Guides to the island
Things to do in Colombo: a day or two in the commercial capital
Walk Galle Face Green at sunset, explore Fort and the Pettah markets, see the National Museum and climb the Lotus Tower: Colombo in one or two days (2026).
What to wear and pack for Sri Lanka
What to wear in Sri Lanka: light clothes that cover shoulders and knees, a warm layer for the hills, a Type G adapter and repellent (checked Oct 2026).
What a trip to Sri Lanka costs in 2026
Rooms and a driver cost most; the big sights add about US$90 plus 25,599 rupees per person. Every price in a Sri Lanka trip, dated October 2026.
How to book a train in Sri Lanka: classes, seats and tickets
Book reserved seats on seatreservation.railway.gov.lk up to 30 days ahead with your passport number; unreserved tickets are sold on the day (Oct 2026).
Health in Sri Lanka: vaccines, dengue and drinking water
What UK and US health agencies say for Sri Lanka: routine vaccines, typhoid and hepatitis A for many, no malaria, dengue all year (checked Oct 2026).
Twenty Sinhala and Tamil phrases worth learning
Ayubowan, sthuthiyi, Vanakkam, nandri: twenty phrases, most in both Sinhala and Tamil, for greetings, prices, food and directions, with pronunciation.
PickMe and Uber in Sri Lanka: when an app beats a tuk-tuk
PickMe covers far more of Sri Lanka than Uber, whose rides run in Colombo, Kandy, Galle and a few districts (Oct 2026). Where each works, and how to pay.
Is Sri Lanka safe? What the advice says, and what to watch for
The UK advises against travel to no part of Sri Lanka, and the US rates it level 2 of 4 (October 2026). The real risks: roads, the sea, scams, dengue.
The India–Sri Lanka ferry: Nagapattinam to Kankesanthurai
The India–Sri Lanka ferry sails Nagapattinam to Kankesanthurai six days a week, 4 to 5 hours (Oct 2026). It stops for the monsoon from about November.
Driving or riding a scooter in Sri Lanka: the permit and the roads
To drive in Sri Lanka you need a temporary local licence (15,000 rupees a month) or a 1949 IDP plus an AA recognition permit. The roads, as of Oct 2026.
Colombo to Galle by train: the coast line, times and tickets
The Colombo to Galle train runs along the coast: about 2 h 20 min on an express, Rs 240 to Rs 1,100. Times, tickets and the seaward side (Oct 2026).
Buses in Sri Lanka: how they work, and when to take one
Buses in Sri Lanka are the cheapest way around: Colombo to Kandy is 521 rupees on a normal bus (October 2026). How to ride, pay, book and stay safe.
Wilpattu National Park: villus, leopards and what a safari there is like
Wilpattu is Sri Lanka's largest national park: natural lakes, leopards at Yala-like density and a fifth of Yala's visitors. Season, fees, access (2026).
Whale watching from Mirissa: the season, and how to choose a responsible boat
Most Mirissa whale trips run November to April. Sightings are not guaranteed and have fallen recently. The season, the rules, and how to choose a boat.
Udawalawe: elephants in the wild, and the transit home
One of the most reliable places to see wild elephants, in any month. The safari, the Elephant Transit Home, and how to watch responsibly (Oct 2026).
Turtle hatcheries in Sri Lanka: which help, and which harm
A good hatchery moves only eggs at risk and releases hatchlings the same night. Four questions to ask before you pay, and a better way to see turtles.
What a tuk-tuk ride should cost, and how to agree a fair price
In Colombo the official tuk-tuk fare is 110 rupees for the first km and 90 per km after (October 2026). How to agree a fair price everywhere else.
Ella in 2026: how to get there, the walks and the bridge
Ella in 2026: by road, or the Nanu Oya train (no Kandy train yet). The walks, the Nine Arch Bridge, Ravana Falls, and how many days you need (Oct 2026).
What to wear at the Temple of the Tooth, and why
Cover shoulders and legs, no shorts or sleeveless tops, hat off, shoes left at the booth. The Temple of the Tooth dress code, explained (October 2026).
Temple etiquette in Sri Lanka: the rules and the reasons behind them
Shoes and hat off, shoulders and knees covered, never pose with your back to a Buddha. Sri Lanka's temple rules, and why each one matters (October 2026).
Tea country: how a leaf becomes Ceylon tea, and visiting a factory
How to visit a tea factory near Nuwara Eliya, what you see from leaf to cup, and who picks Ceylon tea. Where to go, and call ahead (October 2026).
Sri Lankan food: what to order, and what it is
Start with rice and curry at lunch, then hoppers or kottu in the evening. What each Sri Lankan dish is, how hot it is, and what to ask before you order.
Sri Lanka in two weeks: the classic loop, explained day by day
Two weeks in Sri Lanka: Cultural Triangle, Kandy, the hills, Ella, Yala and the south coast. Day by day, with honest travel-time ranges (checked October 2026).
Ten days in Sri Lanka in 2026, without the Kandy train
Ten days: Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Kandy, the Nanu Oya to Ella train, Yala and the south coast. The 2026 route around the closed Kandy line, with road times.
Sri Lanka ETA and visa: what you need before you fly
Every visitor needs an ETA from eta.gov.lk: free for 40 nationalities, US$50 for most others. Validity, extensions and rules (checked October 2026).
Sri Lanka in July and August: Arugam Bay or Trincomalee?
In July and August, go east: Arugam Bay for surf, Trincomalee for dry-season beaches and Pigeon Island, plus the Cultural Triangle and Minneriya (2026).
Getting a tourist SIM or eSIM in Sri Lanka
Buy a tourist SIM or eSIM at the 24-hour counters in Colombo airport arrivals, with your passport. Operators, plans and prices (checked October 2026).
Sigiriya or Pidurangala? What each climb gives you
Climb Sigiriya to understand the site; climb Pidurangala to see the rock itself. Many visitors do both in one day. What each climb involves (October 2026).
Swimming safety in Sri Lanka: the sea, the seasons and the lifeguards
Many Sri Lankan beaches have dangerous surf or rip currents, in every season. Calmer months, lifeguarded beaches, flags, and how to decide each day (2026).
Polonnaruwa: how to see the medieval capital by bicycle
Polonnaruwa's ruins run about 4 km north to south on flat ground, so many visitors cycle. The route, the US$30 ticket and what each ruin is (Oct 2026).
Photographing the Nine Arch Bridge: train times and safe positions
Four trains cross the Nine Arch Bridge each day (timetable from 20 June 2026). The times, where to stand safely off the track, and drone rules (Oct 2026).
Negombo or Colombo for your first night?
Land late? Negombo is about 7 km from the airport; Colombo Fort is 35 to 40 km. Taxi fares, the bus, the expressway, and how to choose (October 2026).
Money in Sri Lanka: cash, cards, ATMs and tipping
Use both. Cards work at hotels and larger shops; carry rupees in small notes for tuk-tuks, buses and small shops. ATMs, fees and tipping (October 2026).
The Gathering at Minneriya: when and why the elephants come
From about June to October, hundreds of elephants gather on the drying Minneriya and Kaudulla reservoirs. When to go, why they come, and how to watch well.
Kandy to Ella without the train (2026)
No Kandy–Ella train in 2026. Drive about 130 km (3.5–4.5 hours), or drive to Nanu Oya and ride the reopened train to Ella. Times, fares, buses (Oct 2026).
Kandy to Ella by train: booking, classes and the 2026 closure
No train runs Kandy to Ella as of October 2026. Go by road to Nanu Oya and ride the open section. How booking, classes and fares work on this line.
The Kandy Esala Perahera: what it is and how to watch it
A ten-night procession in July or August for the Tooth Relic and four gods. In 2026 it ran 18 to 28 August; 2027 dates are not out yet. How to watch it.
Jaffna: etiquette first, and what to know before you go north
Jaffna in 2026: temple etiquette, the train after Cyclone Ditwah (back since April 2026), Nallur, the fort, the library, the islands and the best months.
Is Sigiriya worth climbing? What you see, and what most visitors miss
Yes, if you know what you are looking at: a 5th-century royal capital on a 180 m rock. What the climb involves, the fee, and what most visitors miss.
How many days in Kandy, and what to fill them with
Two days in Kandy fit the Temple of the Tooth, the lake, Udawattakele, Peradeniya's gardens and the old temples west of town. A day-by-day plan (Oct 2026).
Horton Plains and World's End: timing the walk before the cloud
Be at the gate when it opens at 6 a.m.: Sri Lanka Tourism advises 6 to 10 a.m., before the clouds roll in. The loop, fees and safety (Oct 2026).
Hiring a driver in Sri Lanka: what to agree before you start
Agree in writing: daily rate, fuel, tolls, parking, the driver's room and meals, distance and hours. How to check a licence, and stay safe (Oct 2026).
Galle Fort: who built it, and what to look for on the walk
The Portuguese built the first fort in 1588; the Dutch built most of the walls from 1663 to 1729. What to look for on a walk round the walls.
Ten mistakes first-time visitors make in Sri Lanka
Skipping the ETA, planning a Kandy to Ella train that is not running, the wrong season, and seven more mistakes to avoid on a first trip (Oct 2026).
The Dambulla cave temple: what the five caves hold
Five cave shrines with 157 statues and about 2,100 m² of paintings, used for over 2,000 years. What each cave holds, and how to visit (Oct 2026).
From Colombo airport to Kandy or Sigiriya: real road, bus and rail times (2026)
By road: about 3 to 4 hours to Kandy and 3 to 4.5 hours to Sigiriya. No train reaches Kandy until 2027. Taxi fares, buses and night arrivals (Oct 2026).
Buddha images in Sri Lanka: photos, tattoos, souvenirs and the law
Cover any Buddha tattoo before you land. Never pose with your back to, or beside, a Buddha statue. Avoid Buddha prints; check before exporting a statue.
When to visit Sri Lanka: the two monsoons, explained
For the classic loop, January to March is driest. The east coast is best April to September. How the two monsoons decide your route, month by month.
When to see leopards in Yala, and how to choose a responsible safari
Leopards are seen in Yala all year. Best odds: the first and last hours of the day, in the drier May to September months. Fees, rules and ethical choices.
Which safari in Sri Lanka? A one-screen chooser by goal and month
Leopards: Yala or Wilpattu. Elephants: Udawalawe all year, Minneriya in the dry season. Birds: Bundala or Kumana. Which park, which month (October 2026).
Anuradhapura in a day: what to see in the first capital
One day: the Sri Maha Bodhi, the great dagobas, the Samadhi Buddha and the Twin Ponds. What each is, the US$30 ticket and getting around (Oct 2026).
Climbing Sri Pada (Adam's Peak): season, start time and respect
Climb in the pilgrimage season, December to May; leave Nallathanni by about 2 a.m. for sunrise. Route, what to bring, and respect at the summit (Oct 2026).