When visiting Sri Lanka for the first time, it is simple to feel a little overwhelmed and lost, so learn the fundamentals before you fly and educate yourself about the nation with our helping you plan guide.
Learn a little more about Sri Lanka's traditions, culture, Wi-Fi availability, seasonal climate, geography, and available luggage delivery services. Here, you'll find answers to many common queries first-time visitors may have, as well as insider knowledge and helpful pointers to assist you traverse the nation with assurance.
Sri Lanka's official language is Sinhalese, but English is generally understood in major cities and designated tourist sites.
We recommend tipping 10 percent in cash to servers in restaurants, bars, and cafes, and the same for drivers. When it comes to hotel staff, luggage porters are generally tipped USD 0.50 per bag, while we suggest leaving anywhere up to USD 1 per day for cleaners.
Traveling to Sri Lanka with children may seem like a daunting prospect and something best avoided, however, the country is surprisingly accessible.
Sri Lanka Standard Time is five and a half hours ahead of GMT. (Allowance should be made for summer-time changes in Europe.)
Even though Sri Lanka is a cash-centric country, credit cards are usually accepted in most shops and restaurants in major cities.
At major train stations, airports, and hotels, as well as in most newer shopping centers and theaters in the city, the disabled traveler or wheelchair user should have little trouble getting from place to place.
Wireless hotspots are popping up all over major cities in Sri Lanka, so you should never be too far from a Wi-Fi connection.
Visitors to Sri Lanka are eligible for tax exemption on many consumer goods. The process of receiving your tax back can vary from store to store.
Tourist visa with Double Entry for 30 days. Business visa with Multiple Entries for 30 days. Transit visa with Single Entry for 2 days. ETA processing fee and Short Visit Visa fee charged by the Sri Lanka Overseas Missions.
For Sri Lanka there are two associated plug types, types D and G. Plug type D is the plug that has three round pins in a triangular pattern, and plug type G is the plug that has three rectangular pins in a triangular pattern.
The Sri Lankan Rupee is used throughout the country and you can exchange foreign currency at the airports and most major banks.
If you’re heading to the west, or south coasts and the hill country, then you’re best off going between December and March. If you’re intending to make your way to the east coast and the north then the best time is from April or May to September.
