On a Shoestring -Summer-Culture, Wildlife, Beach & Tea - Family Adventure

Sri Lanka has a recorded history that spans back 3000 years. Like its massive neighbour India, Sri Lanka is a diverse country, home to many religions, ethnicities and languages. It is also still blessed with a variety of wildlife that has survived alongside this human civilization, on this small island for centuries. Today it offers tourists a diverse experience - from the modern city of Colombo with its sky scrapers to national parks teeming with elephants and religious and cultural buildings of multiple origins.

Rich in history, modern day Sri Lanka blends the strong influences of the Portuguese, Dutch and British settlers who occupied the island. Today it relishes the freedom which the end to the thirty year civil war has brought in the past year. Sri Lanka gained its independence from the British in February 1948 and today is setting out on a path to becoming a more developed and prosperous country.

Key

Capital:                      Colombo Population:     20.1 million  Total area:  25,332 sq miles

Airport:                      Bandaranaike Int. Airport  

Currency:                 Sri Lankan Rupee (Rs)

Time Zone:                Winter - 5 ½ hours ahead of GMT,  Summer – 4 ½ hours ahead of GMT

Languages:                 The main language spoken in the country and in the southern regions is Sinhala. To the north of the country, Tamil is more widely spoken by the locals. However all over the country English is widely spoken in the tourist areas and in all of the hotels.

The Weather

7° north of the equator, Sri Lanka enjoys a tropical climate with temperatures in Colombo and on the beach between 26°c to 32°c.

However, the rainfall varies considerably during the year and it is important to know when the Monsoon affect the different parts of the island. 

Northeast monsoon:     November to February 

Southeast monsoon:     April to June  

Passport & Visa – Passports requiring a visa should have one blank page and be valid for at least six months from date of departure from Sri Lanka. If you are travelling on a British passport you need to obtain an electronic visa prior to departure. Most countries do require a visa and may be obtained electronically depending on nationality.  www.eta.gov.lk The cost for the visa is $50per person.

Vaccinations - You are strongly advised to visit a doctor for confirmation of the requirements for vaccinations. Usually it is recommended that you are inoculated for polio, tetanus, typhoid and hepatitis A and B. 

Religion – Sri Lanka is a multi-faith society. Although 60% are Buddhists, the remainder are Hindu, Christian and Muslim. In many places, temples, churches and mosques can be seen adjacent to each other. When visiting temples and historic sites, it is required to wear trousers or items below the knee line & keep shoulders covered. Essentially a conservative society, it is important to maintain dignity at all times in public places.  

Imported goods are in short supply. Please ensure that you carry any prescribed medication, travel medication, suntan lotions and mosquito repellent

Public Holidays – Sri Lanka is renowned for having many Public & Bank Holidays. Poya day is the name given to a Buddhist public holiday in Sri Lanka which occurs every full moon day, each month. Most shops and businesses are closed and no alcohol is served in public places on Poya days & other Public Holidays, including hotels and restaurants. A restricted alcohol service may be offered, by room service, in your hotel. 

Currency and Cash –In Colombo, cash can be withdrawn from ATMs and there are plenty of banks which will change cash. ATMs are fairly widely available whilst touring. Most hotels will accept credit cards.. On arrival at the airport you will have the opportunity to change Sterling to Rupees. There are several banks which should be open on arrival and normally offer a fair exchange rate. You will struggle to purchase these in the UK as it isn’t legal tender out of Sri Lanka.

Tipping -  As a developing country, rates of pay in Sri Lanka are well below the levels which are normal in Europe and a modest tip will be appreciated. At hotel we suggest a $10 -$15 (or equivalent in any currency) tip per room per night.  Most boutique hotels operate a system of shared tips at the end of the stay to be shared by the whole team.

Driver / Guides – Your driver guide will generally stay with you throughout any organised tour. However, having been dropped to a beach resort you may be picked up by a different driver for any onward or airport transfer. The guides will speak good English and have been trained to act as your guide throughout your visit. It is important that you tell your driver guide what you like and dislike and don’t hesitate to ask him to stop or to vary your itinerary. He will, of course, advise you if you are going to incur any additional entrance fees or mileage charges. The driver / guide is paid by the tour company and his meals and accommodation have been organised. Your guide will not expect to normally eat with you in the evenings and it is up to you to invite him to join you at lunch time. Tipping is of course discretionary, but we would suggest $15-20 (or equivalent in any currency) dependent upon your experience. Hard currency is popular with the driver guides, so don’t bother changing into Rupees.  You could plan to tip in pounds or dollars.

Roads – distances in Sri Lanka can be deceptive and take much longer than would be the equivalent journey in the UK. Today most main roads are well surfaced, but the volume of traffic and congested small towns makes journeys slow. Our driver guides have been trained to drive safely. However, if you are not comfortable with the style of driving, please do tell your driver guide accordingly.

Sea – On the South and West Coast the currents can be very strong throughout the year. It is always best to assume that swimming is dangerous and not do so until you have explored and asked further from your local hotel. Never swim in the sea when you are alone or after dark or against the advice of the hotel.

Mosquitoes – Unfortunately they exist and it is difficult to avoid them. We recommend that you use an insect repellent which is at least 50% Deet.  You will struggle to find repellents with Deet in Sri Lanka so plan to take plenty with you.  Put it on in the morning when you get up and reapply during the day. There is no Malaria in Colombo nor in most of the tourist areas in the Cultural Triangle, Hill Country nor Coastal region. However, Dengue is present in these areas and the best course of action is to prevent being bitten by applying insect repellent during the day as well.

Mobile and Internet – phone coverage is excellent in Sri Lanka and most hotels provide complimentary wifi. WhatsApp is an useful method of keeping in contact with your driver guide as well as those back at home.  Our driver guides also have limited wifi in the vehicle.

Clothing requirements – when visiting the country hill areas of Kandy and Nuwara Eliya, the temperatures can drop in the evening and it is advised to travel with a light jumper or jacket. When dinning in the evening in hotels, very few hotels require trousers, collared shirts & closed shoes to be worn. Light cotton materials are ideal for the climate of Sri Lanka. We would advise you to take sturdy shoes for walking on uneven ground or trekking. Knees and shoulders must be covered when visiting temples for men and women. Children under the age of 8 from the rules of covering in the temples.

Water – Travel Gallery is committed to eliminating single use plastic where ever possible. Most of the hotels that we work with have safe drinking water available and we encourage you to travel with a water bottle and to refill at the hotels. Tap water is generally clean to wash your teeth in.  Bottled water is widely available from supermarkets and shops around the country if you feel uncomfortable about drinking the safe drinking water offered by the hotels.

Alcohol – Alcohol is served in most hotels and can be bought freely in supermarkets and from off-sales shops.  A small number of boutique hotels do not have an alcohol license but may have arrangements in place to purchase on your behalf. Please note that the sale of Alcohol is strictly forbidden on most religious & public holidays and including all Poya days. Hotels are permitted only to serve alcohol in your hotel room on these days and not in public areas. The government has from time to time also decreed additional days when Alcohol sales are restricted.

Jewellery – We generally do not recommend buying jewellery. If you decide to purchase an item of jewellery please be very cautious as there are many unscrupulous jewellers. In Colombo there are plenty of jewellers to choose from and you can walk into larger shops in Colombo with reasonable confidence, providing you are clear on what you are buying. Please be aware that driver guides are normally well rewarded if they introduce a client to a jeweller. We have our personal favourite – Sena Gems 41-B Ridgeway Place, Marine Drive, Colombo. This is unpretentious shop and we have always found them to be good value for money and it is where we go to buy jewellery.

Tuk Tuks & taxis – three wheelers to the locals- are great to use for short journeys and in the evenings- not air conditioned and they don’t always try to avoid the pot holes. Always negotiate with the driver to agree the fare before you set off. For a 10 minute journey on average would cost around $3-5 in rupees depending on the time of day. Taxi’s can be ordered, are metered and are cheap (often cheaper than a Tuk Tuk). Cars are also available from all of the major hotels, they will quote a fare before the journey – but they are the most expensive option.

Food – Sri Lankan curries are hot so beware. However, you will find in all of the hotels and certainly in Colombo that your choice of food is extensive and it’s a lot cheaper than the UK! When in Colombo and Galle it is well advised to eat out of your hotel and experience some amazing quality food.

Supermarkets - Throughout the island there are small to medium sized supermarkets in most towns. Cargills, Keels and Arpico are the three main chains which you can reply upon. Many supermarkets will also have a small and reliable pharmacy within the shop. Imported goods such as suntan lotions.

Restaurants – Colombo offers a great variety of places to eat out and in comparison with the UK offers great value for money. Outside of Colombo & Galle there are more limited opportunities to experience good restaurants except in hotels. 

Currency 

Local currency: Sri Lankan Rupee 
Symbol: රු 
ISO code: LKR 
Subunit: Cent 
Banknotes: රු20, රු50, රු100, රු500, රු1000, රු2000, රු5000 
Coins: Cent, රු1, රු2, රු5, රු10 

Banking 

Card Transactions: Yes 
ATMs: Yes 
Mastercard: Yes 
Visa: Yes 
American Express: Yes 
Diner’s club: Yes 

Banking Hours: 
Weekdays: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM 
Weekends: Closed 
Public Holidays: Yes 
Foreign exchange services: Yes 

Trains connect Colombo with all tourist towns in Colombo, but first-class carriages, with air conditioning are available on only a few. It is offten difficult to purchase Sri Lanka Railways (www.railway.gov.lk). New fast services operate on the principal routes, including an intercity express service between Colombo and Kandy, otherwise journeys are fairly leisurely. First-class carriages almost always book up in advance, so it’s best to secure your ticket early. If your itinerary includes a train journey, they can only be purchased 14-30 days in advance. Your guide will have the tickets. Trains are often cancelled and we often face challenges in obtaining the tickets. We try for 1st, 2nd and 3rd class tickets in that order when we prebook.

Unpasteurised milk should be boiled, and if possible powdered or tinned milk is advised; these are generally available in Sri Lanka. Pasteurised and sterilised milk is available in some hotels and shops. Avoid dairy products made using unboiled milk. Beware of eating salads - vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled, and all should be washed in sterilised water. Street food in Sri Lanka is ubiquitous but use your judgement wisely and only eat well-cooked meat and fish, that have not been left sitting out.

Whether it’s a curry spread served in a private house or a succulent fish dish dressed to perfection in a restaurant, Sri Lankan cuisine is a true treat for the taste buds. Rice, spices and fruit are at the centre of most meals - expect a typical non-Westernised menu to feature staples such as mango lassi, Ceylon tea, curries and ‘roti’ flatbread. Prices are incredibly low outside the tourist hotspots, and it’s quite possible to eat like a king for less than £5 per day.

While Sri Lankan cookery is increasingly famous for its fine flavour combinations, most visitors will draw the line at being served curry at breakfast. Bigger hotels generally offer British-style spreads, but at smaller guesthouses you may need to ask for something a little milder. Expect a greater diversity of cuisine in large towns and cities such as Colombo and Negombo, where Chinese, Continental, Indian and Japanese menus are common.

In most Sri Lankan towns, you’ll find pavement stalls and corner shops selling street food specialities. No trip to the country is complete without a scrumptious snack bought from a street vendor but avoid unpeeled fruit and salads, which can trigger violent reactions in the uninitiated.

Alcohol cannot be sold on poya holidays (which occur each lunar month on the day of the full moon).

Most hotels include a 10% service charge. Extra tipping is optional.

Sri Lanka climate is tropical and consists of distinct wet and dry seasons. The Yala monsoon brings abundant rainfall to the country’s western and southern regions from May to September; the area experiences its dry season during December through March. Altogether, the southwest receives around 4000mm of rainfall each year. The Maha monsoon affects northern and eastern Sri Lanka weather and often lasts from October to January, with the dry season usually lasting from May to September. This region receives approximately 1000mm of precipitation annually, significantly less than the other half of the country. There is also an inter-monsoonal period in October and November during which rain and thunderstorms occur frequently across the island.

Generally speaking, upland areas of Sri Lanka are cooler and more temperate, with a yearly average around 16-20ºC (60-68ºF), and coastal areas are warmer with average temperatures around 27ºC (80ºF). The March-June season experiences slightly higher temperatures (up to 33ºC / 92ºF), while the temperatures in November-January are a few degrees lower (around 24ºC / 75ºF at the coast). Sri Lanka weather along the shores is made more comfortable by cooling sea breezes. The surrounding sea remains rather constant at roughly 27ºC (80ºF) year-round. Humidity is typically rather high in Sri Lanka, averaging out at around 80% year-round.

Sri Lanka climate can be at its most enjoyable in the drier seasons; the best time to travel to the west, south and upland areas of the island is during December to March, while the recommended travel season for the east coast region is April to September.

The most popular season for tourism is between December and March, when the country attracts Europeans fleeing the Northern Hemisphere’s winter weather. Christmas and the New Year are particularly popular for a Sri Lankan holiday, while July and August represent festival season on the island – if travelling during either time it is recommended to book well in advance to guarantee accommodation. May to October is drier on the North and East.

The island is certainly a year-round destination as there is usually one region of the country experiencing good weather, while others are hit by poorer conditions. The diverse topography of Sri Lanka allows for balmy beach holidays on the east coast from April to November, while the west is ideal for hitting the beach from December to March. However, be aware that Sri Lanka weather can be unpredictable during any season.

Spring and Summer 

Cool, light, breathable and comfortable: Yes 
Lightweight warm clothes: No 

Winter and Autumn 

Jerseys, cardigans, sweaters, jackets: Recommended 
Heavyweight clothing and boots: No 

General 

Umbrella and raincoat: Yes 
Warm gloves, hat and scarf: No 
Swimming costume (bathing suit): Yes 
Hat, sunglasses and sunblock: Yes 
Walking shoes: Yes 
Casual: Yes 
Smart-casual attire: Yes 

For the most part, electrical sockets (outlets) in Sri Lanka are one of two types: the "Type D" Indian 5 amp BS-546 or the European CEE 7/16 Europlug. The Indian socket is actually an old British standard. The "Type D" Indian plug and socket is not to be confused with the "Type M" South African plug and socket. In pictures, they look very similar, but the South African type is much larger than the Indian type, and they are physically incompatible. If your appliance's plug doesn't match the shape of these sockets, you will need a travel plug adapter in order to plug in. Travel plug adapters simply change the shape of your appliance's plug to match whatever type of socket you need to plug into. If it's crucial to be able to plug in no matter what, bring an adapter for both types.

Electrical sockets (outlets) in Sri Lanka usually supply electricity at between 220 and 240 volts AC. If you're plugging in an appliance that was built for 220-240 volt electrical input, or an appliance that is compatible with multiple voltages, then an adapter is all you need.