Planning a trip to Sri Lanka
Start here if you are still shaping the trip: how long to stay, which route to follow and when to go.
These guides cover the decisions you make before you book, and the practical things to sort out before you land.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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.
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).
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).
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.