Sri Lanka Guide

Introduction to the country

 

Sri Lanka is also known Sri Lanka Prajatantrika Samajavadi Janarajaya is a beautiful country lying in the Indian Ocean and it is separated from by Palk Strait from peninsular India. If you are planning a trip to this country it will be wise if you know a thing or two about it.  The head of state in this country is the president and he is assisted by the prime minister. The capital city of the country is Colombo and the official language is Sinhala and Tamil. As unique as it might sound, there is no official religion in this country. Even if is there is no official religion, Buddhism has some special recognition. The population of the country as of now is around 21,089,000 and it is estimated to be around twenty-two million in 2030. Most of the people live in rural areas as only 18.5 percent of the whole population that lives in urban centers. The literacy level in the country is very high as over 90 percent of its citizens are literate.

The country attained its independence in 1948 after 150 years under the British rule. Seven years after the independence Sri Lanka was admitted into the United Nations. It is a member of the Commonwealth and South Asian Association for regional cooperation. The country is subdivided into 9 provinces and further subdivided into 25 districts. Most of the people in Sri Lanka are poor and it is densely populated. The citizens depend on agriculture for their livelihood. A physical environment of diversity makes this country one of the most scenic countries in the world. It is a home of several ethnic groups of which each group has its own heritage.

 

Best time to visit Sri Lanka.

 The weather in the country is usually determined by two monsoon seasons. The monsoon seasons alternate making Sri Lanka open for visits at any time of the year. Although you can visit the country at any time of the year, there are sometimes that are best to visit certain places and sometimes it can be hard to visit some places because of the weather.

The best time to visit the south and west coasts, as well as the hill country, is between December and March. And the best time to visit the east coast is from April to September.

As for the best time to visit the southern coastline, October to March is recommended. March is the best time recommended to visit the central hills. The region is elevated so it tends to be cool throughout the year but as from January throughout to march the place is the sunniest and driest. October and November are the wettest months.

If you are planning to visit the northern and Eastern areas, then you should know that April to September is the best time to visit. The monsoon seasons usually hit these regions as from November and December and the weather is usually not very conducive to visit.

August and September have been recommended for family holidays but it can get very hot so you will need to keep showering from time to time. The school term is usually between January and April so you want to visit the country during this time if you want to find the place quieter.

If you don’t mind heavy rains and downpour, then you might want to consider visiting the place between October and November. There are fewer visitors and you can be sure to enjoy the Diwali festivals which normally comes either in October or in December.

How to get a visa to Sri Lanka

The Transit visas that are valid for 48 hours are obtained free of charge. But as for a thirty-day visitor visa, it will cost you between25 US dollars and 100 US dollars. It usually depends on where you come from and you can confirm the rates from the national website page.

Before visiting Sri Lanka you will be required to get a thirty-day visa. It is actually very simple to get a visitor’s visa. Visit the electronic visa website for Sri Lanka some days before you arrive in the country. The steps of applications are super easy to follow and anyone can follow them. Fill every detail the right way and process the payment using your debit or credit card. When your application is approved, you can go ahead and print out the visa.

The visa can also be obtained from the visa from the country’s embassies all over the world. You can also obtain the visa upon arrival at the airport but you will have to wait a long time as you will not be the only one who will be waiting to get a visa. The visa costs are 40 US dollars which are higher than the around 25 dollars you could have used if you apply online.

If you enjoy your time too much in the country and want to extend your stay, you can contact the department of immigration and emigration to renew your visa. You can actually renew the visa 2 times meaning you can stay in Sri Lanka for 3 months. The extension process is actually pretty simple and you can even complete the process within one day. It takes a maximum of 5 hours to complete this process.

Do I need vaccines to visit Sri Lanka

Yes! You will need several vaccinations before visiting Sri Lanka. The following are some of the vaccines that you may need:

• For infants, below 11 months a dose of MMR will be required before traveling to Sri Lanka. This does not include the regular dosage that a kid is given during childhood. People who are 12 months and above and do not have any documentation about being vaccinated before, will require two doses of MMR and those who have the documentation will be required to take one dose of the same.

• The routine vaccines. It is important that you be vaccinated against regular diseases such as chicken pox, polio, tetanus, and Diphtheria.

• Hepatitis A. It is not mandatory but it is recommended to most travelers. The CDC recommends these vaccines because it is very possible to get Hepatitis A from the food of Sri Lanka regardless of where you will be staying or where you will be eating.

• It is also very possible to get contaminated water or food which can lead to typhoid. The CDC does recommend that you get this vaccination especially if you are going to be visiting the smaller cities or rural areas. Even if you are visiting your friends and you are going to be staying with them or you are the type of guy who likes trying new foods, then you will be required to get a typhoid vaccination.

• Hepatitis B. The vaccination against this disease is just recommended to some travelers. The CDC recommends you get this vaccination especially if you are going to have sex with a new partner, do some piercing, tattoos or many medical procedures.

• Japanese encephalitis. You will be required to have this vaccine if you are going to be spending more than 30 days in the country. If you are planning to be visiting the rural areas it is also recommended that you get vaccinated against this disease. You can contact your doctor to help you decide if you need the vaccine or not.

• This disease is found in dogs, bats and other mammals in the country. It is recommended that you get this vaccination especially if you will be doing some hiking, caving, camping, etc. If you are going to be working around animals then it is also recommended that you get vaccinated against rabies. Since children tend to play with animals a lot, it is recommended that they get vaccinated too.

• Yellow fever. It is not like there is any risk of this disease in Sri Lanka. But the government will require some proof that you are vaccinated against yellow fever especially if you are arriving in the country with the risk of this disease. The citizens of US don’t need to be vaccinated against yellow fever before visiting the country but if you are from other nations then you might want to check if your country is required to have this vaccination before visiting Sri Lanka.

 

Travel safety in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka does not really present any extraordinary concerns about safe travels. Visitors who have tattoos and images of deity on their clothes have been denied entry and those already there have been arrested or deported. You are required to show Buddha maximum respect.

You should have a travel insurance cover if your home health insurance won’t cover you when you are in the country.  Carry a copy proving that you are covered before traveling to Sri Lanka.

You might be tempted to think that Sri Lanka is insecure to visit but the only thing that most travelers can really complain about is stomach upsets. There is no serious illness associated with travelers who visit Sri Lanka.

What to pack when going to Sri Lanka

Don’t be those kinds of a guy who packs a 30 kg luggage just for a one week trip. Don’t back way too much even if you don’t want to wear cloth twice. You can always find a dry cleaner where your clothes can be washed for a few bucks. The following items will be enough to last you for the days you are planning to stay in Sri Lanka.

• Ran a jacket and umbrella. There are going to going to be some wet seasons on the island so you should be always prepared that the rain can come at any time.

• Sunscreen and mosquito repellant. It is not like malaria is a very big issue in the country but sometimes we just want to take precautions. You can actually buy them from Sri Lanka but if you want to come with yours from home, then there is no problem with that.

• Sandals and jelly flats. You will be required to take out your shoes from time to time in this country especially when entering the temples. Sometimes you can even be required to take out your shoes when entering some cafes and restaurants. Sandals will be easier to take out and they are better at hiking anyway.

• Sarong. A sarong is necessary for Sri Lanka since you can use it as a towel, blanket, scarf, etc. they are lightweight and they dry quickly. Choose white sarongs as there are some temples you cannot be allowed into if you are wearing a black sarong.

• Warm weather clothes. In most times the weather of Sri Lanka is hot and humid.

• Backpack and a daypack. One for your clothes and items and the other one for your valuable items.

• Hiking shoes. There are going to be a lot of hiking in Sri Lanka so you need to be prepared with some hiking shoes.

• Bathing suit and towel. You will have plenty of opportunities to go swimming so you will definitely need a swimsuit and a towel.

• Camera, spare batteries, and a memory card. You are going to fall in love with the place so it will be wise if you carry a camera to record the moments.

Essential language phrases

It is not easy to know if a person is Sinhala or Tamil. All you can do is guess. About 75% are Sinhala while the rest speak Tamil. The following are some of the language phrases for the Sinhala language:

• Ow.

• Naa.

• Ayubowan.

• Thank you.

• My name is. Mage mama.

• English? Ingrisi?

• How much? Keeyada?

You might also consider knowing some Tamil and the following are some of the basic phrases in the Tamil language.

• Amam.

• illai.

• Thank you.

• My name is. Yen peyar.

• English? Ankilam?

• Tuyavu ceytu.

Typical costs in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is actually a cheap country to visit and with a budget of about 35 dollars per day, you can be sure to have a comfortable and fun life. The currency used in the country is rupees and one dollar is equal to around 176 rupees. We will provide you with a list of costs of basic things so that you can see how it can really be cheap to stay in this country.

• National Museum in Colombo. 600 rupees.

• Bottle of water. 60 rupees.

• Tuk-tuks from dumballa all the way to sigiriya. 1000 rupees.

• Chicken and water. 370 rupees.

• Hostel in Kandy. 600 rupees.

• Dosai dinner in Kandy. 200 rupees.

• Beer. 500 rupees.

• Burger and fries in Galle. 1200 rupees.

That’s the cost of things in Sri Lanka and as you can see it is very cheap to survive and have fun at the same time in this country. A budget of 40 dollars per day will be more than enough to sustain you in the country.

Saving tips when you are in Sri Lanka

If you want to stay for longer and avoid going home earlier than you expected then you will have to learn how to save.  Lucky for you, we have just prepared you some of the best money saving tips which include:

• Research well. The only way to know places that offer cheap services and where to stay for lower prices is by research. Do your research well before traveling to the country.

• Travel offseason. Offseason trips are the most pocket-friendly. The place will be less crowded and it will be easier to bargain as compared to the peak season. After all, you can visit Sri Lanka at any time of the year. You can have fun even outside the peak seasons because Sri Lanka has a lot to offer regardless of the time of the year.

• Check at least 3 places before paying up for accommodation.

• Reach out to the people who have already been to Sri Lanka to help you with advice and help you with the best places you can stay and useless money.

• Buy a local sim card instead of using yours and end up using a lot of money because of the roaming charges which can be stupidly expensive.

• Enjoy the free things. It is not written anywhere that you have to use a lot of money in order to have fun. There are a lot of free things that you can do in Sri Lanka. Visit the public park, go swimming, enjoy the magical sunset, etc.

• Keep an eye for offers and discounts.

• Try the local and street food which is delicious and cheap and it will definitely help you save a lot of money.

Where to go in Sri Lanka

There are a lot of beautiful places to visit in Sri Lanka.  Some of the places to visit include:

• Kandy is most certainly one of the most beautiful places in this country. The city is located just in the heart of the country and you are going to be blown by the beauty of this amazing place. It is the second largest city in the country after Colombo. The city is the home to the holiest temple in the country the temple of tooth. Visit the temple and say some prayers and maybe before you leave they will be answered. The green hills in this city make it such an amazing place to be. A festival hosted between July and August in the temple of the tooth is definitely something you should look out for.

• The commercial center and the largest city in the country is definitely worth a visit. It is an excellent spot to visit and you can be sure of maximum fun from the beginning to the end. It is the gateway to most of the travelers since they have to enter the county via the capital. Some people are tempted to pass but there are actually a lot that you can enjoy in this city. Visit the national museum, make your way to Beira Lake before finding some time to visit the spectacular Gangaramaya temple. This city has so much to offer and it deserves more than a side note by the travelers.

• This coastal city that is 130 km south of the capital has everything you want to have fun. You can’t really say you have been to Sri Lanka if you haven’t found your way to this magnificent city. Take a walk through the famous Galle fort before you go shopping in the amazing shops and boutiques. Go surfing and enjoy some cool afternoon in the amazing beach in Unawatuna, Which is a very a friendly beach where you can enjoy your time with family. Still, at the beach, enjoy some scuba diving before you have some excellent coffee at Kat’s.

How to get around in Sri Lanka

Getting around this country is quite simple as it can be done easily via the roads.  95 percent of transportation in this country is actually done via the roads. Make use of public transport but if that is not your kind of stuff then you can go ahead and use the readily available taxes or even hire a car. You will have to book in advance if you want to use rail transport.

 

Dos and don’ts in Sri Lanka

• Don’t raise your voice or display strong negative emotions as the citizens might interpret it as loss of control.

• Don’t talk about politics as this topic is very sensitive to them.

• Religious topics are very sensitive in this country and you should not discuss alternate religious views unless you know the person very well.

• Don’t sit or touch any image or statue of Buddha, your innocence and not knowing might be interpreted as disrespecting the Buddha.

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