The Island of Ceylon is a small universe ... If you are interested in people, history, nature, and art - the things that really matter - you may find, as I have, that a lifetime is not enough

Sir. Arthur C. Clarke, CBE
Science fiction author, Inventor and Futurist

Travel Tips

This page consists of some important information on travelling, such as the, Best time to visit, What to take, Baggage allowance, Sri Lanka currency information, Customs and Excise of Sri Lanka, Health kit & advice and other useful items. For visa information, please visit the visa information page.

Best time to visit

Sri Lanka travel planner (NOT for East Coast):

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

		Ideal weather for visiting Sri Lanka
		Good weather for visiting Sri Lanka
		Weather may be variable, but travel still possible as many tourists still visit the island in this season.

Sri Lanka is renowned for the production and export of tea, coffee, coconut, rubber and cinnamon - which is native to the country. The island is known as the "Pearl of the Indian Ocean" due to its natural beauty. The sandy and white beaches here are so much attractive and among the top beaches in the world. The country is also filled with tropical forests, diverse landscapes with rich biodiversity. Sri Lanka claims to a long history of over three thousand years and it's one of the longest documented histories in the world. The rich cultural heritage and friendly people here, make Sri Lanka, as one of the greatest destinations to travel and enjoy the time.

What to take

Documents

1. Passport (Inc. Visa)

2. Flight tickets

3. Cash (See below for "Sri Lanka Currency" information)

4. ATM cards (Please ensure that your card/s could be used in Sri Lanka by contacting your bank)

5. Credit cards (Visa and MasterCard are better)

6. Travellers' cheques (AmEx and Thomas Cook are better in USD ($), GBP (£) or Euro (€) - incl. purchase receipts and cheque numbers. (Please keep separately from the T/Cs themselves, in case of a theft)

7. Wallet or similar

8. Travel insurance certificate

9. Driving Licence (if needed)

10. Photocopies of essential documents such as passport identification and visa pages. (Please keep separately from the passport itself, in case of a theft)

12. Spare passport photos

13. Student card (if appropriate)

14. Health passport (International Certificates of Vaccinations)

Clothing & Accessories (Can be purchased locally also, at a cheaper price)

1. Hat

2. Lightweight long sleeve cotton tops and long trousers in pale colors

3. Pullover or cardigan

4. Sandals or thongs

5. Smart clothes

6. Swim-wear

7. Toiletries

8. Trainers/walking boots

Baggage Allowance

In most of the airlines, in-hold baggage allowance permitted is 20kg in Economy Class and 30kg in Business Class.

Carry-on or hand baggage might be permitted through the airport security search point. Please contact the airport for more details.

Generally, due to tight security regulations followed worldwide, no sharp objects might be allowed in your hand luggage such as nail scissors, manicure sets etc. Furthermore, all items carried by passengers might be x-ray screened.

Sri Lanka Currency Information

Money

The Sri Lankan currency is the "Rupee (Rs)". Rupee is divided into 100 cents (i.e: 1 Rupee = 100 Cents). Coins come in denominations of 5, 10, 25 and 50 cents (Rare to be found in general) and ONE, TWO, FIVE and TEN rupees. Notes come in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000 and 5000 rupees. Break down notes (Eg: Rs 500) when you change money into Rs. 50 or Rs. 100, as most vendors may not have change. Dirty or torn notes might not be accepted, except at a bank. (USD $ 1 = Rs. 108 Approx.)

Money changing on arrival

At the airport, you can change money at one of the many exchange counters in the arrivals hall, which are open when flights arrive. ATMs are also available there. It might be very useful for you, if you could obtain (from the banks or money changers there) for small denomination notes (Rs.20, 50 and 100), for buying items locally and for tips if necessary.

ATMs and Cards

Srilankan banks operate a wide network of ATMs accepting international Visa, MasterCard and Cirrus/Maestro cards. Visa and MasterCard are the most commonly accepted cards in commercial spots. Other major cards such as Amex and Diners Club are also accepted in most majority of the commercial areas.

Cash

Any bank or exchange bureau will change major currencies in cash including US dollars ($), euros (€) and Pounds Sterling (£).

Customs & Excise of Sri Lanka

On arrival, visitors to Sri Lanka are officially required to declare all the currency they bring in, valuable equipment, jewelery and gems. However, it is very rarely checked.

Visitors are not allowed to bring in goods which are in commercial quantities, or prohibited / restricted items such as dangerous drugs, weapons, explosives, obscene or seditious literature or pictures or gold. Drug trafficking or possession carries the death penalty, although this is very rarely carried out on foreigners.

You are allowed 1.5 liters of spirits, 2 bottles of wine, 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250 g rolling tobacco, a small quantity of perfume and 250 ml of toilet water. You can also import a small quantity of travel souvenirs (may be as gifts) not exceeding the value of US$250.

Professional photography or filming equipment must be declared and will be allowed entry on a valid Carnet, Bank Guarantee or a refundable deposit of the duty payable on the items.

Health Kit

Personal medication (e.g. inhalers, anti-hypertensives, insulin) and a copy of prescription and Medical Records if needed (Eg: If you are an epilepsy patient or similar, it is highly recommended that you take copies of your recent treatment records in case of an emergency)