me on time, confirming our wishes, and explaining carefully at the sightseeing spot. Thanks to the driver Asanka, I was able to make a special trip. (Customer feedback No. 123)
Although it was a hard itinerary, I never got tired of the driver Asanka’s superb skills and driving technique.
The driver Asanka had experience working in Singapore and was very encouraging to give a lot of explanations in easy-to-understand English.
It was a trip that relied on Asanka to introduce tourist spots on the way and took me to a good restaurant when I was hungry. (Customer feedback No. 101)
The driver, Asanka, is a calm and intelligent Sri Lankan guy.
From the history lessons that are not listed in the guidebook, the explanations made me enjoy the trip twice as much.
In particular, he was familiar with the capital Anuradhapura to Polonnaruwa and Kandy and the history of Buddhism. During the safari also he talked about the elephant’s ecology, and I was really surprised by his wealth of knowledge.The ticket purchase support and safari arrangements, we were just following Asanka, so it was really easy, and I was able to spend it with peace of mind.
There were several occasions where I was worried about where to go, but thanks to precise advice, I didn’t waste time. (Customer feedback No.93)
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Premium Driver No.2 Haravinth (Van Only)
Young, vital and very enthusiastic about studying, especially knowledge of Bawa architecture is No.1 in Sri Lanka Taxi Service. He had the flexibility to respond to customer requests flexibly, and he supported all elderly men and women. Halavinth is especially favored by children, have been highly rated by customers with small children as “contacting Haravinth was very useful for children’s cultural experiences and studies”.
Number of acquisition reviews 10
(Customer feedback No.19,No.35,No.39,No.44,No.75,No.94,No.105,No.110,No.122,No.124,No.145,No.165,No.178 )
Here are some examples from Haravinth reviews. (Please check customer feedback for full review.)
The driver was Haravinth. I was very lucky to get Haravinth. I had no idea about the land and was worrying about what to do when I arrived in Sri Lanka without planning much, but I only had to say where I want to go! He told me that he arranged everything, and recommended spots along the way. He carefully taught everything we didn’t know about the price of the tip, and he also negotiated tour price cuts. I heard that the traffic situation in Sri Lanka is terrible, but it was safer than a taxi in Japan. Our two children were also together, but they loved Haravinth and had a very good experience, such as talking about sports and studying English. The nominating Haravinth is recommended. The whole family wants to request Haravinth when they go to Sri Lanka again. (Customer feedback No.44)
The driver, Haravinth, was a very gentle and sensitive person who took care of us during the tour, confirming our wishes and polite explanations at the tourist spots. Thanks to the driver Haravinth, I was able to make a special trip. (Customer feedback No.124)
To be honest, it was a pretty hard schedule, but I was always saved by having an arrangement that covers 100% of my wishes on safe driving.
We visited quite a lot of places around the world, and often use taxis and guides. I think Haravinth, who oversaw this time, was particularly high-level driver. I was surprised to see a young driver first. Since he was eager to study, he had a lot of knowledge, and I was impressed that he was very calm but strong. Speaking English in an easy-to-understand manner, communication was not a problem at all. (Customer feedback No. 110)
Thank you very much to the driver Haravinth. He is a wonderful sportsman who worked hard even with a little. He is a Superman who can solve anything. With a stable driving force, had a sense of security and time was accurate.
In addition to responding to the request, I was able to take a lot of good photos with the view spot.
He contacted Ayurveda to change the time, broke through a dense parking lot surrounded by parked cars, played Sri Lankan trendy songs, showed me the photo of his cricket team where he is the captain. Thanks for taking care of me.
At Sigiriya Rock, where there are many tourists, he came to pick us up at the exit so that we could find the car immediately. The Ayurveda store was at the end of a narrow alley, but he drove to the front of the store by driving a wagon with a width just before the store.
All the group photos taken by Haravinth were wonderful because he studied photography. Really a superman. This was my first time in Sri Lanka, but I like Sri Lanka. I would like to request Haravinth when I go to Sri Lanka again! (Customer feedback No. 35)
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Premium Driver No.3 Suren
Despite being a relatively new member of Sri Lanka Taxi Service, Suren has continued to gain high reputation from customers one after another and has been promoted to become the fastest and youngest premium driver! He has a strong desire to make our customers enjoy and will respond to any request with all his strength.
Number of acquisition reviews 12
(Customer feedback No.79、No.98、No.104、No.106、No.109、No.112、No.125、No.126、No.128、No.130、No.131、No.133,No.146,No.172,No.173 )
Here are some of the reviews of Suren. (Please check customer feedback for full review.)
The driver Suren was a young driver, but he was a real gentleman and the driving techniques were exciting.
Sri Lanka has a lot of traffic and a lot of rough driving, and I was worried about the taxi from the airport to the hotel. I’m sorry that you had to drive for a long time, but I was really grateful for the immediate request that I wanted to go to the supermarket, he accepted it without an unpleasant face.
I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Suren for making our wishes come true (customer feedback No. 104)
Although the trip was a long trip, thanks to Suren who guided me on the trip, I was able to spend a pleasant and enjoyable time.
If it is assumed that the waiting time will be long because the time is not suitable, he introduced other shops or sightseeing places, changed the route or searched for the shops according to our request or anyway, he responded to the occasion. Thanks to the driver, Suren, who guided me, I was able to enjoy a very dense trip. (Customer feedback No. 125)
We were greeted with a smile despite the early morning. I was accompanied by him to the purchase of the SIM card and money exchange carefully.
He was really helpful to think about where to go and how to allocate time.
When I went to buy souvenirs at the supermarket, he came inside and explained the products, so it was very easy to shop. On the road for 5 days, I was able to talk about each other’s countries and private stories. Thanks to Suren, it was a fun trip! (Customer feedback No.133)
The driver, Suren, who I am indebted this time, was very kind, caring and had correct judgement skills!
If I told him that I would like to see Sunset Sunrise, he was very encouraging to take me to a nice place, to make a reservation for Ayurveda and to climb the steep rock climbing of Pidurangala Rock.
During the trip, I learned a lot about the circumstances and life of Suren and Sri Lanka, and besides traveling, it was a fun time to spend with Suren! (Customer feedback No.131)
Suren was a smart gentleman. His judgment and the answers to the questions were always accurate.
He had a good sense and was wearing a surf apparel RVCA shirt and it was clean.
We had conversations all the time in the car, talking about family, friends and love, work and the future, talking about each other’s culture and environment, explaining language and slang.
Even after arriving at the destination and finishing the transfer, it is also a good memory to have dinner while talking to everyone at Suren’s friend’s restaurant. (Customer feedback No. 130)
The purpose of the trip was Bawa architecture, so when I stayed at the Bawa hotel and stopped by, I told him about the biased plan of southern Bawa. He gave a refreshing and friendly impression.
The conversation was helped by some Japanese and gentle English, and I am grateful for communicating with us.
He has always been working hard to be on time and to keep up with our requests. (Customer feedback No. 126)
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Premium Driver No.4 Nola (Japanese speaking driver)
Nola is a Japanese speaking driver who has lived in Japan for 8 years. He speaks really good Japanese, so he is a perfect driver for people who are not good at English. Not only good at Japanese, but also very knowledgeable about animals, plants and nature, he is a perfect driver to travel around Sri Lanka where nature is abundant
Number of acquisition reviews: 8
(Customer feedback No.59, No.95, No.107, No.136,No.142,No.153,No.154,No.156)
Here are some excerpts from Nola’s review. (Please check customer feedback for full review.)
Our driver was Nola, who is very good at Japanese.
Mr. Nola is close to us and has lived in Japan in the past, so he was not only talking while traveling by car, but also drinking coffee and eating together at cafes and restaurants. I had a great time during the day trip.
Nola-san gave us local schedule advice each time. Also, when I wanted to make money at ATMs, to check the market, to stop at a supermarket, and so on he helped me a lot.
Not only driving skills as a driver, but also a wealth of knowledge of animals and nature. Because of his personality and his family and friends, I was able to spend it with peace of mind. (Customer feedback No.136)
The driver, Nola, was fluent in Japanese and was easy to consult about where to go.
I didn’t stuff my schedule so much, and the hope of relaxing at the hotel was fulfilled.
In addition, he was familiar with road conditions and knew at what time and where the traffic was congested, so I was able to go to my destination with peace of mind while receiving advice.
Together with the Sri Lankan cityscape and culture, one of the reasons I became interested in Sri Lanka was that I was with Nola. (Customer feedback No. 107)
I participated in a jeep safari in Yala National Park because of my wife’s strong wishes, but when I was struggling to arrange the tour at the beginning, the driver Nola immediately arranged it and was very helpful.
After that, Mr. Nola, who likes animals, took me to a river safari tour where wild crocodile can be seen, and I actually encountered a big crocodile and me and my wife were very excited!
The driver Nola was a gentleman and very good at Japanese, so my wife who is not good at English was able to communicate and enjoyed the honeymoon.
I would like to request Nola if I go to Sri Lanka again! (Customer feedback No. 95)
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Premium Driver No.5 Mario (Japanese speaking driver)
Mario is brother of Nola and can speak very good Japanese like Nola. He also has a guide license and is a veteran driver with a career of over 10 years as a guide driver. He is an excellent driver who combines Japanese language skills and humanity at the business level, such as trying to interpret words in a commercial shooting for a major Japanese company.
Number of acquisition reviews 10
(Customer feedback No.102, No.118, No.129, No.140,No.143, 148, 158, No.160, No.163, No.182)
Here are some excerpts from Mario reviews. (Please check customer feedback for full review.)
The driver Mario ’s response is really amazing,
- Can speak Japanese.
- Has a guide license and has deep knowledge of religion, culture, and sightseeing.
- Brighter and gentle than anything.
He was a super driver who was more than enough for us.
Here are a few things that we thought particularly wonderful …
- “We enjoy the moment” he gave the top priority for that
- At the Ayurveda facility recommended by Mario (which was also the best feeling !!), we chose the course while worrying about the safari time, and Mario said not to worry about it, just do what you want now! ”
He changed the lunch reservation while we were undergoing the treatment, reserved a cheese sandwich that could be eaten during the safari (this was also delicious), and even if we were a little behind he told me that we will still be able to see elephants, and adjusted everything so that everything would go smoothly.
○ Details of features and specialties of various places ○
When you travel in Sri Lanka, especially on country roads, you’ll often find food stalls like vegetable shops. Mario knows the local specialties of the place, so he introduced various things while getting off on the way. I was able to eat a lot of things such as boiled peanuts (heap around 100 yen !!), green mango, mangosteen and king coconut. Personally, green mango and mangosteen were delicious.
○ Judgment based on Japanese standards ○
Mario has quite a long experience in Japan. So, even when I thought I wanted to go to the toilet … he said that “I think it’s a bit dirty here, so let’s drive a little more.” He supported us to have a comfortable time. His personality also had some Japanese parts (at least I think so), sometimes he refrained from things not to bother me, and anyway, I was comfortable together. (Customer feedback No.140)
The driver who helped me this time was Mario. I was worried about Sri Lanka, a country that is not familiar to Japanese people.
I was blessed with a very good driver and was able to spend a stress-free time.
First of all, as you can see in the HP profile, he has been in Japan for 6 years since he was 20 years old.
I made several phone calls during my trip, even if I couldn’t make gestures during phone calls, he was able to understand and talk smoothly in Japanese.
From a little shopping at a local store to a hotel check-in, I wasn’t worried about the language barrier during Sri Lanka.
The second good point was driving skills.
The road in Sri Lanka has only one lane on each side, so it cannot be said that it is being maintained. Meanwhile, an 8-year-old daughter never got car sick while driving.
In addition, when you needed a little sudden break, there was always a word such as “Please be careful”, which was helpful. The maximum speed of Sri Lanka is 70Km / H.
Although the distance traveled by car is long, Mario keeps 70Km to keep the travel time as short as possible.
I was very comfortable with the feeling that I’m supporting the tourism of Sri Lanka.
Finally, what I really liked about Mario was that he did the guiding part too.
I didn’t intend to hire a guide, but Mario got out of the car and turned around together at the large and confusing tourist spots such as Polonnaruwa and The Temple of the Tooth Relic.
I am very grateful to be able to turn smoothly without missing any highlights.
In Sri Lanka, where it was hard to go, it’s good that there are no missed places and no regrets.
My family likes Mario very much and I want Mario to guide me to the goal I couldn’t go during next time. (Customer feedback No.129)
Thanks to the constant presence of driver Mario, I was able to act with peace of mind.
I thought there was a possibility that the itinerary might be changed locally, so I went without making a reservation, but Mario also arranged the accommodation.
Mario was very good at Japanese, and his driving was natural, and he was very helpful in various situations. He always thought and suggested ideas to make our trip better.
As a result, the trip was planned more than we expected. (Customer feedback No. 118)
Thanks to driver Mario, I was able to spend a comfortable time.
Mario is a very friendly person and talked a lot about things like when he was in Japan, his family, and his hobbies, so we learnt about Sri Lanka from Mario.
The road to Colombo was long, and on that day, it was so crowded that there were many traffic jams, but he didn’t make a bad face and even though Mario should be most tired, he was worrying about me and was asking me whether I’m tired.
After shopping, we still had time until the late-night flight, so I drove around Colombo and had milk tea at Mario’s home. I was very happy when he invited me because I didn’t think that I could get into a local house, and the milk tea was delicious.
It was a lot of fun to go around the tourist spots, but it was very good that I could eat rice with local people at a local curry shop and learn about Sri Lanka from conversations with Mario.
If you ask me what the best thing about this trip was, I think its meeting Mario.
I would also like to meet him again and travel with him.
I would also like to request Mario when traveling to Sri Lanka again. (Customer feedback No.102)
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