The Essential Sri Lanka Travel Guide (2024)

Sri Lanka, the pearl of the Indian Ocean. People are friendly, it’s safe and affordable and there are a wealth of places to visit in Sri Lanka. This little island is a delight to discover and has something to offer every traveller. Here you’ll find backpackers, honeymooners, families and more, as this island nation truly caters to everyone. 

Yes, Sri Lanka can be chaotic and it’s definitely overcrowded, but it’s still a real gem. And the word is out: people have been flocking in ever-increasing numbers. However, dig a little deeper, step away from the major Sri Lanka tourist attractions and you can easily get off the tourist trail and blaze your own path. 

Read on for our essential Sri Lanka travel guide, which has everything you need to know to discover this wonderful country, including all the places to visit in Sri Lanka and the best off the beaten path destinations. 

Sri Lanka Travel Guide: Basics

• Capital: Colombo
• Population: 22 million
• Currency: Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)
• Languages: Sinhala, Tamil and English 
• Religions: Sri Lanka is very diverse. The two largest religious and ethnic groups are the mainly Buddhist Sinhalese and Hindu Tamils, however, there are also many Christians and Muslims in Sri Lanka. 
• Driving: Left-hand side
• Electricity voltage: 230 Volt at 50Hz. 
• Electricity sockets: Plug type D (three round pins) and G (three rectangular pins)

Where is Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is an island located south of India, smack-bang in the Indian Ocean and just 160 km north of the equator. It’s super tropical, humid, lush and fringed with some of the wildest coastline you can imagine. 

Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital and largest city, is located in the southwest of the country. 

Related: 14 Awesome Things to Do in Sri Lanka in 2024

How to Get to Sri Lanka

Being an island, the only way to travel to Sri Lanka is to fly in. All flights arrive at Bandaranaike International Airport (BMI) at Katunayake, just north of Colombo.

The best way to get a good deal on the cost of a flight is to book as far ahead as possible, but fares tend to be pretty consistent year-round. We recommend checking Skyscanner to find the best deals on flights.

There are direct flights to Sri Lanka from Australia, the UK and Asia, but if coming from North America, you’ll have to layover somewhere (usually the Gulf). 

Sri Lanka Travel Guide: Visas

All visitors to Sri Lanka require a tourist visa, which must be obtained before arrival. Tourist visas are initially valid for 30 days, however, these may be extended for up to 6 months. 

Visas cost $20 USD for SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) countries and $35 USD for all other countries. 

You can easily apply online for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) here and if you find yourself wanting to spend extra time in Sri Lanka (like we did), you can extend your visa here. 

Read next: 10 Reasons You Shouldn’t Skip North Sri Lanka

The Best Time to Visit Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a year-round destination, thanks to its complicated weather patterns. What do we mean by complicated? Well, Sri Lanka has two monsoon seasons, each affecting a different part of the island. 

The main southwest (“Yala”) monsoon brings rain to the west and southwest coasts and the hill country from April or May to September and is wettest from April to June.

The less severe northeast (“Maha”) monsoon hits the east coast from November to March and is wettest from November to December.

And if that wasn’t enough, there’s also an inter-monsoonal period of unsettled weather preceding the Maha monsoon in October and November. During this time heavy rainfall and thunderstorms can occur anywhere across the island.

What this means is that there’s always good weather somewhere in Sri Lanka, so you can visit the country at any time. 

How much does it cost to travel in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is, generally speaking, a cheap country to travel in. It’s not Southeast Asia cheap, but still an affordable and great value destination.

Your biggest money savers are food and local transportation. Food is cheap and delicious. You can get a great rice and curry for no more than 1000 LKR ($2.75 USD). 

Local transport is extremely cheap. A local intercity bus will set you back 500 LKR ($1.50 USD). 

Accommodation is slightly more expensive but is still very good value. A double en suite room in a local guesthouse costs on average $20 – $30 USD a night, usually with breakfast included. 

Attractions, tours and big-ticket items are quite pricey and can eat away at your budget. Entrance to Sigiriya alone is $30 USD per person and a safari to one of the better-known national parks, such as Yala, will easily set you back more than $75 USD per person.

You can limit your expenses by selectively choosing your activities and sightseeing, as well as visiting lesser-known destinations.

For 7 weeks of travel, we spent $2,350 USD for the two of us (in early 2022). We generally travel on a budget but get our own room. This came out to $52 USD / per day for two people.  

To be on the safe side, we’d suggest budgeting around $30 – $40 USD per day. 

Sri Lanka Travel Guide: Internet, WiFi and connectivity

Sri Lanka is a pretty well-connected country and mobile data is cheap and easy to obtain. Every major provider has a kiosk at the airport, so you can set yourself up with a local sim on arrival. Otherwise, there are shops selling SIM cards in all the major cities. Both Dialog and Mobitel are good providers. 

Expect to pay around $10 USD for a 25 GB package. Coverage is also pretty decent, and much better than the WiFi in guesthouses. 

To top up, simply visit any corner shop and purchase data in increments of 100 LKR. You’ll get a little scratch card to redeem and it’s super easy. 

Need a guidebook for Sri Lanka? Our go-to is Bradt

Sri Lanka Travel Guide: Health and safety

Hygiene standards are pretty good and medical care is good. That said, don’t drink the tap water. Our recommendation? Get a Steripen and a wide-mouth water bottle, so you always have clean drinking water.

Sri Lanka is also malaria-free, but it still has the usual tropical maladies, so it pays to be up to date on your vaccinations. 

Is it safe to travel to Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka is generally a pretty safe country, crime-wise. You should always pay attention to your belongings in train/bus stations and on public transport as pickpocketing does occur. There are also some scams to be aware of, mostly drivers who’ll want to take you to a shop (and then they’ll earn commission as well). 

The biggest thing to be aware of is traffic. Sri Lanka, like much of the world, follows a no-rules-apply driving mentality, and traffic can get pretty crazy. If you’re renting wheels, always drive defensively and be careful when crossing roads. 

Never travel without travel insurance! Our go-to is SafetyWing. Get a quote here or put your details in the box below

Sri Lanka Travel Guide: Transport

The good news is that it’s very easy to get anywhere in Sri Lanka. The bad news is, if you want to do it cheaply, it’s crowded and chaotic. But it’s all part of the fun of travelling, right? 

Trains in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has a pretty widespread train system and it’s possible to get to many of the island’s popular spots via train. There are usually three classes of carriage, with only first-class and some second-class carriages reservable in advance. 

Note that if you take the Kandy-Ella train and want a seat, you must book far in advance.

Pro tip: Take the train in reverse (Ella – Kandy). It’s a far less popular option, so you have a better chance of getting a seat and won’t have to book months in advance.

Buses in Sri Lanka

There’s also a very extensive bus system, with a bus going pretty much anywhere you can think of. You may have to make a couple of transfers, but you can pretty much get anywhere in the country via a public bus, and it’ll cost next to nothing. Just don’t expect to sit and be prepared to be very uncomfortable. 

Private Drivers in Sri Lanka

Private driver hire is also affordable and a common way for travellers to get around the country, at a much more comfortable and quicker pace. 

When my parents came to meet us, we used Sri Lanka Car and Driver Hire for them. Otherwise, you can arrange a private driver here.

Read more travel tips in 47 Essential Sri Lankan Travel Tips

Sri Lanka Travel Guide: Accommodation

Sri Lanka has a wide range of accommodation options to suit all budgets. Like most places, prices usually change with the seasons. Booking.com is frequently used (and what we used), so you can find great options online. 

Pro tip: if you’re staying somewhere for a few days, it’s worth calling ahead to ask for a discount. 

Accommodation in Sri Lanka: hostels

Hostels aren’t super prolific, but you will find a few scattered throughout the country in the main tourist centres. 

Accommodation in Sri Lanka: Guesthouses

For budget travellers, your best bet is the family-run guesthouses. These can be anything from rooms directly in the hosts’ house to attached rooms / bungalows. They’re usually fantastic value and provide great insight into daily life. Breakfast is almost always included and dinner is usually available.

Accommodation in Sri Lanka: Hotels

Hotels run the gamut in Sri Lanka, from cheap and functional to luxury resorts. The choice is yours!

Sri Lanka Travel Guide: Food in Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan food is delicious and largely reflective of its tropical location and proximity to other cultural powerhouses. It’s largely based on coconut milk and local produce and is a melting pot of flavours from India, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. And don’t even get us started on the juices! 

Rice and curry, the national dish, is a glorious creation of multiple curries served with a humongous pile of rice. You can find it anywhere, but it’s largely a lunch dish (eaten with your hands). After sampling it, you’ll find yourself wondering why every meal can’t be a mix of at least 4 different dishes. 

The sounds of kottu, fried chopped roti, can be heard all around the island and found on every street corner. Another favourite is the wide variety of sambal, a relish served alongside many dishes. 

Be sure to also try the collection of hoppers: there are hoppers (bowl-shaped thin pancakes), egg hoppers and string hoppers (rice noodles formed into little nests).

By far the best food is in the north, where you’ll find spicy curries, seafood, dosas galore and Indian-influenced flavours. 

Places to Visit in Sri Lanka

For such a small country, Sri Lanka is surprisingly diverse with a long list of places to visit in Sri Lanka. Which places you visit in Sri Lanka will depend on what you want to do and see.

West Coast

One of the most touristed parts of Sri Lanka, most visitors tend to flock to the southern west coast’s popular beach resorts at places such as Hikkaduwa and Bentota. Heading south out of Colombo, expect to see unbroken beach development the entire way down. 

Less popular are the pristine and unspoilt areas north of Colombo, like Kalpitiya and Wilpattu National Park. This is a playground for the adventurous traveller who likes to get away from the crowds. In Kalpitiya you’ll find excellent kite surfing, diving and dolphin watching, while in Wilpattu you’ll find some of the best wildlife the country has to offer – with a fraction of the crowds. 

South Coast

The south coast of Sri Lanka is backpacker central and firmly feels like the banana-pancake trail often found in parts of Southeast Asia. Expect to see lots of smoothie bowls, selfie sticks and Instagrammers.

There’s no denying, however, that this part of the country has a magnificently rugged coastline and world-class beaches and surf breaks. Fortunately, for those willing to get out of the bubble, there are still some excellent areas ripe for exploration.

Pro tip: to get away from the crowds, explore Tangalle and some of the smaller beaches in the south. Goyambokka Beach in particular is a real gem place to visit in Sri Lanka. 

The Hill Country

Covered in tea fields in a million shades of green and cooler than the rest of the country, the Hill Country is a fabulous place to visit in Sri Lanka. This is a place to visit in Sri Lanka to relax, take a few walks, learn about tea and see more shades of green than you ever thought existed. 

The big-name spots here include Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Adam’s Peak and backpacker-filled Ella. For a quieter, more local vibe, check out Haputale and Maskeliya – the latter of which provides an excellent base for accessing the very off-the-beaten-track gem of Gartmore Falls.  

The Hill Country is also where you’ll find Riverston and the Knuckles Mountain Range, the best hiking the country has to offer. 

Read more about hiking in the Knuckles Range

The Cultural Triangle

North of the Hill Country are the dry, arid plains of the Cultural Triangle, the site of Sri Lanka’s first civilisation and home to the most spectacular cultural attractions in the country. Here you’ll find massive dagobas (stupas), rock temples, crumbling ruins and hilltop shrines. 

Sigiriya and Pidurangla get a lot of attention, but be sure not to miss Anuradhapura, Mihintale and the Dambulla Cave Temples. Polonnaruwa is another ancient city on the circuit.

Read: 21 Amazing Things to Do in Anuradhapura + Essential Travel Guide

North Sri Lanka

Jaffna and the north feel a million miles away from the rest of Sri Lanka, and if you’re looking for a place with no crowds and an amazing authentic experience, look no further.

Long cut off from the rest of the country due to the longstanding civil war, the north is an amazing place for intrepid travellers. It’s our favourite part of the country and a place to visit in Sri Lanka that should not be missed! .

Up north you’ll find the most pristine white sand beaches in the country, spectacular Hindu temples and an infectious, laid-back vibe.

The food is amazing, people are friendly and because few travellers venture up here, you’re guaranteed to get away from the Instagrammars and selfie sticks of the south. 

Related: 13 Amazing Places to Visit in Jaffna + Essential Travel Guide

The East Coast

The East Coast of Sri Lanka houses beautiful stretches of beaches and, save for Arugum Bay, a portion of the development seen in the West and South. A bit rougher around the edges than the backpacker hives of Mirissa and Hirikitiye, the east coast beaches offer a more intriguing, local vibe. Come here for a few days and you may find yourself surprised that a week has gone by. 

Read: A Complete Guide to Uppuveli Beach and Nilaveli Beach

While you’re here, be sure to check out Pigeon Island for the best snorkelling the country has to offer. 

Want to know more about all the things to do in Sri Lanka? Check out our guide on 14 Awesome Things to Do in Sri Lanka in 2024.

Sri Lanka Travel Tips

For all the Sri Lanka travel tips you might need, check out our article Sri Lanka Travel Tips: 47 Things You Need to Know Before You Go.

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