Few islands have inspired, and continue to inspire, travellers quite like Sri Lanka.
Ibn Battuta and Marco Polo, two of the most famed travellers from the Middle Ages, both have extensive accounts that speak of the island’s timeless ability to evoke awe: how, they both wondered separately in their writings, had such diversity of cultures and environmental richness been bequeathed to one tiny island in the Indian Ocean? Their questions continued to be echoed today by modern travellers as they post videos and photographs of their travels within the island on social media, in countless languages.
Between May and September, and December and February, Sri Lanka enjoy its two monsoon seasons. The former is the South West Monsoon, while the North East Monsoon visits closer to the end of the year. This means that while one side of the island is getting rain, the other would generally be enjoying more temperate weather. Travellers are advised to plan the timing of their visit depending on their travel priorities.
Sri Lanka’s warm and dry weather spells begin from February to April, punctuated by rains in May, before another dry spell hits the island from June to November.
If you, traveller, are coming to Sri Lanka fleeing winter then, chances are, you are coming to our island looking for warm weather and sandy beaches. In such cases, we recommend lots of beachwear, sunscreen, hat, insect repellent, and sunglasses.
Casual clothing is fine when walking the streets, but provocative clothing isn’t advisable. When visiting places of worship, please wear shirts along with long skirts/trousers as it is imperative to dress modestly in such places.
Travelling to Sri Lanka’s interior, particularly its mountainous region, should demand warmer clothing though temperatures rarely drop below 10°C (50°F).
Sri Lankans are mostly Buddhist but coexist with Hindus, Muslims and Christians.
Please note, that the monthly full moon is considered a day of pious reflection – no alcohol will be served on such days, and most businesses do close for business. The full moon in the months of May and June is among the most important – the former marks Vesak (a day to commemorate The Buddha’s Birth, Enlightenment, and Death) while the latter (called Poson) marks the arrival of Buddhism to these shores.Being multi-religious, Sri Lankans mark the following non-Buddhist holidays as well:
The local currency is the Sri Lankan Rupee. Currency notes are Rs. 5,000, Rs. 1,000, Rs. 500, Rs. 100, Rs. 50, Rs. 20 and Rs. 10. Coins will be in denominations up to Rs. 10.
Tip 01: To check whether a currency note/s is genuine, look for a lion watermark. Do not accept currency notes that are damaged or have writing on them.
Tip 02: Make sure you have plenty of lower denomination notes (50s, 100s and 500s) to buy small items as change is often hard to come by apart from hotels and big shops.
Most Sri Lankan hotels and cosmopolitan businesses accept major credit cards – VISA, MasterCard and American Express are well-known and accepted. Travelers can also use these cards for cash withdrawals from select bank ATMs.
Bank Opening Times:
9 am – 3 pm on weekdays. Some city banks offer 365-day banking and even night banking facilities. On Saturdays, most banks are open till 1 p.m. All local banks offer Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) facilities. The ATMs are found in all major towns and cities and accept VISA, Mastercard, and/or American Express.
You may be required to open your baggage for inspection. Refrain from carrying prohibited or restricted goods such as the following:
Important: Please retain your shopping receipts, especially for gems.
Mineral bottled drinking water is available at most retail shops. Safe bottled water will bear the SLS product certification mark issued by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution, based on SLS 1336: 2008 Sri Lanka Standard specifications.
Please avoid drinking water from the tap.
Your hotel provides safe, hygienic, and high-quality food. You may choose to eat outside the hotel at your own discretion, but remember the following rules of thumb:
Sri Lankans use 230 Volts power supply at 50Hz. Sockets come in two forms:
The former is obsolete and is in the process of being phased out while the latter is the standard going forward. Travel adapters are recommended when plugging inexpensive electronic equipment.
Water conservation is especially important in Sri Lanka. Water is a precious resource needed for personal use, industry, farming, and power generation (the island is heavily reliant on Hydro Electric Power). Here are some tips to remember:
Trishaw or Tuk Tuk: The simplest and cheapest way to travel short distances in Sri Lanka. Good-natured price bartering is widespread, although in Colombo this is often unnecessary, as many are fitted with a meter. In towns, work on a rough guide of about Rs. 50 a kilometre and agree on the price before you set off.
Taxi: These taxis – sedans, hatchbacks and mini cars – are good value for longer journeys and operate on set charges. However, be aware that taxis operating from 5-star hotels are dearer.
Bus: Cheap and plentiful, at least during the day, but often crowded and unreliable.
Train: Prices are cheap, so booking the luxury of first-class in advance is advised. Journeys from Colombo-Nuwara Eliya are a spectacular way to enjoy Sri Lanka’s landscape.
Car: Travelling on Sri Lankan roads is similar to getting around in other South Asian countries – visitors will need to come to terms with the congestion, road works, and eccentric motorists on the roads. It’s important to understand this, and how it can contribute to delays to your road journeys. Therefore, even if independent car hire is possible for those who want to drive, it is strongly advised that visitors choose chauffeur-driven cars; the costs are similar but the peace of mind is priceless.
Bicycle: Widely available though we recommend that you use this option only on the quietest of roads.
Scooters and Motorbikes: Scooters are, of course, as popular a form of transport for travellers as they are in the rest of Asia. However, it needs to be understood that the renting of scooters/motorbikes is offered by individuals running independent businesses that haven’t been audited or validated for vehicle safety. In addition, those who hire from such independent businesses have to hand over their passport to the respective business – we strongly advise against doing that. If visitors still do insist on hiring scooters/motorbikes, we recommend that you have prior experience riding in other parts of Asia.
Helicopters and Sea Planes: An interesting way of exploring the island, air travel allows travellers to bypass the long travel time on the road when driving around Sri Lanka. Talk to our travel experts about charter flights and special scenic flights.
Tipping drivers, chauffeurs, guides, jeep drivers, naturalists, trackers, hotel housekeeping, and hotel staff will be appreciated. Tipping, though, is totally at the discretion of travelers – tip based on your satisfaction with the services rendered.
Note the following:
No matter how many precautions are taken, some excursions and experiences may create unexpected scenarios. We expect our clients to act in a sensible manner at all times, and listen to all instructions provided by guides. Here are some basic rules of thumb to follow:
Emergency Numbers
Information Service
Tourist Police Units
For Chauffeur Guides (CG), we recommend a tip of Rs 1500 – Rs 2500 per day per couple, depending on the quality of the service. If the CG exceeds expectations, then clients are free to increase the amount as they wish.
Please note: For Car and Driver Tours (C&D Tours), the Chauffeur cum Guide is licensed by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (Tourist Board) to guide tourists at all sites Island-wide.
National Guide Based Tours:
