WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT SRI LANKA TRAVEL TIPS?

Sri Lanka travel tips (trustworthy travel tips) are undoubtedly very handy for your Sri Lanka trip, especially if you are travelling in Sri Lanka for the first time.

Planning your Sri Lanka road trip is the first step of your holiday in Sri Lanka package and it is the most important part of the trip. A well-planned holiday enables you to have the enjoyable holiday that you dream of, and at the same time it enables you to have the best value for your money. Below is a set of Sri Lanka travel tips (Sri Lanka Holiday Checklist) that is very helpful to plan your trip.

WHAT ARE THE 32 MOST IMPORTANT SRI LANKA TRAVEL TIPS?

SRI LANKA TRAVEL TIPS

Sri Lanka holiday checklist / Sri Lanka travel tips are a set of important tips and advice for planning a Sri Lanka tour and holidays in Sri Lanka. I thought it would be useful to talk about Sri Lanka travel tips on my blog, for vacationing in Sri Lanka. This Sri Lanka holiday checklist consists of three-pointers and I am planning to publish more important Sri Lanka travel tips in my future posts. I am hoping to hear your thoughts and opinions of you and improve the Sri Lanka travel tips list in future posts.

TIPS ABOUT SRI LANKAN MOUNTAINS

Sri Lanka’s diverse landscape takes most holidaymakers by surprise. Sri Pada or better known as Adams peak and Knuckles mountain range both are surpassing most of the mountains in the region with regard to historical and natural importance. Both places are ranked among the adventure holiday destinations of top-notch value.

The highest peak of Sri Lanka known as Pidurutalagala rises up to 2524 meters from the sea level. Its green cap is engulfed in the mist most of the time of the year. Today Pidurutalagala is not a hiking destination as it was in the past, accessibility is restricted due to security reasons.

SRI LANKA MOUNTAIN TOUR

This is a Sri Lanka tour package, carefully crafted for travellers, who wish to explore the beautiful Sri Lanka mountian. Please check my article on “16 Best Places To Visit On Sri Lanka Hill Country Tours“.

IN SEARCH OF PICTURE-PERFECT LOCATIONS IN SRI LANKA

The wildly spectacular mountains of the central mountain range make Sri Lanka a holiday destination with awe-inspiring scenery and it helps the island run to be a favourite winter holiday destination in the region. Sri Lanka has become the choice of holiday destination for people, who look for a hideout to get away from the extreme cold in the northern hemisphere. Therefore, Sri Lanka is most crowded with (foreign travellers) from November to April.

Sri Lanka still has yet to go a long way to be a developed country. The island is enjoying decades of development, but the island has been able to retain its charming beauty of nature despite the increasing demand for natural resources for economic fulfilment.

A large number of national parks, primaeval rainforests, streams and rivers, mountains and escapements covered with a green blanket are frequented sights in unspoiled corners of the island. And, everywhere you travel, the pristine beaches with access to warm, clear waters of the Indian Ocean is just a matter of few minute drives.

EXPLORING INSPIRING VILLAGE LIFE

The traditional life of Sri Lankan is perched on charming villages and is very appealing to people, who love to get away from the busy routine life. Try to have some time and enjoy peace of mind amidst the very basic and simple life of these remote villagers. If you can’t organize a village tour in Sri Lanka yourself contact Seerendipity tours, we are capable of helping you to organize your Sri Lanka holiday.

Sri Lanka is a multi-faceted holiday destination with the possibility to touch one of the oldest unique cultures in the world with pristine beaches, primaeval rainforest, awe-inspiring historical construction, a fascinating animal world and warm friendly people. Following are some of the Sri Lanka travel tips that can be helpful for you to know how things happening on the island.

PLANNING YOUR SRI LANKA ROAD TRIP

Planning your Sri Lanka road trip is the first step of your holiday in Sri Lanka and it is the most important part of the trip. A well-planned holiday enables you to have an enjoyable holiday that you dream of the same time it enables you to have the best value for your money. Below is a set of Sri Lanka travel tips that is very helpful to plan your trip.

At the Planning stage, you need to pay extra consideration; you have to think of your budget, and choose the best time for visiting Sri Lanka and where to go to Sri Lanka in order to get the best out of your planned tour.

If you need more information on planning a Sri Lanka road trip, kindly check this article, “ULTIMATE HUIDE TO PLAN YOUR SRI lNAAK ROAD TRIP“.

TIPS FOR SRI LANKA BEACH TOUR

Choosing the best places for the trip to Sri Lanka is largely depending on the monsoon, it could be either the East coast or the West coast. If you visit the island from November to April, the west coast offers you the best weather while the East coast offers you the best weather with a holiday vibe from April to November.

The next important decision is, whether you work with a tour operator such as Seerendipity tours or not. Solo travellers can find it difficult to move around Sri Lanka especially due to the language barrier. If you plan to do a Sri Lanka round tour or excursion, you better arrange it through a tour operator. Due to the Rules and regulations, only the tourist guides license holders are allowed to escort tourists on the island.

If you need more information to plan your Sri Lanka beach tour please check this article on, “How to plan the best Sri Lanka beach tour“.

TAKE IT SLOW AND STEADY

Sri Lanka is small but large in diversity. From the central mountain range in the middle of the island to pristine beaches on the south and west to the crumbling historical monuments in the north-central province of Sri Lanka, the island is brimming with places to explore. Plan your tour sensibly and don’t cram all the things into a single trip, take it easy and explore bit by bit.

It is a good idea to start the trip with an exploration of the beginning of Sri Lankan culture while visiting Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle, which includes Anuradhapura, Sigiriya, Dambulla, Polonnaruwa and Kandy. If you are fascinated by spirituality, head to Kandy; for adventure activities Kithulgala for shopping, Colombo; for diving and snorkelling, and Bentota beach.

PLAN ACCORDING TO WEATHER

Travellers can expect diverse weather conditions on the island, but the tropical island does not have four primary seasons. The weather conditions can be differed based on the elevation and the region. Southern and western Sri Lanka has warm and sunny weather from November to April while the best time to travel to the east coast is from April to November.

If you need more information about Sri Lanka’s weather and how to find the best time to travel to Sri Lanka, Check my blog post on “When is the best time to visit Sri Lanka“.

TIPS TO HIRE A TOUR GUIDE

This is one of the very important Sri Lanka travel tips, especially for newcomers. If your driver does not have a tourist guide license you have to hire site guides in every important tourist attraction, which adds unexpected expenses to your holiday budget. Unlike individual service providers, tour operators employ only the national tourist guide license holders, whenever their foreign clients are on the way.

Planning the places to visit during the tour is also very important and you need to have the help of local knowledge. You can book a pre-planned tour or a customized Sri Lanka itinerary. If you need any assistance with regard to planning a tour itinerary, our guides and travel experts are ready to assist you. The tour with a licenced guide is definitely more expensive than the tour with an unlicenced guide. But still worth it if you are looking for the best travel experience.

IF you need more information about hiring a driver and vehicle in Sri Lanka please check this article on “hiring a driver guide in Sri Lanka“.

GUIDE TO SRI LANKAN VISA AFTER COVID-19

As a set of new rules has been introduced by the government of Sri Lanka after the Covid19. Every tourist needs to have a legitimate certificate issued by the respective country certifying he or she has not contracted the Coronavirus. On-arrival visa is not available until further notice and visitors need to get an online visa. This rule is in place until further notice.

SRI LANKA TRAVEL TIPS: DO I NEED TO HAVE A TRAVEL INSURANCE

Even though it is not compulsory to have travel insurance, it is highly recommended to have, thereby you can have peace of mind during the holiday. There are instances that people pay for holidays and ultimately unable to take the tour at the last moment. There is no refund unless you have travel insurance in a situation like that.

A holiday to a distant destination such as Sri Lanka is expensive and paying a little bit more to travel insurance would definitely be a very wise investment. So, those are the first three (and easily the most important) items on your Sri Lanka vacation checklist.

TIPS TO BUY THINGS IN SRI LANKA

Learn how to bargain before you land in Sri Lanka. Bargaining is a traditional custom of the island. From the water bottle at the corner store to Souvenir shop at star class hotels, bargaining helps you to save money. It is difficult to say how much you save and it all depends on your capability of bargaining.

There are some products such as pharmaceutical products are sold at fixed prices and the products sold in supermarkets are also not negotiable. After some days on the island, you will understand the importance of bargaining and where to do it and how to do it properly.

SRI LANKA TRAVEL TIPS: HOW TO HANDLE BEACH BOYS?

If you happen to spend your holiday at a beach resort, you will be approached by beach boys, when you jump on to the beach. For every beach hotel, there is a group of beach boys and they have a monopoly over the tourists come to that particular hotel. None other than the members of the group allow at least talk to the customers of that particular hotel.

You will be approached by those guys and offered various excursions and tours. There are some genuine trustworthy guys, who provide a valuable service for tourists, while some guys are not trustworthy and cause some hardships for tourists. The best way to escape from them is ignoring them and says “No Thanks for whatever they offer.”

KNOW THE PRICE BEFORE YOU BUY

Another important thing to do while shopping in the islands is to know the price beforehand. Especially when you buy things from small vendors on the road, they have no price tags on the goods. A t-shirt that usually cost 1500 RS can cost as much as 5000 with them. Ask the price and negotiate to get the maximum for what you pay.

CLOTHING TIPS: WHAT TO WEAR

Being a tropical country, Sri Lanka is warm and humidity rises up to 90%. Therefore, light cotton dress in the most suitable for wearing on the island. Sandals or flip-flops also can be worn on the island while the roads in Sri Lanka are clean at most of the time.

Dress code should be changed while visiting a Buddhist temple. You need to remove shoes and hats upon entering the temple and shoulders and knee should be covered with the dress.

Normally Sri Lankans has a relaxed attitude towards the informal style of dresses. But it is highly recommended to cover shoulders and legs and have a modest dress code for women travellers. Take off shoes and hats before entering the religious sites. There are several other rules to know before entering the temples in Sri Lanka follow our blog post on 13 Sri Lanka Buddhist temple rules.

I have written a comprehensive article about rules and regulations pertaining to Sri Lanka temple please check this article “visiting Buddhist temple what you need to know“.

TRAVEL TIPS: WHERE TO EAT

There are many possibilities when it comes to dining in Sri Lanka. The cheapest meals are sold at small boutiques along the streets. More hygienic and quality foods are sold in restaurants. Try to have your food in a good restaurant, because food poisoning is a common issue on the island and I believe you don’t want to ruin your holiday for saving a few bucks on the meal. In fact, Food poisoning cost you a large sum of money and it can exceed the whole amount you pay for the entire holiday.

SRI LANKA TRAVEL TIPS: TAKE ENOUGH FLUID

Drink plenty of water. You tend to lose a lot of fluid during the daytime due to the sweating condition of the atmosphere. In fact, you tend to be thirsty very often if you are not familiar with the high humidity of Sri Lanka. King coconut is the most popular thirst quencher on the island. This natural drink contains a lot of water, mineral and vitamin and not added to any form of chemicals.

SRI LANAK TRAVEL TIPS: KNOW ABOUT CRIMES IN SRI LANKA

Violent crime may occur targetting foreigners, although the frequency of such incidents is very rare. Tourists police posts are set up in all places where foreigners roam such as beach areas, cultural sites etc. Make your Sri Lanka road trip arrangements through the reputable travel company in order to have the peace of mind.

Every tour company take care of their guests during the trip and they appoint an employee to provide assistance to the customer during their stay in Sri Lanka. The companies employ well experienced licensed guides and drivers in order to make sure your safety as you drive through the country.

Try to avoid solo journey with unknown people. Avoid drinks offered by strangers at bars, restaurants and beach areas. There are incidences in which the guests had made acquaintances with young boys on the beach and later subjected to various difficulties, especially the women should avoid the touts.

SRI LANKA TRAVEL TIPS: KEEP THINGS SAFE

It is advisable to keep all the valuable and important items such as money, passport, flight tickets, jewellery in a safety deposit box. Usually, all hotels provide safety deposit boxes either free or at a nominal fee. Use a safety deposit box to keep things protected. Hotels do not take responsibility for lost items if it is left unattended. Incase anything lost in the hotel or outside, you should report the incident to the nearby police station and seek the assistance of the police. Some hotels are not taking complaints seriously and therefore it is best to report the incident as soon as possible to the police.

TRAVELLING IN WAR RAVAGED AREA

Travellers, who are heading to Northern and eastern parts of the country should be careful due to the land mines. Millions of landmines were buried in those areas in the past and now they are been cleared by the security forces. It can be dangerous to walk in the uncleared areas. Several incidents reported in the past in which several people were affected due to the land mines.

SRI LANKA TRAVEL TIPS: SEA BATH

Check the weather pattern before you reach the destination, especially the beach resort. The sea bath and other activities on the sea can be dangerous due to the high-tide and underwater current. Sea bath is extremely dangerous during the monsoon.

SRI LANKA TRAVEL TIPS: SELF DRIVE

The international driving licence is a major requirement for foreigners to drive on the island. Apart from the international license foreigners need to make the local permit at the motor traffic department of Sri Lanka. wearing a seatbelt is essential.

Sri Lanka has a well-developed road network and roads are in very good shape. There is a large concentration of vehicles in the city areas and road are more or less empty outside the cities tempting you to drive fast. But be attentive on speed limits, it is 40 km within the city and 70km outside the city limit. Try to use highways as much as possible and you can save time.

Public buses and TUK TUK are notorious, they drive fast and not obey the traffic rules. Take care when passing through them, most road accidents are led by TUK TUK’s and buses.

SRI LANKA TRAVEL TIPS: AVOID TUK TUK SCAM

TUK TUK is a very handy way to travel to the island on short-distance trips. It will be inconvenient on long journeys. Agree on a price before starting the journey or look for a metered taxi to avoid a big loss. If you are in the city, book your taxi through taxi service providers, it is the safest way to travel by TUK TUK and cheap too. Never accept free rides offered by TUK TUK.

It is essential to know the price before starting a journey with a TUK TUK. TUK TUK is the cheapest form of taxis in Sri Lanka and they are very handy on the busy streets of the island.

Most of the TUK TUK’s are private taxis and prices are decided by the taxi driver. They usually have no taxi meters and the price is decided on the distance of the journey. Knowing the price before the journey is very essential, otherwise, the commuters have no option than paying what demanded by the taxi driver and it is usually more than double the normal price.

SRI LANKA TRAVEL TIPS: ABOUT WILDLIFE

Wildlife can be dangerous sometimes. Wild elephants attacks and crocodile attacks are reported in remote areas of Sri Lanka. Therefore, I decided to dedicate one paragraph on Sri Lanka wildlife in this article of Sri Lanka Travel Tips. Places like Sigiriya, Habarana, Tissamaharam, Matara are places such incidents are reported in the past.

Sigiriya and Habaran are very popular cities, where tourist are based while they explore the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka. Avoid night walk and late evening walk in those places and try to use the vehicle whenever you move into those areas, in order to avoid wild elephant attacks.

Crocodiles can be spotted in rivers, canals, and tanks and it is strongly recommended to be away from inland water resources such as tanks if you are not very sure that they are free of the crocodiles. Several crocodile attacks are reported in the island, every year, especially during the rainy season due to the flooding. The crocodiles have been sighted even in beach resort areas such as Arugambe.

Venomous snakes are also reported in most parts of the country and snake bites are recorded many times every year. Such incidents are very rare in populated areas but it is better to be vigilant.

Dogs, cats and monkeys are very frequently seen in many places on the island do not try to feed them they might carry rabies. If you are bitten by any of those animals you should report to the hospital immediately.

Usually, the drivers and guides have a very good idea of the locality you come across during the tour and they instruct you accordingly how to be safe in those areas.

ABOUT SRI LANKAN CURRENCY

Sri Lankan rupees is the local currency. The most foreign currency types can be exchanged in all banks on the island. If you wish to change money in the bank, you need to fill out a form and produce the passport. The entire process might take about 30 minutes. Please be kindly informed that certain foreign currencies are not accepted by Sri Lankan Banks.

Changing money at the airport on arrival is the most convenient way to do it. It is quick and no paperwork, in fact, you get the best exchange rate. Having Sri Lanka currency is essential during the holiday in Sri Lanka. You have to make payment in Sri Lanka Rupees at eateries, buses, trains etc. Make sure you have the local currency all the time with you.

There is a large number of local and foreign banks in Sri Lanka and most of them have a well-developed network with branches everywhere. All banks provide the facility to withdraw money from the teller machine using Master and Visa card. If you do not wish to change money at the bank because it takes a lot of time, you can use the Visa or Master cards to withdraw money from the teller machine.

TIPS ABOUT MEDICATIONS

In case you need to visit a doctor during the Sri Lanka tour ask a TUK TUK driver to take you to the hospital. The hospitals can be found in all cities. Apart from hospitals, dispensaries are also available in remote areas. Dispensaries are the places where doctors do private practising. Sri Lanka has a well-developed health system and it is free of charge at the government hospitals.

SRI LANAK TRAVEL TIPS: LAUNDRY

You might need the laundry facilities during the tour. The guests have 2 options. The first option is washing cloth your own in the room. This method cannot be recommended because you will not be able to get it done properly without the necessary equipment. 2nd option is getting it done by the hotel, which cost around 100 LKR average for 1 kg of cloth. All accommodation facilitators provide the laundry facility.

HANDING DRUGS IN SRI LANKA

Drugs related to offences and child-abusing are treated with severe penalties, which can lead to life imprisonment.

SRI LANKA TRAVEL TIPS: ABOUT NUDITY

Nudity is not allowed, therefore avoid topless sunbathing on the beaches. Do not walk through the cities and villages with your swimming suits or biking, it might offend the people of Sri Lanka when it comes to dressing they are very conservative.

ABOUT SRI LANKA’S FULL MOON DAY

Every full-moon day is a public holiday in Sri Lanka and No alcohol and meat served on Full moon days. In the hotels also alcohol will not be served, however, the meat will be available for in-house guests.

SRI LANKA TRAVEL TIPS: CONSUMING ALCOHOL

Avoid drinking alcohol and smoking in public places, severe fines are imposed if found guilty.

KISSING AND CUDDLING IN PUBLIC

Kissing and cuddling in public make Sri Lankan people uncomfortable, so save your PDAs for the privacy of your pool villa.

GET MORE SRI LANKA TIPS

• Shopping in Sri Lanka
• Visiting Sri Lanka Buddhist temples, Sri Lanka temple dress code and temple of the tooth dress code
• What to pack for Sri Lanka holidays, Clothing & Gears Guide
• Official Sri Lanka tourism site