BPG_SriLanka

Accommodation (see also Camping and Recommended hotels)

Sri Lanka has a vast range of accommodation in all price brackets, from ultra-basic $10-a-night guesthouses to luxurious $1,000-a-night boutique hotels and villas. Wherever there are tourists you will find accommodation, usually a surprisingly wide range, and the explosion in upmarket accommodation over the past few years means that if you have got a bit of money, you can enjoy top-notch style and comforts at relatively affordable prices. Some of Sri Lanka’s top hotels and guesthouses are almost attractions in their own right, and there is a plethora of romantic colonial-era properties and stylish modern hotels exemplified by the island’s superb string of Geoffrey Bawa-designed hotels, such as the Jetwing Lighthouse and Heritance Kandalama –click here and click here as well as more unusual offerings, whether you are looking for the chance to stay in a converted tea factory or a natural cave.

Simple guesthouses can be found all over the island, usually family-run affairs either in private houses or small-scale custom-built lodgings. Many offer excellent value for money, with comfortable rooms and good home cooking for $25 per night for a double, or less. Hotels come in all shapes and sizes, from simple business and tourist hotels ($50–75 a night), package tourist-oriented resort hotels ($100–150 a night) mainly found along the west coast, to five-star palaces in stunning modern or colonial properties (anything from $200 and upwards per night). There is also an ever-increasing number of luxury villas available for hire, usually lovingly restored colonial properties with bags of character – there’s a good selection of properties on www.villasinsrilanka.com, www.boutiquesrilanka.com, www.srilankainstyle.com and www.reddottours.com.

Because of the large number of beds available it is almost never a problem finding a room, except at the very busiest times, though there is no harm in ringing or emailing ahead to reserve a room. The smaller and more exclusive the hotel, the more you are advised to book in advance, though it is usually fine to just turn up and take your chances at simple guesthouses. Prices in coastal areas fluctuate seasonally. Prices go up by anything from 10 to 50 percent during the season (November to April on the west coast; May to September on the east coast). Big festivals can also push prices through the roof, especially in Kandy during the Esala Perahera, or in Nuwara Eliya over Sinhalese New Year in April.

Airports

Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB; www.airport.lk) is located at Katunayake, 30km (19 miles) north of Colombo and 10km (6 miles) south of Negombo. There are plenty of unmetered taxis and touts hanging around: agree the fare in advance and count on around Rs.3,000 to Colombo (1hr), Rs.1,500 to Negombo (20min), or Rs.8,000 to Kandy (3hr). There are also shuttle buses every half hour to the nearby Averiwatte bus station, from where you can pick up onward services to Colombo, Kandy and Negombo.

There’s another commercial airport at Ratmalana, in the southern suburbs of Colombo near Mount Lavinia offering internal flights to Jaffna (1hr) and Trincomalee (1hr). The newest airport is the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport in the southeast, near Hambantota.

Bicycle and motorbike hire

The bicycle remains the staple form of transport for most Sri Lankans, and many guesthouses offer bikes for hire – anything from rusty old sit-up-and-beg antiques to state-of-the-art mountain bikes (from Rs.100–1,000 per day). If your guesthouse cannot help you, asking around the village or town where you are staying will usually turn up something. It is recommended to always check the bikes condition before you pay.

Motorbike hire is also available in a number of coastal resorts – Negombo and Hikkaduwa both have a couple of places renting out machines of various sizes, while you might also find bikes for hire elsewhere around the coast. Rates are generally good value; a 250cc bike, for example, will usually cost from $25 per day.

Budgeting for your trip

Despite rampant inflation and significant price rises in recent years, Sri Lanka is still one of the cheaper countries in Asia to visit. It is difficult to find decent accommodation under $30 a day. For $250 per couple per day you can enjoy good mid- to upper-range accommodation and food and plenty of excursions. Staying in one of the island’s luxury hotels or villas, however, will bump this figure up considerably.

Transport on buses and trains is so cheap as to be almost free – you could travel from one end of the island to another for under $25. A car and driver will set you back $55–70 per day, depending on the quality of the vehicle and who you arrange it through. A filling meal can cost from $1 in a local cafe to $75 in a top restaurant, including drinks. A big bottle of local beer usually will cost around $2.50.

Big recent price hikes in entrance fees at tourist attractions can put a strain on budget travellers’ finances; there’s a minimum fee of $5 at most museums, considerably more at major attractions (around $20 at Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, and $10 at the Temple of the Tooth, for example). It’s also worth being aware of the punitive fees levied on foreigners visiting government-run national parks ($40 and more once you have paid for transport) and archaeological sites in the Cultural Triangle ($25–30).

Camping

Sri Lanka’s only officially recognised campsites are in the island’s national parks, although (ironically) camping in a national park (once you have factored in all the absurdly inflated fees which are levied on foreign visitors, plus the cost of transport and a driver) actually works out considerably more expensive than staying in even a mid-range hotel. If you are determined to experience a night under canvas in the wilds, various operators can fix you up with a guide, driver and all the necessary camping kit.

Car hire (see also Driving)

The often chaotic local traffic and anarchic driving styles mean that few visitors drive themselves, although hiring a car with driver is a popular option. This can work out reasonably cheap, with rates from as little as $40 per day, depending on the length of the hire period and the mileage to be covered, and is well worth it to avoid the stress of having to deal with public transport and make the most of your stay. This can be arranged pretty much anywhere on the island, either through one of the tour operators , click here, through a local operator like Malkey (www.malkey.lk) or Quickshaws or through your guesthouse. Even places off the beaten track usually have local taxi drivers who will be happy to put themselves at your service for a day or for longer trips. For self-drive cars, Malkey is probably your best option. There are no nationwide breakdown services in Sri Lanka. Check with your car-hire firm before leaving what the procedure is should your vehicle cease working.

Climate

Sri Lanka’s climate is surprisingly complicated, with different weather patterns affecting different parts of the island. The welcome news is that there is always good weather in some part of the island at any time of year. The best time to visit the west and southwest coasts is from November to April; during the rest of the year the southwest (Yala) monsoon brings significant rainfall, with periodic deluges and overcast skies. The situation on the east coast is more or less exactly the opposite, the best time to visit being from April to September; from October to February the northeast (Maha) monsoon brings considerable rain and unsettled conditions to this side of the island. The hill country receives rain from both monsoons, particularly the Yala monsoon, which dumps huge quantities of rain on the southwest side of the hills. As such, the best time to visit the hills is from January to April. The Cultural Triangle sees little rain, although sporadic downpours caused by the northeast monsoon may be experienced from October to December. Temperatures are fairly constant year round, and are determined by altitude rather than by season, averaging around 27°C (81°F) on the coast, 22°C (72°F) in Kandy and just 16°C (61°F) in Nuwara Eliya.

Clothing

As throughout South Asia, great importance is attached to personal appearance and cleanliness.

Skimpy beachwear is fine on the beach, though cover up (women especially) away from the sand, and toplessness and naturism are not permitted anywhere. When visiting Buddhist and Hindu temples remove shoes and hats and cover shoulders and legs.

Crime and safety

For visitors, Sri Lanka is a reassuringly safe and law-abiding country. Petty theft and pickpocketing are much less widespread than in many Asian countries, while violent crimes against tourists are very uncommon. Nevertheless, it is wise to take sensible precautions and don’t invite trouble by leaving hotel rooms unlocked or valuables lying around. Women should avoid walking on their own along dark beaches (or other places) at night.

The major safety concern in Sri Lanka is traffic. The island has one of the world’s highest rates of road fatalities. Keep your eyes and ears peeled whenever there is traffic around, and never expect vehicles to stop (or even slow down) when you are crossing the road.

Another major safety issue is swimming (for more information, click here). Never swim in an isolated spot on your own and always seek local advice if there is no-one else swimming off a particular section of beach (strong currents and undertows are common).

The north and east of the island, until recently embroiled in civil war, are now safe to visit, although you should check the latest security situation carefully before attempting to visit these areas in case of further outbreaks of fighting or communal unrest. While significantly reduced since the end of the conflict, security forces maintain a visible presence, particularly in the north and eastern provinces. Military and police checkpoints can be established and road closures can occur without warning.

Driving (see also Car hire)

If you are determined to drive yourself, a few operators offer self-drive car hire, though this can actually work out more expensive than going with a driver. In order to hire a car you’ll need an international driving licence (or your national driving licence plus a temporary driving permit from the Department of Motor Traffic in Boralesgamuwa, Colombo) Sri Lankans drive on the left and there’s an official speed limit of 35mph in towns and 45mph outside, although given the crowded state of the roads, you’ll be struggling to even reach these speeds.

Electricity

Most sockets require round, three-pin plugs. The current is 220–240V 50 cycles AC. Adaptors for all sorts of foreign plugs are widely available in hardware, electronic and phone shops everywhere.

Embassies, consulates and high commissions

Australia: 21 Srimath R. G. Senanayake Mawatha, Colombo 7, tel: 011-246 3200, www.srilanka.embassy.gov.au.

Canada: 33A, 5th Lane, Colombo 3, tel: 011-522 6232, www.canadainternational.gc.ca/sri_lanka.

Republic of Ireland: Honorary Consul, Pership House (ONE), No. 72C, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 4, tel: 011-258 7895.

United Kingdom: 389 Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7, tel: 011-539 0639, www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-high-commission-colombo.

United States: 210 Galle Rd, Colombo 3, tel: 011-249 8500, https://lk.usembassy.gov.

Emergencies

Police emergency hotline – tel: 118/119

Ambulance, Fire and Rescue – tel: 110

Accident service, general hospital Colombo – tel: 011- 269 1111

Tourist police – tel: 011- 242 1052

Report crimes – tel: 011- 269 1500

Fire and ambulance service – tel: 011- 242 2222

In Colombo call 1990 for emergency services.

In the event of a medical emergency your guesthouse/hotel manager should be able to put you in touch with a local English-speaking doctor.

Getting there

The only way to reach Sri Lanka at present is by air – ferry services from India were discontinued at the beginning of the civil war in 1983 and are unlikely to resume for the foreseeable future. The island is well connected to international air networks. There are direct flights from London with SriLankan Airlines and BA, and numerous one-stop routings, most conveniently via India with Jet Airways, via the Gulf with Emirates, Gulf Air, Qatar Airlines, Kuwait Airlines Oman Air and Etihad, or via Asia with Thai Airways, Malaysia Airlines and Singapore Airlines.

There are no direct flights to the island from Ireland, North America or Australasia. Travelling from Ireland or the east coast of the US and Canada there are numerous convenient one- or two-stop routings via London or other European or Gulf cities. From the west coast of the US and Canada there is a similarly wide range of one- or two-stop flights via Asian hubs including Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.

Sri Lanka is well connected with many other Asian cities. SriLankan Airlines flies directly to six destinations in India, including Delhi and Mumbai, as well as to all the Asian hub cities listed above.

Guides and tours

There are hundreds of tour agencies and guides around the country, of wildly varying standards. The following are the best established operators, often boasting a degree of local expertise and knowledge.

Aitken Spence Travels tel: 011-230 8308, www.aitkenspencetravels.com. Travel arm of one of the island’s leading hotel chains, offering a good mix of general island tours, plus wildlife and nature tours and Ayurveda packages.

Jetwing Travels tel: 011-234 5700, www.jetwingtravels.com. Professionally run island-wide tours run by the travel wing of Sri Lanka’s largest hotel group with a mix of nature, culture and adventure themes.

Jetwing Eco-Holidays tel: 011-238 1201, www.jetwingeco.com. Sri Lanka’s premier eco-tourism operator, with an outstanding range of wildlife activities led by a team of expert guides.

Walkers Tours tel: 011-230 6306, www.walkerstours.com. Reputable larger tour operators, offering island-wide tours plus mountain-biking, trekking, bird watching, rafting, golf, watersports and diving.

Health and medical care

Immunisations are recommended for diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis A and polio; you might also consider having yourself vaccinated for tuberculosis, meningitis and typhoid. All regions of Sri Lanka experience outbreaks of the mosquito-born dengue fever. During the first part of 2015, over 15,000 suspected cases of dengue fever were reported. Almost half of these cases occurred in Western Province, where Colombo is located. The most effective way of avoiding dengue fever is, of course, to avoid being bitten in the first place. Take plenty of DEET mosquito repellent with you and cover up with light-coloured clothing from dusk onwards.

Although tap water in Sri Lanka is chlorinated and technically safe to drink, it is best to stick to bottled or boiled water. Cases of mild diarrhoea caused by unsanitary food are much less common than in neighbouring India, but if you are unlucky enough to be struck down, drink lots of water to avoid dehydration and stick to bland foods like rice, yoghurt and bananas. Coconut water is a good and safe source of liquid and contains valuable minerals such as potassium. If you have persistent severe diarrhoea, have a stool test to check for giardiasis and amoebic dysentery, both of which will require a course of antibiotics.

Standards of health care are reasonable; there are public hospitals in all major cities, plus numerous smaller private clinics. If you require treatment, the best first step is to ask at your hotel or guesthouse – any good establishment will be able to arrange for you to see an English-speaking doctor or to be taken to a reputable clinic. Health insurance is strongly recommended. All larger towns have at least one pharmacy, although only in Colombo will you find late night and 24-hour pharmacies.

Language

The main language is Sinhala, the language of the Sinhalese, spoken by around 75 percent of the population. Significant numbers of westernised Sri Lankans in Colombo actually speak English as a first language alongside Sinhala. Anyone involved with tourism will almost certainly speak good English, and you should have few problems communicating. There is no practical incentive to learn any Sinhala except to satisfy yourself. Sinhala speakers generally respond to foreigners’ attempts at speaking their language with incomprehension or, at best, polite amusement. The following expressions will raise a gratified smile, but for anything more complicated, stick to English.

LGBTQ travellers

Homosexuality is technically illegal in Sri Lanka, and although no-one has been convicted since the 1950s, the entire subject remains little understood by the majority of Sri Lankans and almost completely taboo. Discretion is advised. For information on the very secretive local scene, visit www.equal-ground.org or check out the various links at www.utopia-asia.com/tipssri.htm.

hello/welcome/goodbye ayubowan

yes oh-uh

no nay

please karuna karala

thank you es-toothy

sorry kana gartui

excuse me sama venna

How are you? Kohomada?

Good, thanks. Honeen innava.

Maps

Insight Guides’ Flexi Map is a good on the road map; it is durable, weatherproof and clearly labels the top sights around the island. The Survey Department’s Road Atlas of Sri Lanka, available from many bookshops in the island, has useful road maps and town plans. If you have trouble finding a place you would like to visit, you can contact the Tourism Hotline on tel: 1912 (from within the country).

Media

Sri Lanka has plenty of English-language publications and radio stations. There are no fewer than five English-language national newspapers (three dailies and two Sunday papers). Two (The Daily News and Sunday Observer) are indirectly controlled by the government, and so offer a rather biased view of events; better are the independently owned The Daily Mirror, The Island and Sunday Times, though the indifferent journalistic standards, curious style of written English and dense political jargon can make reading any of them a struggle. Foreign newspapers are only rarely available, and then at least a few days out of date; your best bet is to read them online. There is a burgeoning number of English-language monthly magazines as well. The excellent Travel Sri Lanka has insightful features on various aspects of the island, while Travel Lanka is also worth a look, as is the business-oriented Lanka Monthly Digest, which runs some good general-interest articles.

A number of English-language radio stations broadcast out of Colombo (though reception away from the capital is patchy). These mainly serve up a fairly bland diet of Western pop and inane (if sometimes unintentionally comic) chat; the best is TNL Rocks (101.7 FM). The BBC World Service and Voice of America are also widely broadcast. There is almost no locally produced English-language TV, though rooms in many smarter hotels have satellite TV offering the standard range of BBC, CNN and Star sports and movie channels.

Money

The Sri Lankan currency is the rupee, abbreviated variously as R, R/, or Rs. Coins come in denominations of Rs. 1, 2, 5 and 10, and 50 and 25 cents. Notes come in denominations of Rs.10, 20, 50, 100, 200 (rare), 500, 1,000, 2,000 and 5,000. At the time of writing the exchange rate was around Rs.235 to one British pound, and Rs.182 to one US dollar. Change is usually in short supply except in more upmarket establishments – do not expect to pay for a Rs.50 rickshaw ride with a Rs.1000 note, and take the opportunity to break large notes wherever possible.

To guard against the effects of inflation, many smarter hotels and tour operators give prices in dollars or euros, although payment may be expected in Sri Lankan rupees, calculated at the day’s exchange rate. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted at top-end places, and most towns around the island now have at least one atm which accepts foreign MasterCard and Visa credit cards. Travellers’ cheques are easily changed at any bank, although it is best to stick to cheques from a major brand (American Express and Thomas Cook are both safe bets) denominated in dollars, sterling or euros.

Opening times

Government offices and larger businesses usually observe a standard five-day working week from Monday to Friday. Post offices usually open Mon–Sat 8am–6pm, or later at larger branches. Banks generally open Mon–Fri from around 8–9am to 1–3pm. Smaller businesses and shops tend to stay open seven days a week – there is no particular tradition of Sunday closures, although in Muslim areas businesses sometimes shut for all or part of Friday. Most restaurants are open daily from early in the morning until the last customer leaves, although some establishments in Colombo close in the afternoons from around 3–6pm. Some museums, especially those in Colombo, shut on Fridays, or on one other weekday. Buddhist temples tend to be open more or less around the clock; Hindu temples, by contrast, often stay shut between the early morning and late afternoon pujas.

Police

Sri Lankan police are generally friendly and will do their best to be helpful but are not noted for their English-language skills. If you have a problem or need to report a crime, it is best, if possible, to take a Sinhala-speaking local with you to assist with translation. There are tourist police offices in a few towns around the island, though they are usually no better than regular police stations.

Post offices

There are post offices in all towns (and even some villages) across the island, usually open Mon–Sat from around 8am–6pm, or later. Those in larger towns have idd phone and express mail (known locally as ems Speed Post) services, as well as free poste restante facilities (ask for mail to be addressed ‘c/o The Postmaster, General Post Office, Town’ with your surname underlined). If sending a parcel abroad, take the contents unwrapped to the post office for inspection before you wrap them up – larger post offices usually have kiosks selling string, tape and brown paper.

Public holidays

There are no fewer than 24 annual public holidays in Sri Lanka, plus many other festivals during which things grind to a halt. Public, bank and Full Moon (Poya) Day holidays change every year as they are based on lunar cycles (please note that sale of alcohol is forbidden on Poya days). The constant national holidays are:

14–15 January Tamil Thai Pongal

4 February National Day

13–14 April Sinhalese/Tamil New Year

1 May May Day (Labour Day)

25 December Christmas Day

The Muslim holidays of Id-Ul-Fitr (Ramadan Festival Day), Id-Ul-Allah (Hajji Festival Day) and Milad-Un-Nabi (Holy Prophet’s Birthday) are also national holidays celebrated on different days each year, according to the cycles of the Muslim calendar.

January Durutu Poya

February Navan Poya

March Mahasivarathri, Medin Poya

March/April Good Friday

April Bak Poya

May Vesak Poya and day after

June Poson Poya

July Esala Poya

August Nikini Poya

September Binara Poya

October Vap Poya

October/November Deepavali

November Il Poya

December Unduvap Poya

Religion

The world’s four largest religions are all practised in Sri Lanka. The majority of the population (about 70 percent) are Buddhist, while the remainder is more or less equally divided between Hindus, Muslims and Christians. Almost all Sinhalese are Buddhist, while most Tamils are Hindu (though there are also significant numbers of Tamil Christians). Religion remains a dominant cultural force throughout the island in all communities.

Telephones

The country code for Sri Lanka is 94; the international access code to dial out of Sri Lanka is 00, followed by the relevant country code. All Sri Lankan landline numbers have 10 digits, including a three-digit area code. There are few public phone booths on the street in Sri Lanka; it is usually easier to find a ‘communications bureau’ – there are usually at least a couple of these in any town of note, offering phone and sometimes email facilities, along with photocopying and mobile-phone accessories.

You make your call either from a phone booth or from a phone at the counter and pay the bill at the end: count on around Rs.80 per minute for calls to the UK, North America and Australasia. Most smarter hotels have in-room idd phones, but rates from these are significantly higher. Local and national calls usually cost about Rs.10 per minute.

There is good mobile coverage across most parts of the island, even in the north. Alternatively, you can buy a Sri Lankan sim card for around $10 which gets you a local phone number and allows you to make international calls for as little as Rs.30 per minute; Dialog, Mobitel and Airtel are the largest companies.

Time zones

Sri Lanka’s clocks follow Indian Standard Time (IST). This means that Sri Lanka is at Coordinated Universal Time UTC (GMT) + 5.5 – 5.5 hours ahead of GMT in winter and 4.5 hours in summer; 10.5 hours ahead of New York in winter and 9.5 in summer.

Tipping and taxes

The upmarket hotels and restaurants often add a service charge of 10 percent to their bills, and you might also be hit with a 15 percent VAT (Value Added Tax), 1 percent tourism tax and 2.27 percent NBT (national building tax). The result is in an almost 30 percent surcharge on top of published prices; this can be a nasty surprise when you come to pay the bill, so it is always worth checking menus and hotel rates on arrival and before you commit to a booking. More downmarket establishments rarely levy any charge. If you think you have been well looked after, a tip of 10 percent or so should suffice.

Toilets

There are no public toilets in Sri Lanka, although as a foreigner you should not have any problems wandering into the nearest hotel to discreetly avail of the facilities. Almost all toilets are Western-style flush toilets, and are usually kept tolerably clean. Toilet paper is usually provided, though there’s no harm in carrying some emergency supplies.

Tourist information

Official sources of tourist information in Sri Lanka are virtually non-existent. There are only two properly set-up tourist information offices, in Colombo (80 Galle Road, Colombo 3, tel: 011-243 7059) and Kandy (Temple Street, by the entrance to the Temple of the Tooth, tel: 081 222 2661). There is also the Travel Information Centre at Bandaranaike International Airport in the Arrivals hall, tel: 011-225 2411. Alternatively, call the tourism hotline on 1912. Many guesthouse owners are also experts in their area and can tell you all you need to know, as well as arranging car hire, tours and other services. Tour operators can be found all over the island, especially in Colombo and down the west coast.

Sri Lanka Tourism (www.srilanka.travel) is a great place for information about Sri Lanka and useful when planning a trip.

Transport

Public transport is plentiful and incredibly cheap, but also generally slow and uncomfortable.

Bus. The staple means of transport is by bus; every town of any size on the island has regular services, and there are very few places where the network doesn’t reach. Buses are either of two types. Government-run buses (usually big orange rustbuckets) are the cheapest, slowest and most crowded, and tend to stop everywhere and anywhere there is a passenger to be picked up. Private buses come in all sorts of forms: the most basic resemble government-run buses in speed and (lack of) comfort. Faster services (usually signed ‘semi-express’ or ‘express’) tend to make more limited stops and to be a bit quicker, at least in theory. Fastest of all are the privately run express minibuses which ply the routes between major cities. These are often twice as fast as the other buses; the interiors are rather cramped, but at least they don’t usually get clogged up with standing passengers, as the slower and larger buses do. Fares on all buses are extremely cheap, ranging from as little as Rs.30 per hour of travel on the cheapest buses up to Rs.100 per hour on express minibuses. Advance reservations are virtually unheard of. All larger towns have bus terminals, though it is often possible to flag down buses by the roadside.

Train. Sri Lanka’s antiquated railway system offers a charming – if slow way of getting round the island, especially on the scenic hill country line. Fares are dirt cheap – the standard (second-class) fare from Colombo to Kandy, for example, costs little more than a dollar. Most trains consist of basic second- and even more basic third-class carriages; seats in these carriages cannot be reserved, so the chances are that you might end up standing for at least part of the ride. First class seats are still affordable. They are located in the observation carriage and have a private toilet but, other than that, it is not much better.

Tuktuk. The Sri Lankan rickshaw, known variously as tuktuks, three-wheelers or (somewhat euphemistically) ‘taxis’, are the staple means of covering short distances around towns, and can sometimes be useful for covering longer journeys in the country in places where bus services are sketchy. Bargaining is the order of the day, and you should always agree a fare before setting off to avoid arguments, unpleasantness and rip-offs later (if the tuktuk has a meter make sure it is switched on before). Estimating how much a journey should cost is difficult, but as a rough rule of thumb count on Rs.50–80 per kilometre. The longer the journey, the cheaper the per-kilometre rate should be.

Plane. There are regular domestic services from Colombo’s Ratmalana airport to Jaffna and Trincomalee; both flights take about an hour and, at a cost of around $150–200 return.

Visas and entry requirements

Citizens of the UK, Ireland, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand require a visa or ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation). The visa can be obtained online before you arrive at www.eta.gov.lk (US$30) or on arrival (US$35). The visa is valid for 30 days but can be extended to three months at the Immigration Service Centre in Colombo (fees vary according to nationality).

When you leave Sri Lanka, you are not allowed to export any ‘antiques’ (classified as anything more than 50 years old) or any animal parts or marine products (including coral and shells) without a licence. If you need a licence, ask at the tourist office in Colombo for details.

Websites and internal access

Colombo and Kandy have plenty of internet cafés with broadband connections. Most top-end hotels also have access. Rates vary from Rs.2 per minute in Colombo and Kandy up to Rs.10 per minute in less well-connected places.

www.srilanka.travel General travel information, tourist attractions and tourism news.